RebelINK

His sentence was commuted to life in prison!

From the New York Times:

The Texas pardons board, appointed by the governor, took the unusual action of voting 6 to 1 Wednesday to recommend commutation of Mr. Foster’s death sentence. The result was not released until Thursday morning and shortly afterward, Mr. Perry, a Republican, announced he had accepted the recommendation.

“After carefully considering the facts of this case, along with the recommendations from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, I believe the right and just decision is to commute Foster’s sentence from the death penalty to life imprisonment,” the governor said in a statement.

He said he was also concerned about the law that allowed Mr. Foster and the actual triggerman to be tried together and urged the Legislature to re-examine the issue. (more)

From Save Kenneth Foster on Blogspot:

Perry’s decision is historic. Not only has the Board of Pardons and Paroles rarely recommended clemency (by one count, 3 times since 1982), but Rick Perry has overseen more executions than any Governor of the State of Texas, including George Bush. (more)

I mentioned this case before. Even if you agree with the death penalty (I don’t), Perry’s decision to commute Foster’s sentence is important. His guilt and death sentence was largely based on the guilt of another person; he was not tried separately. Guilt by association should never be enough to have someone executed.