Details of the crime: (article is from 2015)
Mitchell, 33, is the only Native American on the federal death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Reinhardt said Mitchell could “suffer the ignominious fate of becoming the first person to be executed for an intra-Indian crime that occurred in Indian country.”
The case began when Mitchell, Johnny Orsinger and others plotted to steal a vehicle to use later to rob a trading post on the Navajo Nation. On Oct. 28, 2001, Mitchell and Orsinger abducted Alyce Slim, 63, and her 9-year-old granddaughter, in Slim’s GMC pickup truck.
Court documents say that somewhere near Sawmill, the men stabbed Slim 33 times, killing her and dumping her in the back of the truck, where they forced the granddaughter to sit with the body.
Some time later, they dragged Slim out of the truck and told the girl to “lay down and die,” when Mitchell cut her throat twice. When she did not die, both men dropped heavy rocks on her head, killing her.
The two drove off, but returned a short time later to cover their tracks, burying their victims’ heads and hands in a hole and dragging their dismembered torsos into the woods before burning the victims’ clothes and belongings.
Three days later, Mitchell and two other men robbed the Red Rock Trading Post at gunpoint, driving off in Slim’s truck, which they later burned.
Mitchell was eventually convicted on 11 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, carjacking resulting in death and robbery, among others. He could not be executed for the murders under federal and Navajo law – but because carjacking falls under another section of federal law, he could face the death penalty for that.
The Navajo Nation opposed a death sentence as did the victims’ families, swaying the U.S. Attorney for Arizona at the time to decide against a capital case. But Reinhardt said that decision was overruled by then-Attorney General John Ashcroft and the death penalty was sought.
Defense experts determined that Mitchell had mental and emotional problems and a distant mother, that he had substance-abuse issues and was likely abused as a child.
But the experts also described him as a borderline sociopath who denied he was intoxicated at the time of the killing, who talked calmly about killing the girl and who had a history of “swinging dogs and cats by their tails and then throwing them off bridges just for fun.”
cronkitenews.azpbs.org
navajotimes.com
The recent court decision: (2020)
(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.) — The only Native American on federal death row lost a bid Thursday to push back his execution date.
Unless Lezmond Mitchell gets relief from another court or is granted clemency, he will be put to death on Aug. 26 at the federal prison in Indiana where he is being held.
time.com
Mitchell, 33, is the only Native American on the federal death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Reinhardt said Mitchell could “suffer the ignominious fate of becoming the first person to be executed for an intra-Indian crime that occurred in Indian country.”
The case began when Mitchell, Johnny Orsinger and others plotted to steal a vehicle to use later to rob a trading post on the Navajo Nation. On Oct. 28, 2001, Mitchell and Orsinger abducted Alyce Slim, 63, and her 9-year-old granddaughter, in Slim’s GMC pickup truck.
Court documents say that somewhere near Sawmill, the men stabbed Slim 33 times, killing her and dumping her in the back of the truck, where they forced the granddaughter to sit with the body.
Some time later, they dragged Slim out of the truck and told the girl to “lay down and die,” when Mitchell cut her throat twice. When she did not die, both men dropped heavy rocks on her head, killing her.
The two drove off, but returned a short time later to cover their tracks, burying their victims’ heads and hands in a hole and dragging their dismembered torsos into the woods before burning the victims’ clothes and belongings.
Three days later, Mitchell and two other men robbed the Red Rock Trading Post at gunpoint, driving off in Slim’s truck, which they later burned.
Mitchell was eventually convicted on 11 counts, including two counts of first-degree murder, carjacking resulting in death and robbery, among others. He could not be executed for the murders under federal and Navajo law – but because carjacking falls under another section of federal law, he could face the death penalty for that.
The Navajo Nation opposed a death sentence as did the victims’ families, swaying the U.S. Attorney for Arizona at the time to decide against a capital case. But Reinhardt said that decision was overruled by then-Attorney General John Ashcroft and the death penalty was sought.
Defense experts determined that Mitchell had mental and emotional problems and a distant mother, that he had substance-abuse issues and was likely abused as a child.
But the experts also described him as a borderline sociopath who denied he was intoxicated at the time of the killing, who talked calmly about killing the girl and who had a history of “swinging dogs and cats by their tails and then throwing them off bridges just for fun.”
Conviction, death sentence upheld in 2001 Navajo double-murder - Cronkite News
A divided appeals court rejected Lezmond Mitchell's claim that he had ineffective lawyers at trial for the grisly killing of a woman and her granddaughter.
cronkitenews.azpbs.org
Diné convicted of murder set for execution - Navajo Times
Lezmond Mitchell, then 20, plotted with three others to carjack a vehicle to rob a trading post on Oct. 28, 2001.
navajotimes.com
The recent court decision: (2020)
(FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.) — The only Native American on federal death row lost a bid Thursday to push back his execution date.
Unless Lezmond Mitchell gets relief from another court or is granted clemency, he will be put to death on Aug. 26 at the federal prison in Indiana where he is being held.
Navajo Man Loses Latest Bid to Delay Federal Execution
Unless Lezmond Mitchell gets relief from another court or is granted clemency, he will be put to death on Aug. 26
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