The Story of A Victim: Manuel Pina Babbit

Manuel Pina Babbit was born in a family of 8 children in Cape Verde, Africa. He joined the marines at the age of 18 and was stationed at Khe Sanh in Vietnam. For 77 days, Manny and his comrades lived through endless assault of rockets, artillery and small-arms fire. He voluntarily extended his stay in Vietnam and served for 19 more months. In 1969, Manny returned to the US. In 1973, Manny was arrested for robbing two gas stations in Massachusetts. He was convicted and sent to the Bridgewater state mental hospital and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He marries Theresa Guetrin and fathers two children. In court papers, the wife recalls incidents of Post- Traumatic stress disorder caused by the war. In 1980, Manny moves to Sacramento to live with his brother, bill who soon realized that he had mental health issues. On December 18, 1990, Manny breaks into an apartment of a 78 year old grandmother named Leah Schendel. He assaults and kills her. Manny was then sentenced to death and while on death row, he had no memory of the crime he committed. In 1997, Charles Patterson, who served with Manny in Vietnam, became his trial lawyer. Many Vietnam vets petitioned Governor Davis for clemency. Despite being on death row, he was awarded Purple Heart for Military Merit. In 1999, Manny is executed by lethal injection after Governor Davis refuses his plea for clemency.