State murder appeal: Manuel Salaza
Rich Winkel
** Topic: Death Penalty Appeal-Manuel Salaza **
** Written 3:57 pm Mar 25, 1993 by christian in cdp:justice.usa **
March 25, 1993
Death Penalty Appeal - Manuel Salazar
Sentenced to Death in State of Illinois, U.S.A.
Group 133 Amnesty International - Somerville/Arlington
Case Background: Manuel Salazar 26,
is now on Death Row in the state of Illinois.
Last March he was sentenced to die by lethal injection
for the 1984 killing of a Joliet, Illinois police
officer. The execution has been stayed pending appeal
to the Illinois Supreme Court. At the time of the
crime Manuel Salazar was 18 years old.
According to police reports, on the night of
Sept. 12 1984 at approx. 5p.m. Manuel Salazar was
riding with his friends when Joliet Police Officers
pulled him over. They were suspicious of Blacks and
Hispanics (Manuel Salazar is Mexican-American), riding
in a car together. After being pulled over, Manuel
Salazar fled from the car with his gym bag that
contained a gun. Manuel had been using the gun for
target practice earlier in the day at a nearby river.
Manuel made it to an overgrown area and threw the bag
over a fence. Officer Martin Murrin, who was chasing
him, never knew Manuel had a gun. It was later found
inside the bag, undischarged. Officer Murrin caught
Manuel, pinned him against the fence, and began to
severely beat him. There was a struggle and in the
end the police officer was killed with bullets from
his own gun. Evidence of powder burns (not disclosed
during the trial) indicated that the gun was in the
officers hands when it discharged. Testimony from a
toxicologist attested to the fact that Officer Murrin
was intoxicated at the time. Also a non-police issue
knife was found strapped to the officer's leg.
After hearing that "shoot to kill" orders had been
issued by local police, Mauuel evaded capture and fled
to his family in Mexico. On May 18, 1985, at approx.
5a.m. Manuel was seized by armed men from his bed.
Manuel was held in jail for a few hours and then
forcibly taken to border guards at Laredo, Texas.
Payment for this kidnapping came from parties in
Joliet, Illinois. Manuel was tried and sentenced to
death by a white middle class jury.
It was later discovered that Manuel's attorney had
frequently represented Joliet Police officers in court
and had been representing a Joliet police officer in
another matter at the time of Manuel's trial.
Due to inadequate legal representation information
vital for Manuel's defense was not presented at trial.
For instance, the jury was never told the real reason
Manuel and his friends were stopped. They were not
told that Martin Murrin had applied and been rejected
by seven other police departments nor that there was
evidence that he had severely beaten another man.
Recommended Action:
Send letters to the Governor of Illinois
Please try to mail your letters so that
the governor will recieve them the week
of April 29, 1993.
- express concern that Manuel Salazar
has not received a fair trial
- ask the governor how justice can be served by
kidnapping and callous disregard for
Mexican sovereignty
- state that Manuel Salazar is a victim of
brutality not a perpetrator of brutality
- ask the governor to do all that is in his power
to see that justice is done for Manuel Salazar
- state that the death penalty is cruel and unusual
punishment in all cases and that the price
of inaccuracy is too high
Governor Jim Edgar
Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706
USA
phone: (217) 782-6830
fax: (217) 782-3560
For more information on Manuel Salazar's
case please contact:
Christian A. Williams
Peacenet@Christian
or Contact:
Marlene Kamish
FOR THE DEFENSE
1624 W. 18th Street, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 455-0766
** End of text from cdp:justice.usa **