[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, PENN., VA.
Feb. 19 TEXAS: If you see a crowd at the courthouse Friday, it's those anti-death penalty people calling on the DA This here is a public service announcement on an anti-death penalty observance taking place this weekend in North Texas. It kicks off with a press conference at the Dallas County criminal courthouse, at the office of District Attorney Craig Watkins. As this newspaper has written before, Watkins, considering his race and background, has become the most unlikeliest of DA's to lead the state - and probably the nation - in sending people to death row. (An editorial called it the county's "dubious distinction.") Remember, Watkins' great-grandfather was executed by Texas in 1932 and was buried in the prison cemetery in Huntsville. Watkins has expressed moral opposition to putting people to death, while acknowledging that it's his sworn duty to uphold the law. Watkins also says there are racial undercurrents in the criminal justice system that can't be denied. This makes it fascinating that anti-death penalty activists will be on Watkins' doorstep Friday morning. They probably have more common ground with this DA than probably any other, and they would have a bigger beef with his prosecution record than any other. Ponder that. Here is the announcement for Friday's event, from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty: In conjunction with the Annual Conference of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty in Fort Worth on February 22, 2014, Board Member Rev. Jeff Hood, members Rev. Wes Magruder of the North Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and Lynn Walters of Hope for Peace and Justice will conduct A Faithful Pilgrimage to Abolish the Death Penalty from Dallas to Fort Worth on Friday, February 21, 2014. The approximately 35-mile walk will begin with a press conference with other Dallas faith leaders at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office in the Frank Crowley Courts Building at 133 N. Riverfront Blvd., L.B. 19? Dallas, Texas 75207 at 8:30 am, proceed from Dallas through Grand Prairie and Arlington along Texas-180 West and conclude with a rally and press conference with other Fort Worth faith leaders outside the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office in the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 401 West Belknap Fort Worth, Texas 76196 at approximately 9:00 pm. We encourage all who are inspired by or interested in this walk to meet us in Fort Worth for a concluding press conference and rally right outside the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center at 9:00 pm. (source: Rodger Jone, Editorial Writer, Dallas Morning News) * Executions under Rick Perry, 2001-present-271 Executions in Texas: Dec. 7, 1982-present510 Perry #scheduled execution date-name-Tx. # 272Mar. 19---Ray Jasper---511 273Mar. 27---Anthony Doyle---512 274Apr. 3Tommy Lynn Sells-513 275Apr. 9Ramiro Hernandez514 276Apr. 16---Jose Villegas515 277May 13Robert Campbell--516 (sources for both: TDCJ & Rick Halperin) PENNSYLVANIA: Death penalty sought in homeless man's slaying in Doylestown A Doylestown man accused in the brutal stabbing and beating death of an elderly U.S. Army veteran near the borough train station could face the death penalty. Prosecutors on Wednesday put Dale Wakefield, 21, on notice that they will seek capital punishment if he's convicted of murdering 71-year-old George Mohr. Wakefield got the news during his arraignment hearing in Bucks County Court in Doylestown. Prosecutors say Wakefield attacked Mohr after the homeless man approached him and asked for money in the early morning hours of July 3. Mohr, whose last known address was in Arizona, was stabbed at least 71 times and suffered massive head trauma. A passerby found him sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood on South Clinton Avenue around 2:45 a.m. Rescue workers initially thought that he'd been struck by a train. Mohr died July 6 in a Philadelphia hospice. The slaying was the first murder in the county seat in more than 40 years, officials said. Police say Wakefield escaped to Baltimore after the killing. He was arrested and jailed there, then mistakenly released by jail staff before being recaptured several hours later and returned to Pennsylvania. Prosecutors say Wakefield confessed to his sister that he killed Mohr. She alerted authorities. Wakefield did not testify at the brief hearing before county Judge Wallace Bateman. In a clear, steady voice he answered "yes" when the judge asked him if he understood the charges. To make a murder a capital case, prosecutors must identify an aggravating factor in the slaying. In Wakefield's case, the aggravator is torture.