Killer recites Muslim prayer as he's put to death for murder of Toledo store owner

[Bill McBlueState]

Source: (Toledo) Blade

As he repeatedly recited a Muslim prayer in Arabic, Toledo native Vernon Lamont Smith took what appeared to be a deep yawn, fell unconscious, and became just the second person in the nation executed via a unique one-drug process Thursday.

"There’s no god but God, and Muhammed is his prophet. That’s what he’s saying," said Charlotte Darwish, the widow of Smith’s victim, as she watched the execution with her two daughters. It was a prayer she’d frequently heard her late husband, Sohail Darwish, recite.

Smith, who converted to Islam and legally changed his name to Abdullah Sharif Kaazim Mahdi while on death row, was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m. at the Southern Ohio Correctional Institution in Lucasville. He became the 34th person executed by the state since 1999.

...

Ohio remains the only state to use a one-drug process. It has yet to use the fallback process in the event the execution team fails to find usable veins—the direct injection of two drugs into muscle.


Read more: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100107/NEWS24/1070382

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Here's to Ohio; they found a way to keep killing people.

[Bill McBlueState]

1. it's unclear to me

why the Blade insisted on referring to the condemned by something other than his legal name.

[Brickbat]

2. I noticed that too.

Poor editing.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Perhaps

it's because that was the name under which he murdered his victim. Not everyone familiar with the case may have realized that he changed his name only after going onto death row.

[Journeyman]

4. I imagine because he was convicted and sentenced to die as Vernon Smith. . .

so it was editorially decided to refer to him on first mention by that name, then, after describing his conversion and legal name change while he was on death row, to refer to him for the rest of the article by his newer, legal name.

[No Elephants]

37. Self Delete

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Perhaps because it is the name which he is best know as

The press never uses U2's Bono's legal name, Paul Hewson.

[paulsby]

21. probably because that's the name he was convicted under

and was known under for the underlying crime

[No Elephants]

32. Do many white folk named Smith convert to Islam while in prison?

[dflprincess]

5. I wonder if they would print a headline like

"Killer recites Christian prayer as he's put to death for murder of Toledo store owner"?

For some reason, I doubt it.

[Michigan-Arizona]

7. That was my first thought as well n/t

[davsand]

8. My thought exactly. They gotta hammer the Muslim angle, don't they.

I saw that headline nd immediately wondered how much of a shock it would have been to anyone had he recited a Christian prayer as he died. Seems to me the media is doing all they can to fan the flames of hate in any way they can. Reminds me an awful lot of the days when your race was a part of the headlines.

Muslim--it's the new black!


Laura

[Behind the Aegis]

13. Seems the victim was also Muslim.

[davsand]

16. But--you can't point THAT out!

You can only point out the BAD Muslims in headlines! If the victim is Muslim you might be sympathetic somehow. Can't have that...



Laura

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. that is correct - the victim was an Arab, a Palestinian and a Muslim

And the perpetrator only became a Muslim long after the killing while on death row. - thank you for pointing that out

On May 26, 1993, Mahdi, brandishing a gun, walked into the Woodstock Carryout in central Toledo with Herbert Bryson while Bryson’s cousin, Lamont Layson, waited in the car. He shot the owner, Mr. Darwish, a 28-year-old Palestinian raised in Saudi Arabia who immigrated to Toledo. He left behind his wife, daughter Dolly, who was just shy of her first birthday, and daughter Mona, who was born three months later.

". That’s what he’s saying," said Charlotte Darwish, the widow of Smith’s victim, as she watched the execution with her two daughters. It was a prayer she’d frequently heard her late husband, Sohail Darwish, recite."

"Smith, who converted to Islam and legally changed his name to Abdullah Sharif Kaazim Mahdi while on death row"

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100107/NEWS24/1070382

[Behind the Aegis]

28. So many were harping about the poor title, they didn't read the actual story it seems.

Including the wife not really wanting her husband's murder put to death.

[Douglas Carpenter]

30. a headline could have read, "Killer of Arab immigrant executed: wife of victim plead for clemency"...

if the point was only to emphasize difference.

unfortunately, many people - probably most people, only quickly glance at most newspaper stories -

I cannot help but wonder - how many ordinary people back in Ohio just glanced at that newspaper headline or others glanced at the story on the Internet and perhaps read a couple a couple of sentences and said to themselves, "another killing committed by another Muslim."

