Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1963-10-31
Tawes' Full Statement
In Ciles-J0hnson Case

The fololoing is the FIJI tert OF the cIenlency state
naent 0y Co.. j. MtAdrd Tdces IN the GiesJohnson case
is necessary leading to the
conviction of James Giles John G. Giles and Joseph
son & for the crime OF The Giles brothers found
guilty by Montgomery County jury subsequent
Joseph Johnson arising same
dent removed to Anne Arundel County
guilty on substantially the evidence by jury
County In each instance the jury did not in giving its verdict
add the words without capital punishment thereby authorizing
the Court to impose either the death life mprison
en sentence Of than wentyone years The death
penalty imposed all three Judges respective
counties where the cases were tried The accused represented
BY able counsel they tried in accordance with process
the law and their convictions upheld the MARYLAND
Court of Appeals For
question of guilt innocence for considered opinion the
guilt of these three persons established through judicial
processes Therefore duty review the Of
punishment to be imposed
Under power derived from Constitution nipple
mened by the Legislature, the
authority to commute sentences This confes upon the Governor
ne power TO exercise Judgment different from that of the court
which imposes the sentence This fact places heavy
den the Governor yet Constitution
their wisdom fit power the concomant
responsibility must be accepted by the Chief my
conviction that the with
great discretion and caution and only those
polling exist While engender intense public
attention and sentiment cannot abdcate my responsibility
Chief Executive by rendering decisions solely upon public
pressure Each wheteR be widely pubcized
and will be decided its merits is with this
that have approached the heavy lonely
mining the disposition to be made present cases.
In reaching decision have through investigation
the persons involved My efforts have been supplemented by
those Of conscientious defense counsel and others
pleaded behalf Of the three All these efforts
duced information perhaps known which
been most helpful Further in reaching decision
into consideration the rights of the public of the victim and of
the three offenders 1t is difficult impossible equate
these several rights but far human judgment permits
tce must be done to all three without denying anyone
In determining the mode Of punishment offenders and
not the offense alone must be considered This the Legislature
must have had in mind when provided for alternative degrees
OF punishment for the crime of Giles youngest
OF the three had prior criminal Giles and
Joseph Johnson Jr both in their early weties
present offense occurred have had prior
but the dispositions made would indicate that the ofenses
not OF serious nature More Importantly they do indicate
prior propensity for physical course
do not minimize the gravity of the ofene which they
stand convicted and its effect the victim public
on the other hand the past history Of these be
ignored In attempting to arrive at composite picture of their
entire being There serious question my justice
in this demands the execution of these individuals
compelled to resolve this doubt by committing penalty
in each They have however by the preparation of such
serious crime early life demonstrated that they constitute
and threat from which the public protected
Taking all of these factors account my considered
judgment that in this instance justice all will be fulfilled by
the communication Of the death sentence
Imprisonment.