Manny Babbitt
Encyclopedia
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. He was executed by the state of California
by lethal injection
at San Quentin State Prison
, one day after his 50th birthday. The murder was committed during a string of robberies and burglaries and the day after the murder Babbitt committed at least one sexual assault.
Babbitt had been wounded at the bloody 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh
in Quang Tri Province
, South Vietnam
. As part of his defense, he claimed that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which he said caused him to commit his crimes and, later, to lose all memory of it.
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.
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." He was buried in Wareham, Massachusetts
, on May 10, 1999, with full military honors.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
veteran of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
who was convicted of the murder of a 78-year-old woman, Leah Schendel, during a burglary in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
in 1980. He was executed by the state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
by lethal injection
Lethal injection
Lethal injection is the practice of injecting a person with a fatal dose of drugs for the express purpose of causing the immediate death of the subject. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but the term may also be applied in a broad sense to euthanasia and suicide...
at San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men in unincorporated San Quentin, Marin County, California, United States. Opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in the state. California's only death row for male inmates, the largest...
, one day after his 50th birthday. The murder was committed during a string of robberies and burglaries and the day after the murder Babbitt committed at least one sexual assault.
Babbitt had been wounded at the bloody 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh
Battle of Khe Sanh
The Battle of Khe Sanh was conducted in northwestern Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam , between 21 January and 9 July 1968 during the Vietnam War...
in Quang Tri Province
Quang Tri Province
Quảng Trị is a province on the North Central Coast of Vietnam, north of the former imperial capital of Huế.-Geography:Located in North Central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province is surrounded by Quang Binh Province on the north, Thua Thien-Hue Province on the south, Savannakhet Province of Laos on the...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. As part of his defense, he claimed that he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which he said caused him to commit his crimes and, later, to lose all memory of it.
One year before his execution, while on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
, Babbitt was awarded a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
medal for the wounds he had received at the Battle of Khe Sanh.
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." He was buried in Wareham, Massachusetts
Wareham, Massachusetts
Wareham is a town located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 20,335, with an estimated 2008 population of 21,221....
, on May 10, 1999, with full military honors.
External links
- Bill Babbitt, California - Brother of Manny Babbitt, executed in California in 1999. Murder Victims' Families For Human Rights. Retrieved on 2007-11-16.
- Glantz, Aaron. Remembering Manny Babbitt. TruthdigTruthdigTruthdig is a Web magazine that provides a mix of long-form articles, interviews, and blog-like commentary on current events, delivered from a progressive point of view. The site is built around major "digs" led by authorities in their fields who write multifaceted pieces about contemporary, often...
(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.