I cannot help but wonder what the editors who choose the wording of that headline were thinking. They obviously know that most people only glance at headlines and read a few sentences.

[Behind the Aegis]

31. And the same is said for those who are black, gay, and Jewish.

I read a few other articles from that same site that didn't emphasize the nature of the murderer.

Another article from that site: Murderer executed for role in 1993 crime.

"I cannot help but wonder what the editors who choose the wording of that headline were thinking. They obviously know that most people only glance at headlines and read a few sentences."

Headlines sell!

Interestingly, they didn't make an issue of origin (a Palestinian) here...

Toledo man threatening Jews taken off flight in Florida .

[Douglas Carpenter]

38. but the headline did contain a photo with his name under it which certainly drives the point

home to anyone even just quickly glancing at the headline. One would have to read into the story to discover that the man was reported to have been in and out of hospitals since he was fourteen for mental illness problems and to learn his specific country of origin and to learn that he had no connection to any terrorist organization and that his family were deeply concerned about him and always having to intervene.

- just as a headline photo of a black man identifies someone as black

[No Elephants]

33. And, if you're black and Muslim.....

[Behind the Aegis]

36. And yet, they didn't mention he was black....

...someone fell down on the job? :shrug:

[YOY]

9. Yup.

n/t

[ShortnFiery]

10. Excellent Point. I think the vast majority of us pray to "Our Higher Power" during crises?

I would venture to bet that "preparing to be put to death" would QUALIFY as "a crisis?" :eyes:

[sui generis]

11. Killer recites hoodoo curse as he's . . . .

What was doubly unclear is was he repentant, in denial, feeling justified - what was the point of pointing out that he was praying at all?

I know that reading my own first reaction I found it to be somewhat sinister; maybe that's what they were going for.

[Behind the Aegis]

14. Likely, the would simply say "prayer."

This is a heterosexist, white, Christian nation despite what anyone wants to argue; therefore, when an "other" makes the headline, the "otherness" is usually displayed.

[fascisthunter]

15. I Was Thinking the Same Thing

there is a bias in this country when it comes to Islam or any other religion except for christianity.

[The Stranger]

17. And the media's refusal to translate "Allah" to "God" - although they translate all else.

It IS essentiallly a Christian prayer. It is one of the Judeo-Christian Ten Commandments.

[EFerrari]

18. It's disgusting.

[No Elephants]

34. If you're Christian, the prison chaplain will say the prayer for you.

[Dr.Phool]

6. Now I lay me down to sleep.......

[proteus_lives]

19. I would guess he's hoping that Allah is forgiving about theft and murder.

[daleo]

25. I have heard the term "the all-merciful" applied to Allah

So, yeah, a Muslim would no doubt have that hope.

[cartach]

27. Whoops !

You just reminded me. I haven't been to confession for years so it's about time I get that chore over and done with in case I kick the bucket in the near future. Wanna make sure I get forgiven so I'll go directly to Heaven. I think that's the way it goes if I remember correctly.

[daleo]

29. Good luck with that. n/t

[Odin2005]

20. Holy inflamatory headline batman!

I think ALL religions suck, but this is just sick fear-mongering.

[ChangoLoa]

23. Absurd!

So fn what???

Shall he recite Ave Maria in Latin??!

[Douglas Carpenter]

24. the victim was a Muslim - the perpetrator only became a Muslim long after the killing - on death row

On May 26, 1993, Mahdi, brandishing a gun, walked into the Woodstock Carryout in central Toledo with Herbert Bryson while Bryson’s cousin, Lamont Layson, waited in the car. He shot the owner, Mr. Darwish, a 28-year-old Palestinian raised in Saudi Arabia who immigrated to Toledo. He left behind his wife, daughter Dolly, who was just shy of her first birthday, and daughter Mona, who was born three months later.

". That’s what he’s saying," said Charlotte Darwish, the widow of Smith’s victim, as she watched the execution with her two daughters. It was a prayer she’d frequently heard her late husband, Sohail Darwish, recite."

"Smith, who converted to Islam and legally changed his name to Abdullah Sharif Kaazim Mahdi while on death row"

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100107/NEWS24/1070382

[Sultana]

26. Why did need to write that he was muslim?

[No Elephants]

35. Good question.