Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Controversy Brews Over Scheduled Execution of Napoleon Beazley

Aired August 14, 2001 - 10:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Back here in the U.S., a deadlocked vote among the U.S. Supreme Court Justices may have sealed the fate of a murderer who is condemned to die tomorrow. The case revolves around Napoleon Beazley, who was a Texas teenager who shot and killed the father of a federal judge in a 1994 carjacking.

For the latest on this developing story, let's bring in our CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena -- Kelli, good morning.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, it is looking very much like the execution of Napoleon Beazley will proceed as planned tomorrow night. Now, the case has drawn both national and international attention because Beazley was 17 when he committed murder and as you said, Daryn, it has also come under some scrutiny because the man that Beazley murdered was the father of a very influential federal judge, seen here, J. Michael Luttig.

In fact, three Supreme Court Justices recused themselves from yesterday's decision to deny a stay of execution for Beazley because of a personal relationship with Luttig.

Now, Beazley, who is now 25, admits his guilt but says the murder was not premeditated.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Did you, did you take a gun that night? I mean did you plan on...

NAPOLEON BEAZLEY, DEATH ROW INMATE: Oh, you know, we had guns in the car. We had guns in the car.

ARENA: And...

BEAZLEY: It wasn't premeditated as far as the murder goes. It's not something we intended on. We just intended to jack a car, you know? That whole incident got out of hand.

ARENA: Well, how, what happened? How did it get out of hand?

BEAZLEY: You could say it was an impulse that was created by three impulsive young men, you know, one we read instantly. As far as in great detail that night, right, it's something, I mean, that's a picture that I've always tried to erase from my mind for the past seven years. All right, I'm not going to plan for anybody else to see it. It's kind of sick if you ask me, right? I can't even describe to you what I was feeling that night. Everything was kind of in slow motion.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: Beazley's age and Luttig's connections have intensified the debate over the scheduled execution. But despite the attention it does look like the execution will go forward at 7:00 P.M. Eastern Time tomorrow night -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kelli, Beazley's attorneys would like the Supreme Court, those Justices that still feel that they can comment on it, to look at the constitutional question as to whether or not this is cruel and unusual punishment to take the life of someone who was a minor when this crime happened. How likely are they, is it sounding like they're not going to do it, but why not if we're talking about a constitutional question and another man's life?

ARENA: Well, Daryn, you have three Justices who have recused themselves. So that leaves you with six. In yesterday's decision not to stay the execution, three judges, three Justices voted not to stay the execution. You need four to go ahead and hear an appeal and it's very unlikely that you'll get that, that four total to hear a broader appeal. So it does look like -- you also have a governor of Texas could step in. That's also, we are told, pretty unlikely at this point. So it does look like this is going through.

KAGAN: Kelli Arena in Washington. Kelli, thank you.

ARENA: You're welcome.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com