Canada drops objections in death penalty case

Friday, November 2, 2007  

The Canadian government has dropped efforts to spare one of its citizens from the death penalty.

Ronald Allen Smith, of Alberta, was convicted of murdering two Blackfeet men in Montana. Harvey Mad Man Jr., 24, and Thomas Running Rabbit III, 20, were hitchhiking on the reservation in August 1982 when they were killed. The two young men were cousins.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) said he was being pressured by Canadian officials to grant clemency to Smith. Family members pleaded with Schweitzer earlier this week to keep Smith in prison.

"He snuffed out two boys. This hurts way down deep. It really hurts," Harvey Mad Man Sr., Harvey's father and Thomas' uncle said, The Great Falls Tribune reported.

Canada doesn't have the death penalty and has long opposed the use of death penalty against its citizens. . But government officials said they would no longer seek clemency in cases in democratic countries, like the United States.

Get the Story:
Canada changes death-penalty clemency policy (The Great Falls Tribune 11/2)
Governor asked to uphold sentence of Canadian on death row (The Great Falls Tribune 11/1)