[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide----IRAN, SING., INDON., PAKIS.
Nov. 14 IRAN: "Pope Francis should call for a moratorium on Iranian death penalty"A day before the Pope is due to meet Hassan Rohani, human rights organisations are circulating facts and figures about the excessive use of the death penalty It is a "deadly injustice". The figures on the implementation of the death penalty in Iran "are very worrying indeed", Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam tells Vatican Insider. Amiry-Moghaddam is an Iranian doctor who has lived in Norway for many years and is founder of the Iran Human Rights organisation. The NGO was created by Iranian citizens who sought political asylum abroad but are still in direct contact with the homeland. Hence, President Hassan Rohani's visit to Europe, which includes stops in Italy and the Vatican, is a chance to call for a moratorium on the death penalty. The figures contained in IHR's report titled "Deadly Injustice" are alarming: 648 people were executed in Iran in the 1st semester of 2015, a stark increase compared to 2014, when a total of 753 executions took place in one year and 2013, when 687 executions were carried out in total. "The average number of victims is almost 4 people a day. We are concerned because it's the highest average in the last 21 years and we do not know why Rohani's government promotes executions being carried out at such an intense rate," he explained. Most of the victims (463 out of 648 in 2015) are sentenced to death for drug-related crimes. "But the victims are often the smugglers who are paid pittance, certainly not those who organise the trafficking," Amiry-Moghaddam observed. Drug trafficking and dependency are growing among young people and the authorities are using the death penalty as a deterrent against crime. But the death sentence is not the solution and is not an efficient means of curbing crime. We want the executions to stop." "We believe that the meeting between Rohani and the Pope scheduled for 14 November, could be important" in drawing attention to the principle of respect for life and the inefficiency of a practice such as capital punishment. "Even though the Vatican is not a political power, it has a strong influence in terms of values as well as in symbolic terms. A comment from the Pope could have an impact: we are asking Francis to put the human rights issue on the discussion agenda." "Other states avoid this on account of economic, political and security interests. They avoid it out of convenience. The Pope has the freedom to ask for a moratorium on the death penalty in Iran," he continued. Assessing the standard of respect for human rights in Iran, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam remarked: "Besides the right to life which we mentioned, looking at the freedom of expression, there has been an increase in the number of blogs and the use of social media but there are also recurring waves of repression against journalists." Regarding freedom of conscience, he said: "we have been informed that those who convert from Islam to other religions are under pressure and society is faced with a new problem that is growing: discrimination against religious minorities. Blasphemy is punishable by execution. The system uses Islam to put pressure on the people and deny legitimate rights," he affirmed. But the IHR leader sees a glimmer of hope on the horizon: "Despite these difficulties, the international community has a role to play at the moment and can have a positive impact given the current climate of political and economic openness." This is where the Pope comes in: "Years ago, there was talk of a "dialogue between civilizations" between Iran and the Vatican and this is still possible: a frank, open and constructive dialogue is always useful and fruitful. When there is sincere dialogue, one can speak not just about the positive points but also about critical aspects, with a view to overcoming them," he said with a sense of hope. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam noted that "Pope Francis is popular in Iran, especially among young people. Some months ago, his words against the death penalty went viral and attracted support, particularly given that in the Middle East there are many other religious leaders who call for a more stringent application of it. Francis has created a very positive impression among the Iranian people who appreciate his stance on poverty, care for the environment, dialogue and welcome." (source: Iran Human Righs) SINGAPORE: Man, 41, charged with murder of 75-year-old father A 41-year-old man was charged in court on Sunday (Nov 15) with the murder of his 75-year-old father. Tan Kok Meng is accused of killing his father Tan Ah Hin on Friday (Nov 13) at around 5.22pm in their Bedok North flat. Tan appeared in court this morning wearing a red polo shirt. If convicted, he faces the death penalty. The prosecution has asked for him to be remanded at the medical complex in Changi Prison for 3 weeks for psychiatric
