[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
May 19 ISRAEL: Death penalty for terrorists deal infuriates former AGFormer Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein says capital punishment 'not ethical,' calls on current AG to threaten to resign in protest. Former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has roundly condemned the reported agreement between the Likud and Yisrael Beytenu parties, to include provisions for implementing the death penalty for terrorists as part of a coalition deal. Under the agreement, a new directive will be issued to military courts, by which only a simply majority of 2 judges will be needed to sentence a terrorist murderer to death, as opposed to the unanimous requirement currently in place. Imposing a death penalty for terrorist killers was one of the key conditions set by Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman for entering the governing coalition. While the death penalty technically exists under Israeli law, it has only ever been implement once - the hanging of Nazi leader and "Final Solution" architect Adolf Eichmann. Weinstein reacted furiously to the reported deal, telling the left-wing Haaretz paper that current Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit should veto the move, or threaten to resign. "I said that I would not (agree to be) appointed as Attorney General if there will be a death penalty here," Weinstein said. "I think that this is without a doubt the appropriate position (to take), and I think that Mandelblit also needs to vigorously oppose this ruling." Explaining his objection to capital punishment, Weinstein noted that Israel would be bucking a global trend by which capital punishment was gradually being rejected by some states. "This has no parallel in the world," he said. "There is no country which adds the death penalty to its laws - there are only those who removed it." He also claimed it would serve no purpose, since jihadists who glorify "martyrdom" wouldn't be deterred by capital punishment. "It is not practical as a deterrent - since these criminals acts in any case from an ideological motivation, and do not worry about death - and moreover it is unethical," Weinstein asserted. (source: Israel National News) PHILIPPINES: Pacquiao says he supports Philippine death penalty plan Philippine boxing hero turned senator Manny Pacquiao said Thursday he supports a plan by the newly elected president to impose the death penalty, a proposal that has been met with strong opposition in the Catholic nation. Speaking after he was sworn into office, the high school dropout and devout evangelical Christian said he supported capital punishment because it was sanctioned by his faith. "I'm in favour of the death penalty. Actually God allows this in the Bible," Pacquiao told reporters after being formally sworn in as one of 12 new senators. The remarks follow previous comments by the 8-time world boxing champion earlier this year describing homosexuals as "worse than animals". Tough-talking Philippine president-elect Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to restore the death penalty as part of a campaign pledge to stamp out crime, a plan opposed by the Church and rights groups. Pacquiao, who garnered more than 16 million votes in last week's national election, has vowed to take his political duties seriously after coming under fire for an undistinguished stint in the House of Representatives. "I will perform this job well, avoid corruption, and be a God-fearing servant of the people," he said. Analysts say the retired boxer has an eye on the presidency and his period in the senate is a possible stepping stone for the top office. His performance in parliament was roundly criticised due to his frequent absences as he trained for boxing matches, hosted television shows and even dabbled in professional basketball. (source: tenplay.com.au) SINGAPOREstay of impending execution Singapore reprieves Malaysian murderer hours before execution Kho Jabing, 31, was scheduled to be hanged at dawn on Friday, but wins stay of execution for 2nd time due to appeal A Singaporean court has stopped the planned execution of a convicted murderer for a 2nd time, hours before he was scheduled to be hanged. Kho Jabing, 31, was expected by his family and rights groups to be executed at dawn on Friday but was granted a stay of execution following a last-minute application by his lawyer on Thursday evening exploiting a legal loophole. Kho, who is Malaysian, was sentenced to death in 2010 for killing a Chinese construction worker in a robbery gone wrong 2 years earlier, and spent the next 6 years on a legal rollercoaster trying to avoid the gallows. His family said on Tuesday they had received a letter from prison authorities setting his execution for Friday. On Thursday a 5-member appeal court dismissed an 11th-hour application to set aside the death sentence, but the defence lawyer Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss filed a separate suit against the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, OHIO, NEB., KAN.