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Feb. 19 PHILIPINES: 'God instituted death penalty to crush evil, uphold good' Biblical accounts tell us that God Himself resorted to the penalty of death as a method of eliminating evil among men. Take the Noah's Ark story. For the transgressions of men, God flooded the earth for 40 days and nights, sparing only Noah's family because of its righteousness. Consider, too, the story of the pharaoh of Egypt who refused to free the Israelites from slavery. God sent the Angel of Death to kill firstborn male Egyptian babies, until the pharaoh was forced to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt. When he had a change of mind and ordered his army to bring back the Israelites - the capture of the Israelites was imminent because their only means of escape was through the sea - God empowered Moses to open up a dry pathway through the waters for the Israel people, by splitting the sea. As soon as the last of the Israelites was through the wall of seawater and with Egyptian army closing in, Moses, empowered by God, bade the sea to return to normal, drowning the entire Egyptian army. On both occasions, God employed the death penalty in order to save the people of Israel. Even innocent, newly born babies were subjected to death by God to give the Israelites freedom. We can cite other biblical accounts showing that God favors the death penalty to uphold the good, like when He sent a rain of fire and stone that annihilated Sodom and Gomorrah. Heinous crimes - e.g., murder and rape (even of children), drug trafficking - have become rampant in our country and our enforcement agencies appear helpless against the criminal elements behind them, which further emboldens the latter. And the victims are usually innocent and peace-loving citizens. These criminals are a menace to everyone and have no place in a decent society and, therefore, they have to be eliminated. The death penalty which was instituted by God Himself is the main solution in eliminating evil and criminality. The government must use it. Let???s not wait for God to do the work Himself. VIRGILIO JAVIER (source: Opinion, Philippine Daily Inquirer) GAZA: The EU Condemns the Death Sentence Issued in Gaza The EU Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah Tuesday condemned the death sentence issued by the de facto authorities in Khan Younis (Gaza Strip) on 13 February. The EU Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah recalled in a statement, the EU's firm opposition under all circumstances to the use of capital punishment. It said, the EU considers that abolition of the death penalty contributes to the enhancement of human dignity and the progressive development of human rights. It considers capital punishment to be cruel and inhuman, that it fails to provide deterrence to criminal behaviour, and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity. The de facto authorities in Gaza must refrain from carrying out any executions of prisoners and comply with the moratorium on executions put in place by the Palestinian Authority, pending abolition of the death penalty in line with the global trend, the statement added. (source: Palestine News Network) BAHRAIN: Bahrain protester sentenced to deathMan was convicted of killing a policeman a year ago A Bahrain court on Wednesday sentenced a protester to death and jailed 6 others for life after they were convicted of killing a policeman a year ago, a judicial source said. 2 others were sentenced to 5 and 6 years in prison respectively on similar charges. The officer, Mohammad Atef, died on February 14, 2013, after he was hit by a petrol bomb during clashes with protesters in a village near the capital. In addition to killing the policeman, the 9 defendants were also convicted of taking part in an "unlicensed protest". Death sentences are usually commuted to life imprisonment - 25 years - in the kingdom. Scores of activists have been tried over unrest in Bahrain that erupted during Arab Spring-inspired protests in mid-February 2011. Last year, the authorities increased the penalties for those convicted of violence, introducing the death penalty or life terms in cases that resulted in deaths or injuries. A policeman was killed in similar circumstances on February 14 this year during protests marking the third anniversary of the uprising. And on Sunday, a Bahrain court handed down 15-year jail terms to 2 people convicted of trying to kill police officers. The International Federation for Human Rights says at least 89 people have been killed since the unrest began 3 years ago. (source: Gulf News) SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi extorter of 100 women faces death A Saudi man who extorted 100 women by photographing them at his apartment could be executed after the prosecutor demanded the death penalty against him. A court in the central town of Buraidah sentenced the unnamed defendant to 12 years in prison and ordered him lash
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----CALIF., WASH., USA
