Execution Watch: Michael Sigala

Execution Watch will broadcast Tuesday as Texas kills Michael Sigala. He was convicted and sentenced to death at age 22 in a trial where prosecutors suppressed testimony that he is mentally ill. The featured guest will be the legal affairs director for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If the execution is canceled, the show will be, too.

KPFT HD-2 Houston 90.1 FM, www.kpft.org
Streaming live at www.executionwatch.org, 6-7 pm CT
Spotlighting Texas's badge of shame by broadcasting during executions
Currently Scheduled Dates: www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/scheduledexecutions.htm

RADIO PROGRAM PREVIEW

EXECUTION WATCH

March 2, 2010, Tues., 6-7 pm CT

Listen on KPFT's HD-2 channel, 90.1 FM Houston, or

Go to www.executionwatch. org at 6 p.m. CT, click on “Listen.”

SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED

MICHAEL SIGALA, 32, convicted of slaying a Plano couple in their apartment during a robbery a decade ago. In his unsuccessful appeals, Sigala argued that the testimony of a psychiatrist was improperly limited at trial. Dr. Laura Slaughter had planned to testify that he had a history of mental illness and suffered from bipolar disorder. The prosecution kept the jury from hearing the diagnosis.

SHOW LINEUP

Host: RAY HILL, an ex-convict who has lost a dozen friends to the death chamber. Ray’s civil rights activism has included shepherding several cases to the U.S. Supreme Court. He hosts his own program Fridays at KPFT: the Prison Show, now in its 30th year, www.theprisonshow. org

Legal Analyst: JIM SKELTON, a retired attorney who continues to contribute to the profession by teaching continuing education in appellate law. During a distinguished career he participated in a number of capital trials as prosecutor or defense attorney.

Featured Interview: RONALD S. HONBERG, JD, director of policy and legal affairs for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mr. Honberg oversees NAMI’s federal advocacy agenda and its Law and Criminal Justice Action Center. Among his areas of focus is the intersection between people with mental illness and the criminal justice system.

Reporter, Huntsville, Death House: DENNIS LONGMIRE, professor of criminal justice at Sam Houston State University, www.cjcenter.org.

Reporter, Houston vigil: DAVE ATWOOD , member, board of directors, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, www.tcadp.org.

NEXT SCHEDULED EXECTION

On March 11, Texas plans to execute Joshua Maxwell. Execution Watch will broadcast. Details: www.executionwatch.org

PRODUCER: Elizabeth Ann Stein.

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Otis Maclay.

THEME MUSIC: “Death by Texas,” Victoria Panetti, www.myspace. com/shemonster