The group begs with Whitmer that intervenes in the execution of Detroiter in Alabama

Lansing – Family members and friends made a shot of Democratic governor Grertchen Whitmer on Tuesday to intervene in the case of a former Detroit resident who faces the death penalty next week in Alabama for raping and killing a woman 34 years ago.

The group delivered a letter and petition signatures to the governor who requested an executive order that requires the return of Demetrius Frazier to fulfill a life imprisonment in Michigan’s prisons instead of being executed by nitrogen gas in Alabama on February 6.

“I am asking Governor Whitmer, could I please demand that they send my son back to Michigan to end his time served here?” Said Demetrius Frazier’s mother, from outside the Romney building, where they are The Governor’s offices.

“I know that Demetrius has done some terrible things he confessed … and he has regretted, he has forgiven,” he added. “I am very sorry for the other families. I’m very sorry. But Demetrius has simply changed … I see it.”

Demetrius Frazier faces the execution for the rape and murder of Pauline Brown of 1991 in Alabama. He was also convicted in the 1992 murder of Crystal Kendrick, 14, in Michigan, whom he shot while trying to violate her. It was after he was arrested in Kendrick’s murder in Michigan who admitted to killing Brown.

After his judgments, Demetrius Frazier was housed in Michigan’s prisons in convictions that include homicide, armed hand rob, a serious crime firearm and criminal sexual behavior.

But, in 2011, former Republican governor Rick Snyder agreed to extradite Demetrius Frazier Alabama. He has remained in Alabama since then.

The defenders argue that Snyder’s extradition was illegal and have maintained that if Whitmer or Attorney General Dana Nessel intervened and demanded the return of Frazier, could save the death penalty and fulfill life imprisonment in prison. Michigan prohibited the death penalty in 1847.

Nessel’s office said on Tuesday that his contribution on the case was limited to the extradition decision of 2011.

“The question before our office was not whether the attorney general should intervene or not, but if the transfer of 2011 was appropriate and legal according to Michigan’s law, which we determined,” said Danny Wimmer, Nessel spokesman. “Out of that, this department does not intervene in the criminal affairs of other states.”

Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comments.

Demetrius Frazier’s lawyers in the legal presentation urged Whitmer and Nessel to act, but both declined. Nessel tried to dismiss the legal challenge and replied that the office did not take “any position on the imposition of the death penalty in this case.”

On Tuesday, Abraham Bonowitz, director of the Death Penalty Action Executor, acknowledged that there was no precedent in which another state extradited a person in the death corridor to be able to fulfill life imprisonment. But he pointed out that there is a precedent for state extraditions.

“We are asking Governor Whitmer to try,” said Bonowitz. “Ultimately, we do not know what we are going to obtain in the Supreme Court designated by Trump … But, if nothing else, Governor Whitmer needs to defend Michigan’s historical opposition to the death penalty and the current constitutional prohibition.”

However, there is a precedent for Michigan to house an inmate in a life imprisonment that would otherwise face the death penalty in another state, according to Demetrius Frazier’s lawyers.

In a presentation last week, Detroit’s lawyers noticed that the state of California in 2015 agreed to allow Michigan to house the murderer Clarence Ray in life without probation instead of taking him to California to face the death penalty. At that time, the district prosecutor said the agreement saved the State the cost of the appeals of the progress of death.

Demetrius Frazier is also looking for federal litigation alleging that the nitrogen gas method that will be used in its execution violates the protections of the eighth amendment against cruel and unusual punishment.

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