The United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
(Adam Pinsker, WFIU/WTIU News)
Lezmond Mitchell was sentenced to death for killing two people on Navajo Nation land in 2001.
His execution is scheduled for August 26th, at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
In a letter to President Trump, Navajo President Jonathan Nez asked Trump to commute Mitchell’s sentence to life in prison.
Mitchell was convicted in federal court in Arizona of murdering a grandmother and her granddaughter. Authorities also charged him with car-jacking resulting in murder.
The Major Crimes Act allows Native American tribes to opt of death penalty eligible crimes covered under the Major Crimes Act. But the car-jacking charge isn’t covered under that provision.
“The United States Department of Justice sought the death penalty against Mr. Mitchell despite the Navajo Nation’s public opposition, against the express wishes of the victim’s family, and ostensibly against the recommendation of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona,” Nez wrote in the letter.
Nez said Navajo cultural teachings express sanctity for life and instruct against taking a human life for vengeance.
“The Navajo Nation works continuously to improve the government-to-government relationship with our federal partners. We know this relationship works in addressing criminal matters in both tribal and federal cases; however, there are times when this relationship gets misaligned for any number of reasons. This; however, is a time when we can work together to bring our working relationship back into alignment in protecting our citizens from bad actors,” Nez wrote.
Last year Attorney General William P. Barr resumed federal executions after a moratorium was put in place during the Obama Administration.
