With One Day Left to Save Attacker, Bhuiyan's Case Goes to the Media ... and Federal Court

By Robert Wilonsky Tue., Jul. 19 2011 at 8:09 AM

Behind the counter at the Pleasant Grove convenience store following the September 2001 shooting of Rais Bhuiyan by Mark Stroman

Tomorrow, the steady stream of stories about Rais Bhuiyan's attempt to save Mark Stroman -- the man who shot Bhuiyan in the face and killed two other men in the days following September 11, 2001 -- will more than likely come to an end. Tomorrow the former stonecutter and white supremacist from Dallas, who was 32 when he shot those men to death and was determined "to retaliate on local Arab Americans," will be put to death by the state of Texas.

There is, of course, the slim, almost infinitesimal chance that the courts might intervene. Not the U.S. Supreme Court; it's already taken a pass. But ~~this~~tomorrow morning, a federal judge in Austin will consider Bhuiyan's lawsuit against Rick Perry and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice filed last week, his last-ditch appeal to save the life of the man who tried to kill him. Late Monday, the Texas Attorney General's Office filed to remove the suit from state court to federal court -- a striking turn of events, considering Gov. Rick Perry's insistence that Texas doesn't need D.C. tellin' the state what to do. But according to the notice of removal filed by Greg Abbott and others: "A federal question exists if there appears on the face of the complaint some substantial, disputed question of federal law." So off to federal court they go this morning, with Bhuiyan also having filed a motion for temporary injunction late yesterday.

Today's court proceedings led to the cancellation of scheduled afternoon press conference at SMU, where Bhuiyan was to speak -- and where he was scheduled to be joined by a "juror speaking out about Stroman's death penalty case" about whom we know little at this point. But a press conference would be redundant at this point anyway: Not only were Bhuiyan and Stroman on CBS Evening News last night, but they also appear in a side-by-side Q&A in this morning's New York Times. Writes Stroman:

Mr Rais Bhuiyan, what an inspiring soul...for him to come forward after what ive done speaks Volume's...and has really Touched My heart and the heart of Many others World Wide...Especially since for the last 10 years all we have heard about is How Evil the Islamic faith Can be...its proof that all are Not bad nor Evil.

The legal docs and CBS News video follow.

Update: The BBC also sends word that it too has a piece on Bhuiyan and Stroman today.

State Removal NoticeBhuiyan Temporary Injunction

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Floyd Mills

In America we war against Islamic extremism as expressed by the Taliban who champion summary execution. Here comes an unstable American man sickened with hate because his sister was murdered by that Islamic extremism. He picks up a gun and declares war. Anyone of middle eastern origin becomes his enemy. He kills two and wounds one, a devout Muslim, shooting him in the face. 10 years pass. The devout Muslim recovers and heals. He forgives the man who has given up his hate and anger and he embraces the man he once hated with love. The devout Muslim asks the American courts not to execute the man. Over the past 10 years every living cell in the convicted man's body has been replaced. His mind has been transformed. His memories of the past have mostly faded. only the calcium in the bones that support his frame give continuity to the man he is today and the man who pulled the trigger 10 years before. The devout Islamic man begs the courts: "I have a plan for this man! I am going to bring him forward. I am going to show him that not all Muslims are terrorists. I am going to show him that I am a human being filled with love. If you take him away from me, who will I show? What meaning will there be in My life if I cannot bring his life to me?" Will the American courts hear this? Can they hear this?

J Rain

So glad to see this this story getting some coverage... Mr. Bhuiyan was just video-interviewed on Democracy Now! this morning, at one point he said:

"We see hate crimes all over the world, based on color, sexual orientation, nationality and faith. So his execution would not eradicate hate crimes from this world, but if he's executed, we'll simply lose a human life without dealing with the route cause - which is hate."

You can check it out here: http://www.democracynow.org/20...

Anon

We can deal with the root cause while also holding Stroman accountable for his actions. One does not preclude the other.

deano

Justice was imposed by the Jury and Judge. One victim doesnt get to make law and file meritless lawsuits to get his PERSONAL beliefs adhered to. The state has a duty to to keep its citizens safe....and only an execution will be just punishment.

TAKE ACTION: The only DP drug supplier is now LUNDBECK. Barage this Company with email and calls. Its trying to stop its US distributors from selling to prisons. Its making a decision based on political correctness. It CANNOT force its US distributors to NOT sell to prisons. Its Discrimination. If they want to deprive millions of its use to save a few dozen murderers then remove the entire drug from the US market. Boycott them and write letters to the States Attorney General and FDA, FTC, and DEA. Time to make these companies pay for their political correctness. Its time to put the pressure on these PC companies and liberal anti-DP organizations and slip n fall lawyers.

scottindallas

stick with sports. Your proposal to strongarm a company to incur lawsuits they've decided to avoid is stupid.

Chris Danger

We know Stroman is someone who is def. mentally ill(as sane people dont kill) and possess what appears to be a serious learning challenge, if you read the NY Times piece w/ his response it appears it was written by a 3rd grader. To me, someone like that would benefit from life in prison, as they can get the help they need and allow them to redeem themselves. Again, Mr. Bhuiyan is showing love and compassion, the likes of which I would say many of "might is right" crowd who have made snide comments in these posts could take a lesson or two from..

pencil

"To me, someone like that would benefit from life in prison, as they can get the help they need and allow them to redeem themselves"You have to be living free in society making your own choices to redeem your self, which would be impossible confined in prison for life.

Anon

As someone else said, it is Stroman who used the "might is right" mentality.

My innocent sibling was murdered. I am not interested in "benefitting" Mr. Stroman or giving a killer "the help they need." What about punishing him for killing 2 people?

Where is the compassion for the dead?

If the dead he killed can be brought back to life, I am all for allowing him to redeem himself.

And sane people don't kill? Sure they do. They do it all the time. Stroman was sane enough to live much of his adult life out and about in society. He's sane. And if he's not sane, how we can believe anything he says?

Psym is right: these people pretend remorse, etc. out of their survival instinct.

Many, many, many survivors forgive as part of their coping strategy--even if the subconsciously. That's why we make laws and adhere to them instead of the emotional responses of involved parties.

No one is putting Stroman to death. He did the crimes. He made the choices. He is putting himself to death.

scottindallas

We don't let the victims sit on the jury. that's not our legal system. Sorry you're so bitter, but that's why you'd be disqualified from serving on a jury.

Anon

You're right that I am bitter.

The pain does not go away. Every visit to the cemetery rips your heart out. The good person, the innocent person is in the ground. The criminal is not. The criminal is alive instead.

And your point about victims being disqualified from jury duty, while not technically accurate, applies exactly to Mr. Bhuiyan's situation. HIs desire to heal through forgiveness cannot determine this murderer's fate.

Mr. Bhuiyan is entitled to extend mercy.The legal system is required to extend justice.

Jay

I notice from the news report that CBS totally omitted the story-line about Stroman having a sister killed in the 9/11 attacks. Stroman came up with that rational for murder after his trial, as part of his first appeal. He has never identified her by name or responded to media questions about her. So the story-line is now he was just upset by the 9/11 attacks.

Choochoo.

I agree. He should be kept alive--and tortured with pliers and wires on his balls every other day of his worthless, cockroach life. Death is too kind.

psyrn

Of course Stroman is going to write good things about the guy who is trying to help save his life. Too bad that Bhuiyan can't see him for the soul-less sociopath that he is. People who do this sort of thing do not have the capacity for empathy or love as we know it. They only have a survival instinct, and will say and do anything to save themselves. They simply replicate human emotions such as remorse and sorrow. The only sorrow Stroman feels is for Stroman.