Governor’s Excerpts

Excerpts of Gov. Pete Wilson’s statement denying clemency for condemned murderer Robert Alton Harris: It is argued on his behalf that Robert Harris must be judged to be in effect a child who cannot be held accountable under California law. . . . Experts contend that Harris has suffered organic brain damage both as a result of his mother’s abuse of alcohol during pregnancy and as a result of trauma inflicted by his parents, mostly by an especially vicious father. . . .

The application for clemency adequately demonstrates that Mr. Harris’ childhood was a living nightmare. He suffered monstrous child abuse that would have a brutalizing effect on him. . . . But victimized though he may have been, Harris was not deprived of the capacity to premeditate, to plan or to understand the consequences of his actions. . . . For the protection of its most vulnerable members, society must hold accountable and hold to a minimum level of personal responsibility Robert Harris and all members of society--excepting only those who have been clearly shown to lack the capacity to meet that minimum level of responsibility. . . .

Harris’ own conduct (includes) clear and chilling evidence of his capacity to think, to conceive a plan, to understand the consequences of his actions, to dissemble and deceive and destroy evidence to avoid apprehension and punishment. . . . He was capable of planning to do wrong, and of taking precautions to conceal his wrongdoing. . . .

Harris planned a bank robbery for two months, practiced live-fire exercises, stole a car to avoid identification as a bank robber, and--most tragically--murdered two 16-year-old boys, Michael Baker and John Mayeski, to eliminate the witnesses. . . .

As a society we must do everything possible to avoid the victimization of children by preventing fetal alcohol syndrome and by preventing child abuse and domestic violence.

We must also do what is necessary to protect innocent members of society from becoming the victims of heinous crimes. . . .

Robert Harris, the child, had no choice. He was a victim of serious and inexcusable abuse.

Robert Harris, the man, did have a choice. He chose to take a life, two lives. . . . The decision of the jury was correct. . . . Clemency is denied.