A Virginians for Alternatives to the
Death Penalty
PO Box 4804 @ Charlottesville, VA 22905
D) P (434) 960-7779 @ (888) 567-VADP @Fax (434) 984-2803
office@VADP.org @ www.vadp.org
November 29, 2008
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Beth Panilaitis
434-960-7779
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit will Decide Fate of
Justin Wolfe
Richmond, VA - On December 2 at 9a.m., the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the 4th Circuit in Richmond will hear the case of Justin Wolfe, who was
sentenced to death in 2002 at the age of 21. Wolfe was convicted of murder
for hire in the 2001 murder of Danny Petrole, Jr. The actual crime was
committed by Owen Barber who entered into a plea agreement in exchange
for his testimony against Wolfe. Barber was subsequently sentenced to
sixty years in prison with twenty eight suspended, to serve only thirty two
years. There was no physical evidence connecting Wolfe to the crime and
he continues to maintain his innocence.
At the hearing, Wolfe’s attorneys will present evidence related to four
issues. They will argue that the prosecution failed to disclose exculpatory
information, the prosecution manipulated witnesses’ testimony and created
a false impression at trial, jurors were exposed to extraneous influences
during the penalty phase deliberations, and trial counsel unreasonably
moved to excuse a juror.
Wolfe’s case has gained national media attention and has rallied death
penalty opponents across the country based on the strong possibility of his
innocence. Beth Panilaitis, Executive Director of Virginians for Alternatives
to the Death Penalty states, “Justin Wolfe’s case highlights the brokenness
of our capital justice system and how the death penalty is a public policy
failure. There have been 130 exonerations nationwide from death row since
1973. Virginia came within days of executing Earl Washington Jr. before
allowing DNA evidence to be examined which proved his innocence. The
very real possibility of convicting and executing an innocent man or woman
demonstrates the need for a moratorium on the death penalty to examine
these issues and protect the innocent.”
For more information about the case please contact Terri Steinberg at
(703) 472-1028 or Beth Panilaitis from VADP at beth@vadp.org or (434)
960-7779. Wolfe’s family and a spokesperson from VADP will be available
to answer questions after the hearing.
