Governor Bush declined a request to be interviewed about the Graham case. The governor's office conducts an exhaustive and lengthy review process of each death penalty case. Having said that, we believe it is inappropriate for the governor or his staff to grant an interview in the middle of this review process. The Graham case has put a spotlight on the way Texas appoints lawyers to handle death penalty cases and the woeful performance of scores of local lawyers, two of whom slept through parts of several trials and others of whom have presented few if any arguments on behalf of their clients. I indict the system that creates Ronnie, and lawyers like him.
Judges appoint lawyers who play along with the rules.
Defense lawyers and judges say there are now a number of highly skilled court-appointed lawyers on capital cases in Harris County. By law you are not guaranteed perfect or excellent counsel. You're guaranteed competent counsel. Talking from a holding cell on death row in Livingston on Wednesday, Mr. Graham said the fact that Mr. Mock was also a black man had been reassuring. I felt like he would stand up and fight the system.