Feb. 19 CALIFORNIA: Letters: Fast track to the execution chamber Re "Campaign seeks faster route to death chamber," Feb. 13 On a number of issues California has been a forward-thinking leader. That is why it is most disturbing that 3 governors who are clearly out of touch with the direction this state is heading are clinging to a death penalty system that is costly, out-dated and broken. The residents of Los Angeles county voted in 2012 in favor of Proposition 34, which would have replaced the death penalty with life with no chance of parole, used the money saved to fund police investigations and stopped wasting money on a system that is broken beyond repair. This initiative to speed up the execution process will waste money that could be better spent educating our children. Jennifer FriedmanLos Angeles The writer is a Los Angeles County public defender. -- A society without a death penalty is an immoral one. To envision Timothy McVeigh playing solitaire until 2043, or Connecticut murderers Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes rehabilitating themselves in 2055, is repugnant to the age-old concept of proportional justice. The death penalty is not about revenge; it is the thoughtful exercise of weighing the actions of the guilty against their claim to humanity. McVeigh had, and Komisarjevsky and Hayes have, no legitimate claims to humanity. The Times' editorial board has supported a sentence of life without possibility of parole. Apparently, the board is as morally squishy as the still-beating hearts of Hayley Petit (17) and Michaela Petit (11) as they were doused with gasoline and set afire by Komisarjevsky and Hayes in 2007 after being raped. I'm actively searching out the organization that is gathering the signatures to put this measure on the ballot. David PohlodOak Park (source: Letters to the Editor, Los Angeles Times) WASHINGTON: Jay Inslee's death penalty decision: The long gameThe Washington governor's death penalty moratorium may be unpopular, but it could shape his legacy. Last Tuesday, citing "too many flaws in the system," Governor Jay Inslee announced an executive order suspending capital punishment in Washington state. It was an unexpected turn of events. While death penalty abolitionists have been picking up state-level victories in recent years, Washington was not on their radar before Inslee's reprieve announcement. Why now? It's a question on the minds of a lot of Washingtonians, including Rep. Jay Rodne (R-Fall City), the ranking member of the State House Judiciary Committee. Rodne protested Inslee's decision, saying it came "out of the blue." In a sense, he's right. While Inslee has been mulling the decision since his election, capital punishment has never been at the fore of Washington state politics. That leaves us without any political polling to understand the political context around Inslee's decision. Death penalty opponents are hoping Inslee's decision is part of a national swing. Last year, Maryland became the 18th state to abolish capital punishment, continuing an ongoing trend: An average of one state per year has made the jump since 2008. In 2011, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber announced a moratorium on executions pending review of the state's system, a decision that stands today. Last year, the Gallup Poll saw opposition to capital punishment rise to the highest level since 1972. Certainly, death penalty opposition has not increased in a linear pattern, but for abolitionists the trend is heartening. Support for the death penalty has ebbed and flowed over the years, peaking at 80 % in 1992. Since then, support has fallen by nearly a 4th, while opposition has more than doubled. Death penalty opponents are hoping that recent advances reflect the trajectory of cultural questioning that has led to an upsurge in support for issues like same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization. Washington state has been an early adopter on numerous social policy debates. Should we expect to follow a similar trajectory on capital punishment? That depends on your willingness to subscribe to a certain narrative about the so-called Culture Wars. The Culture Wars have long been a confused political construct - at turns Murphy Brown, recreational weed, same-sex marriage, twerking and a myriad of other barely-related flashpoints. While they haven't brought any greater cogency, the 2010s have brought America a consistent narrative arc: Social reformers, bolstered by increased social tolerance and open-minded Millennials, are winning on virtually every viable battle front. At surface, the death penalty seems like another possible victory. The realities, and the prescriptions for the debate in Washington, though, are far more complex. No state has recently abolished the death penalty based on a public vote. A 2012 attempt in California failed by 4 % points, even while voters re-elected Bara
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, N.H., PENN., N.C., GA., FLA.
