Justice for Cory Maye: Sign the petition

AT 11:00PM ON DECEMBER 26, 2001...
Members of the Prentiss, Mississippi police force and the Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force conducted a drug raid on the duplex apartment of Jamie Smith. Cory Maye lived in the other apartment that made up the duplex. Maye was not named in the police warrant for the duplex. Smith was arrested for marijuana possession. As the raid on Smith commenced, some officers went around to the other side of the duplex, in search of more contraband. They either thought the other side of the duplex was part of Smith's apartment, or they may have thought it was abandoned. The door was actually a door to Maye's home. Maye was asleep and awoke when he heard the rear door being smashed in. The rear door opened into the rear bedroom where Maye's 18 month old daughter was asleep. Fearing for himself and his daughter, Maye picked up his gun and fired at the intruders as they came into his daughter's bedroom. A bullet hit and killed the first officer to enter, Ronald Jones. When other officers shouted "Police," Maye ceased firing and surrendered to arrest. Maye is now on death row for the killing of a police officer. [More info here.]

Given these facts, the case needs to be reexamined and Cory Maye granted an unconditional pardon for behavior that is protected by law in the state within which he is governed. The petition will be printed out and mailed to the governor of Mississippi, and to various newspapers.

Sign the petition calling for Cory Maye's pardon. The tragedy of the officer's death should not be compounded by the execution of an innocent man whose only intent was to defend his family against intruders who burst into his home in the middle of the night.

Comments

[pansauce]

Hey, cool. I'm right after you on the petition. Now I can fulfill my dream of becoming the annoying guy who talks to the strangers next to him in the queue.

<Noticing that you happen to be reading a book>

You readin' a book? What's it about? Is it any good? I read a book once in school. It was about these kids who were livin' on an island. Cain't remember what it was called...

(You mean, 'Lord of the Flies'?)

I don't think so. Anyway, there was this fat kid and they took his glasses. Then they killed a pig and stuck his head on a spear.

(You mean, 'Lord of the Flies'?)

Naw. Then when the fat kid asked for his glasses back they killed him too. Still cain't remember what it was called though.

[Alon Levy]

Do you think it's appropriate for me to sign "Alon Levy, New York, NY"?

[Lawrence Krubner]

Alon Levy, it is fine if you want to sign it that way. However, there is a chance we won't use your signature when we publish it in a newspaper. We've had an internal debate about whether or not we will use signatures that don't include a street address. On the one hand, we want the signatures to be legitimate, so the petition will have influence. On the other hand, we realize people may very well be uncomfortable giving a street address. I do urge to include at least one kind of address by which people can contact you (email, website, or mailing address).

[Alon Levy]

It all depends on when you intend to publish the petition. I'm going to live in New York beginning on August 3rd; I already have an address, which I'll get on 8/4. The reason I'm asking is that right now I don't live in the US, and I know that in the US a non-American address is as good as a fabricated one.

[Lawrence Krubner]

"I know that in the US a non-American address is as good as a fabricated one"

We welcome and encourage international signatures. There are already some on the petition and if we could think of a way to encourage more, we would:

52 - Matthew Claxton - (hidden)... 198B Street, Langley, BC, Canada

315 - Karen Keung - (hidden)... Canada

341 - Duncan Brassington - (hidden)... Thane Court, Milton Keynes, UK, MK14 6AL

All the same, if you know what your New York address will be, feel free to use that. But if you don't, feel free to use your current address.