The Florida Supreme Court has refused to halt next weeks scheduled execution of 45-year-old Martin (Michoel Yechiel) Edward Grossman, a Jewish inmate, convicted of murdering a Pinellas County wildlife officer in 1984.
According to a report by the Associated Press, the justices Monday rejected claims from Grossman that he wasn’t given a fair chance to prove his trial lawyer had been ineffective nor allowed to present certain mitigating evidence against a death sentence.
The high court also ruled he was premature in arguing that he may be mentally incompetent. An insanity claim must first go to Gov. Charlie Crist for a ruling before it can be appealed.
The execution is set for Feb. 16.
Grossman was 19 years old when he and a friend went to a wooded area in Pinellas County on Dec. 13, 1984 to shoot a stolen handgun.
26-year-old Florida Wildlife Officer Margaret Park interrupted them and Grossman pleaded with her not to report him for having the gun and being outside Pasco County, both of which were violations of his probation for burglary.
Grossman struck Park on the back of the head when she tried to radio for help and his accomplice beat her.
Grossman, who was a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier than Park, wrestled her gun away from her and shot her in the back of the head.
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
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19 Responses
Rabbosai, we still have time to storm Shmayim with out tefilos!
#1– You forgot to take your medication today, didn’t you?
There is currently a paid advertisement on YWN which links to the following: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/save-martin-grossman
YWN DOES NOT ENDORSE ANY ADS ON THE SITE.
2, you got a problem with 1’s comment?
She also shot at him and missed, leaving him to believe that she may try again, according to media reports. Why was this not reported in this story?
If she shot at him that should have been mentioned.
It would also depend why she shot at him.
Did he aim his stolen gun at her making her think it was working, and that he was getting ready to shoot her?
Was he resisting arrest or threatening her with words or physical actions of any kind?
If he was doing anything to provoke her or try and threaten or intimidate her into firing on him
or if the facts turn out to be that she never did fire on him, then he is still guilty of murder and if he is not executed for murder, then others won’t be when they should and that is dangerous for everyone.
If he is bing singled out for execution when all the non Jews always avoid being executed then in his case he should also be spared.
They would (if they are in fact doing this) have no business or right to just single out the Jew, for execution.
#5 — Yes, I do. What of it?
Florida executes lots of individuals based on evidence far flimsier than in this case. Two different rabbis have told me never to sit on a jury in a capital case because the standards the US has for death penalty trials fall far short of what the Torah requires even for Noachide courts.
Charlie,
Id love to know where in Halacha it is detailed how a Noachide court should judge a murder trial?
How often do we come accross the Mitzva of Hatsolas Nefashos?
#3 petition is a wonderful opportunity to try to be Matsil Nefesh Achas…Forward it to your friends too.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/save-martin-grossman
#9 I heard that R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky was not in favor of the death penalty for similar reasons.
Alert!
By signing the on line petition you are exposing yourself to mail from an animal rights group. I know from personal experience. Send your own email do not worry about duplications, You can a message from the website.
CORRECTION
You can “C O P Y ” a message from the website.
Would we have all this balagan if the murderer was not born Jewish? Is anybody claiming he was also frum? He was convicted and sentenced. Let justice take its course.
This is a terrible, terrible thing! No one likes to hear something bad happen to a fellow Jew. But killing an officer of the law, while shooting a stolen gun, while already on probation for burglary, in the method described in this article, would result in a death penalty in any state that has a death penalty. Is that not as criminal behavior as criminal behavior can get? Finding an angle to get off the hook is another story. According to this story, the officer was murdered at 26. As Jews, can we support the death penalty for anyone if we do not support it in this case?
16..part 2. I dont mean we should “support” it. Poor choice of words. But the cards fell where they did, and it makes sense, in spite of what a shame and tragedy it is.
How can anyone express support for the government to execute someone like this person?!
Even if he would have been completely guilty, who says that according to torah law for Bnei Noach, they have any obligation or right to execute him in any fashion. Secondly, are the methods they use to execute anyone permissible for Bnei Noaach? I doubt it, and have heard that it is not from at least one person who is a big t”ch, although not a rov.
There is no excuse for any responsible Jew to encourage the government of Florida to do such a thing, especially at this time. No excuse. Hashem yerachem on anyone who has done so. Their comments should not be made anywhere, let alone on this site.
#7, I think what #5 meant was, WHAT is your problem with comment #1?
Are you an apikores and don’t believe in praying to Gd? Are you a sone yehudi? Are you judging your brother? Do you not find him worthy of your holy tefillot? Do you believe a murder [by a troubled teen under the influence of judgement-impairing substances] can and should be solved by another murder [of a remorseful grown man who has been sitting in jail for 25 years]? Yes, does this solve the problem and right the wrong done?
Please, enlighten us as to your humble opinion.
#9,
“In that al pi din a) a Noachide (secular) court does not have jurisdiction over a yehudi, b) a Noachide (secular) court does not have authority to impose misa on a yehudi, c) without 2 witnesses who provided warning beforehand there is no death penalty and d) a yehudi is not chayiv misa under any circumstance for rotzeach of a nochri — even in Beis Din.
And therefore, as a result of the above, every yehudi has a legal obligation of pikuach nefesh in saving this yehudi.”
Comment by volvie — February 14, 2010 @ 6:59 pm
Now you are REALLY a well-informed Yid!