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i a) os oe :/ the first stay of execution for Chessman pending final action on his bid to the United States Supreme Court for review. ™~ eon This was the first of eight reprieves from death he has received to date. On March 31, 1952, Chessman's application to the Supreme Court cf the United States for*a review of his case was denied, ~ “The foregoing steps represented Chessman's opening maneuvers in his 1 12-year fight to avoid execution." In that period, he has carried over a dozen petitions to the United States Supreme Court.plus numerous writs and petitions which he has ! poured inte lower courts. One ofsthese petitions, a request for a “writ of habeas corpus" was written by Chessman in pencil and delivered to the court on 11 sheets of toilet tissue. . : ‘ MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: Chessman was scheduled to die on 2-19-60. On 2-17-60, the California Supreme Court voted 4 to 3 against granting Chessman clemency. On the same day, the United States Supreme Court turned down ' his appeal. wee H Ten hours before the 10 a. m., 2-19-60 execution date, Governor Brown lof California granted Chessman a stay of 60 days. | May 2, 1960, has now been set as the date of Chessman's execution. In granting the stay of execution on 2-19-60, Governor Brown claimed . that his decision was influenced by a telegram he received from the United States State Department. This telegram pointed out that the American Ambassador in oe Montevideo, Uruguay, had been advised by the National Council of the Governine: . Uruguay of its great concern over anticipated hostile demonstrations by student eleme: and others when President Eisenhower visited Uruguay 3-2-60 if Chessman was to be executed. (It is noted Chessman-was reprieved and President Eisenhower, nevertheless was greeted by certain hostile demonstrations in Uruguay. ) . Uruguay, however, was not the only country which protested Chessman's planned-execution, Brazil expressed concern and petitions with thousands of signatures | were received from many countries requesting mercy for the condemned man. Editorials criticizing the execution appeared in newspapers in almost every country lin Europe. In the United States, there were demonstrations of protest and telephone calls, letters and telegrams poured into Governor Brown's office. a - : . -3-