Saturday, May 2, 2009

Facing Death in Prison

The skeletal details of Deborah Peagler's story can be read in Wikipedia:

Deborah Peagler is a battered woman who has been in prison since 1983 for alleged involvement in the murder of the man who abused her, forced her into prostitution, and molested her daughters. Her incarceration became controversial in 2005. Peagler's supporters have established a website to publicize her cause.

In 2008, a California Superior Court Judge removed Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley's entire office from Peagler's case due to allegations of misconduct and conflicts of interest.

In 1982 Peagler’s abuser was beaten and strangled to death by two Crips gang members who were friends of Peagler’s mother. Peagler was accused of first-degree murder alongside one of the gang members—the other gang member was a minor at the time and was charged with a lesser crime.

Peagler never had a trial by jury. Prosecutors threatened to pursue the death penalty against her, and her attorney urged her to plead guilty in order to save her life. She was sentenced to 25-years-to-life in prison.



Now comes news that Peagler, suffering from lung cancer, has perhaps only weeks to live. But ABC7.com reports that she's been denied an uncontested request for release. The judge who's denied her request, apparently thinks he's following the law and furthering justice.

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