Published: July 29, 2009 11:34 pm      

Death-row inmate asks court to OK execution

Convicted killer William Wright III of Altoona on Wednesday reiterated his desire to die.

Wright asked a federal appeals court to step in, remove public defenders from his case and allow his execution to proceed.

In a legalistic, self-written appeal filed in U.S. District Court in Johns-town, Wright said federal public defenders in Pittsburgh “do not have petitioner’s consent to file any further pleadings of any kind on petitioner’s behalf.”

The Federal Public Defender’s Office in Pittsburgh had no comment Wednesday.

The petition was the latest development in back-and-forth volleys in which Wright’s life hangs in the balance:

• In 2000, Wright, now in his mid-40s, was found guilty of killing James Mowery in Altoona on Thanksgiving 1998. He was sentenced to die by lethal injection.

Wright had an affair with Mowery’s wife and was convicted of shooting him after the couple reconciled.

• In April, writing to Gov. Ed Rendell, Wright claimed his innocence yet said, “I specifically request that you sign my death warrant as soon as humanly possible.’’

• On July 6, Rendell signed Wright’s death warrant. The execution was set for Sept. 3.

• On July 8, public defenders stepped in, filing a motion for a stay of execution and saying they needed more time to work on the case.

• On July 14, the federal district court granted the motion for a stay of execution.

In Wright’s petition Wednesday invoking the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, he did not restate his claims of innocence.