Feb. 19 TEXAS: BOOKS: "The Wrong Carlos" Argues Texas Executed an Innocent Man One of the strongest accounts pointing to the execution of a probably innocent man in recent times concerns the case of Carlos DeLuna, who was executed in Texas in 1989. In a forthcoming book, The Wrong Carlos: Anatomy of a Wrongful Execution, Professor James Liebman of Columbia Law School describes his investigation into the case, along with a team of students. The investigation uncovered serious problems in DeLuna's case, including faulty eyewitness testimony and the police's failure to investigate another potential suspect. DeLuna maintained his innocence and said another man, Carlos Hernandez, committed the crime. Hernandez and DeLuna looked so similar that their own families mistook photos of the men for each other. Moreover, Hernandez had a history of violent crimes like the one for which DeLuna was executed. The book and its accompanying website provide evidence of a grave mistake with police and witness records, trial transcripts, photographs, and more. The Wrong Carlos will be released in July 2014 but is available for pre-order now. (J. Liebman, "The Wrong Carlos: Anatomy of a Wrongful Execution," Columbia University Press, forthcoming July 2014). (source: Death Penalty Information Center) * Death penalty an option for man accused of killing Chris Kyle The man charged with the murder of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield can receive the death penalty, despite efforts from his lawyers in court on Tuesday. Eddie Ray Routh was in a Stephenville courtroom Tuesday morning for a pre-trial hearing. Routh is accused of shooting and killing Kyle and Littlefield at a gun range near Glen Rose last year. Defense attorney's asked the judge to take the death penalty off the table and life without parole, but the judge would not. Prosecutors haven't said if they intend to seek the death penalty or not, yet. Routh's lawyers also asked to have testimony banned from a prosecution expert witness that Routh could be a danger in the future. The judge denied that motion. The court heard dozens of other routine motions, including one to suppress statements Routh made to officers after his arrest. That motion will be carried over to another hearing in March. The trial is scheduled for May and Routh remains jailed on a $3 million bond. (source: myfoxdfw.com) NEW HAMPSHIRE: Gov. Hassan wants to hear more on death penalty repeal Gov. Maggie Hassan said Wednesday she wants to hear from law enforcement officials, among others, before she makes a final decision a whether to sign a death penalty repeal bill if it reaches her desk. Speaking with the Portsmouth Herald editorial board, Hassan said she wants to hear from "other people, especially people in law enforcement about what a repeal would do and how it would impact them." The bill is currently in the state Legislature. Hassan, a Democrat from Exeter, also said that she would not support a bill that retroactively waived the death penalty for convicted police officer murderer Michael Addison because "I don't believe a governor or a legislature should change the decision of a jury." Having said that, she did say that "as a matter of faith and conscience, I don't support the death penalty." A repeal bill last week passed the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee by a vote of 14-3. Hassan spoke to the editorial board on a wide range of topics, including marijuana, casinos and gun background check legislation. (source: Seacoastonline.com) PENNSYLVANIA: Teenage satanist serial killer Miranda Barbour says death penalty is too inhumane and cruel for her; The Craigslist murderer, who says she notched up victims on the handle of her favourite knife, begs to be spared lethal injection Teenage satanist serial killer Miranda Barbour has notched up as many as 100 victims, but says she should be spared the death penalty because it is too "inhumane". The 19-year-old Craigslist murderer - who admits wiping out between 22 and 100 victims over 6 years - is now begging to be spared lethal injection because she says execution is a "cruel and inhumane punishment". Her lawyers have filed papers saying: "The criminal justice system is fallible... subjecting inappropriate persons to the death penalty". The self-confessed murderer claims she had a favourite knife and added notches to the handle every time she murdered another victim found on the online classified ad site Craigslist. But police have not said whether they have found the knife, which would confirm her story. Newlywed Barbour, who is being compared to the serial killer in TV show Dexter because she claims she only killed "bad people," confessed to the staggering death toll when she was pressed for her total number of victims. In a prison cell confession, Barbour, arrested along with her husban