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----TEXAS, CONN., PENN., GA., OHIO, NEB., ORE., USA
Mov. 15 TEXAS: Human, monetary cost-cutting There is little common ground between those who are pro-death penalty, and the abolitionists. If we assume, however, that only guilty people should be punished and that taxpayers want to save money, the system can be improved. Cost is always an issue. In 1992 The Dallas Morning News calculated the costs of an average Texas execution was $2.3 million compared to $750,000 for life imprisonment. Since 1992, the cost of lawyers, extra time in jury selection, inmate housing, and appeals has risen substantially. Nueces County has had 16 executed offenders which ranks as 5th most in the state. San Patricio, Kleberg and Aransas counties have each had 1. Nueces County currently has three offenders on death row, which includes Larry Hatten who has been sitting there since January 1996 for shooting a 5-year-old boy. Neither Hatten, Richard Vasquez, nor John Ramirez, the other area death row offenders, has as of yet, received an execution date. Here are some suggestions: Videotape all confessions. Many states and the U.S. Department of Justice already require this, but not Texas. According to the Innocence Project, false confessions were a factor in 25 percent of convictions overturned by DNA testing. Younger offenders, those who have mental or emotional defects, those "under the influence," or faced with law enforcement pressure, have all falsely confessed. In the past, implementation of videotape would have been costly and cumbersome, but smartphones, tablets and the like have foreclosed any excuses. Regional mental health panels: If you think lawyers are expensive, try hiring a medical expert witness. When the mental state of the accused is an issue, experts are hired by both prosecution and defense. However, as most capital murder cases involve indigents, taxpayers have a dog, or perhaps are the dog, on both sides of the fight. Smaller counties often have no resident experts. Although we may think medical professionals are unbiased, there are lists of experts who always testify for just one side, and their testimony is not contrary to their paycheck. Regional, neutral panels nominated by their peers would be an improvement. They would review the defendant's interview and other evidence, yet only one would testify. While not totally dispositive of other experts, their objective views would carry overwhelming credibility. National standards for scientific testing: A few years ago I defended a murder case in Corpus Christi where the main issue was the defendant's location. The state's expert used cellphone "pings" and tower locations to demonstrate that the defendant was in the wrong spot at the right time. We had an attorney who rattled off scientific terms and numbers that no one understood, resulting in a costly, hung jury and retrial. Other "science" such as hair microscopy, bite mark analysis, and shoe print comparisons, have all resulted in errors. Faulty analysis is behind 47 % of wrongful convictions, according to the Innocence Project. Let's set some standards! Fair division of costs: To "get away with (capital) murder" in Texas or at least not be executed, commit your crime in an average or small county. When I was Willacy County District Attorney I feared capital cases, knowing we couldn't afford them, either in cash or personnel. A Texas Tribune study found more than 1/2 (135) of Texas counties have never executed anyone, and 60 % of the death sentences in the past 5 years have originated from 2 % of our counties. A check of the Texas execution "waiting" list confirms very few small to medium counties pursue the death penalty. The state, not the county, needs to pick up the tab. Without more safeguards, innocent people inevitably will be executed. Each day we are paying for the 60 % of death row inmates who have been there more than 15 years, as well as for 78-year-old Jack Smith, and 10 other inmates who waited more than 30 years. We can't placate those with extreme positions, but we can cut costs, improve our justice system, and enhance our reputation as a state. (source: opinion, Steve FischerCorpus Christi Caller-Times) CONNECTICUT: Komisarjevsky lawyer says uncovered police calls should be added to Cheshire case A lawyer for convicted killer Joshua Komisarjevsky is filing to rectify the record in his case after additional police calls from the deadly 2007 home invasion were found in a cabinet by town employees. The calls show police may have tried to stop Komisarjevsky's partner, Steven Hayes, as he drove back from a bank where he had forced Jennifer Hawke-Petit to withdraw money. The motion, filed Friday morning, claims the calls "support the defense's theory at the guilt-innocence phase that the police response in this case was inadequate" and provide evidence of Komisarjevsky's mental state when he was questioned by police. Moira Buckley,
