Manny Babbitt
Manuel Pina Babbitt | |
|---|---|
 Babbit's 1999 Inmate Photo | |
| Born | May 3, 1949 Wareham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | May 4, 1999 (aged 50) |
| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Nationality | American |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | First degree murder with special circumstances |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
Manuel Pina "Manny" Babbitt (May 3, 1949 – May 4, 1999) was a U.S. Marine veteran of the Vietnam War who was convicted of the murder of a 78-year-old woman, Leah Schendel, during a burglary in Sacramento, California in 1980.[1] He was executed by the state of California by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison, one day after his 50th birthday.[1] The murder was committed during a string of robberies and burglaries and the day after the murder Babbitt committed at least one sexual assault.[1] Schendel died from a heart attack after Babbitt beat her and attempted to rape her.
Babbitt had been wounded at the bloody 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh in Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam. As part of his defense, he claimed he suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which he claimed caused him to commit his crimes and to later lose all memories of the crimes.[2]
One year before his execution, while on death row, Babbitt was awarded a Purple Heart medal for the wounds he had received at the Battle of Khe Sanh.[3]
Babbitt refused his last meal and asked that the $50 allotted be given to homeless Vietnam veterans. His last words were: "I forgive all of you."[1] He was buried in his native Wareham, Massachusetts, on May 10, 1999, with full military honors.[4]
The movie Last Day of Freedom, nominated for an Oscar in 2016, depicts his brother's narrative of the events that led to Babbitt's execution.
See also[]
- Capital punishment in California
- Capital punishment in the United States
- List of people executed in California
Referencesf[]
- ^ a b c d Manuel Babbitt Archived 2008-02-08 at the Wayback Machine. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Retrieved on November 16, 2007.
- ^ Doyle, Jim (29 March 1999). "Dramatic Plea to Save Killer / Ex-cop says death row inmate rescued him in '68". SFGate. Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
- ^ White, Jerry. California executes mentally ill Vietnam veteran, World Socialist Web Site (May 5, 1999); retrieved November 11, 2007.
- ^ Da Costa-Fernandes, Manuela. Manny Babbitt laid to rest. The Standard-Times (May 11, 1999); retrieved November 16, 2007.
External links[]
- Bill Babbitt, California - Brother of Manny Babbitt, executed in California in 1999[permanent dead link]. Murder Victims' Families For Human Rights. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
- Glantz, Aaron. Remembering Manny Babbitt. Truthdig (2007-07-17). Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
- King, Rachel. Pages 66-70. Capital Consequences: Families Of The Condemned Tell Their Stories. Rutgers University Press (2005). ISBN 0-8135-3504-2. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
- Washington, Glynn. Snap Judgement 726 Brother's Keeper. Retrieved on 2017-12-16.
| Preceded by Jaturun Siripongs |
Executions conducted and scheduled in California | Succeeded by Darrell Keith Rich |
- 1949 births
- 1999 deaths
- 1980 murders in the United States
- American people convicted of murder
- People executed for murder
- 20th-century executions by California
- United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War
- People executed by California by lethal injection
- Executed people from Massachusetts
- People convicted of murder by California
- People from Wareham, Massachusetts
- 20th-century executions of American people
- United States Marines