May 19 TEXASbook review "The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts: Murder and Memory in an American City" It is not often that I find a book about Brownsville included on a list of books being talked about as the most anticipated titles being released by the major New York publishing houses. So I was surprised and interested when I found, "The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts' by Laura Tillman listed among those books being talked about at Winter Institute and included in an anthology of early releases which I receive as a bookseller. On March 11, 2003, in Brownsville, John Allen Rubio and Angela Camacho brutally murdered their 3 young children. The apartment building where this horrific crime took place was already run-down, and in the years following the murders, a consensus developed in the community that the building should be destroyed. It was a place, some felt, that was haunted and spiritually bereft. In 2008, Tillman commenced her successful journalism career with a stint at The Brownsville Herald. New to the valley, moving here from Connecticut, Tillman started by covering local interest stories and was assigned to cover a debate over what should happen to this building, a debate which continues to this day. What started as a special interest feature became a 6-year inquiry into the toll of this crime on the city of Brownsville as well as the larger significance of such acts, ones so difficult to explain that their perpetrators are often written off as monsters. Tillman over a period of years has researched the case file, interviewed the friends, neighbors and family surrounding the crime, talked with those involved in prosecuting and defending Camacho and Rubio. While ambivalent about the value to her investigation Tillman also contacted John Allen Rubio himself, and corresponded with him for years and ultimately met him on death row where he currently resides. Her correspondence and meetings with Rubio are at once heartbreaking and disturbing, and Tillman's explanation of her own feelings as she engages with him deepens the narrative rather than distracts. How does one reconcile the image of a monster, capable of such inhumane and grotesque actions with the man who claims to have loved his children beyond all else, and who could be any of thousands of young men who have been left behind after suffering from neglect or abuse? As mass shootings or other horrific acts of violence become more frequently reported in our daily lives the questions of how those closest to these events are affected becomes more widespread. Can a building itself be evil? What affect does it have to be continually reminded of some indescribable violence by the mere presence of the building where it occurred? Tillman questions our complicity in cases where mental illness, poverty, drug use, and despair go unaddressed and ultimately lead to some unbearable or indescribable act of horror. How does a community where an awful crime has been committed work toward healing after the cameras have been packed up and the reporters' notepads put away? How much compassion does a mentally ill person who has murdered deserve? "The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts" is a brilliant exploration of some of our age's most important social issues, from poverty to mental illness to the death penalty, and a beautiful, profound meditation on the truly human forces that drive them. It is disturbing, insightful, and mesmerizing in equal measure. "The Long Shadow of Small Ghosts" by Laura Tillman Scribner, 256 pages, ISBN 9781501104251 (source: Valley Morning Star) OHIO: Jury to Consider If Ohioan Should Be Executed for Killing 3 A jury in Cleveland is expected to hear final arguments Thursday and could begin deciding whether to recommend that a man be sentenced to death for killing 3 women and wrapping their bodies in garbage bags. Prosecutors told jurors on Wednesday that 38-year-old Michael Madison deserves execution because of the circumstances surrounding the killings. Defense attorneys argue Madison's life should be spared because of psychological damage caused by child abuse. The jury convicted Madison of aggravated murder earlier this month for killing 38-year-old Angela Deskins, 28-year-old Shetisha Sheeley and 18-year-old Shirellda Terry. Their bodies were found near Madison's East Cleveland apartment in 2013. If the jury recommends the death penalty, a judge will decide if Madison should die by lethal injection or spend the rest of his life in prison. (source: Associated Press) NEBRASKA: Former Death Row Inmate Dies in Prison A man who was adopted by a central Nebraska family and was nearly executed for murder has died in prison. Randolph Reeves, 60, died at the Nebraska State Penitentiary. He was serving a life sentence for 2 murders committed in 1980 at a meeting house of the Quaker religious community. Reeves, who was Native American,
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
May 19 IRAN: 13 executions in a single day Javad Larijani, the regime's head of human rights, acknowledges a "torrent of executions" and justifies torture and brutal punishments under the pretense of Qisas describing them as "holy verdicts". The mullahs' antihuman regime hanged 13 prisoners on May 17 in the cities of Yazd, Urmia and Mashhad. In Yazd and Urmia 12 prisoners were collectively hanged. 1 prisoner had been condemned to death just for thievery. Also in Mashhad, a young prisoner was publicly hanged. A placard posted at the hanging site described the death penalty as an "element for the survival and establishment of security in the society." A day prior to these collective executions, Javad Larijani, the brother of the head of the judiciary and the regime's theorist of torture and execution who is the head of the so-called "human rights" institution, confirmed the "torrent of executions related to narcotics." He expressed concern that the cruel punishments of the mullahs' Sharia Law are being questioned, stating: "Regretfully, today, the Qisas verdict which is a holy verdict ... is being questioned ... the universality of the United Nations documents does not mean that the Western lifestyle is the best model ... this is exactly where we should strongly stand up." He then resorted to justifying torture, noting: Some "believe that any corporal punishment is torture, whereas torture is to use force to extract something." (State-run Aftab website, May 16) On this same day, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, Tehran???s criminal prosecutor, brazenly said: "Officials in Western countries always bring up allegations relating to human rights ... against Iran that lack any basis in reality." When the medieval regime acknowledges a "torrent of executions" and describes atrocious and medieval punishments such as chopping of hands and gouging out of eyes as "holy verdicts" and justifies torture, this shows that it cannot sustain its rule for a single day without resorting to execution and suppression. This is where all factions of the mullahs' regime are one and the same, and any propaganda about a moderate faction is a despicable deception that serves to justify trade with this regime. However, without paying any heed to these absurd propaganda, the Iranian people demand nothing less than the overthrow of this regime and the establishment of democracy in Iran. (source: Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran) * Anti-Death Penalty Activist Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison Narges Mohammadi, human rights and anti-death penalty activist who is the vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran was sentenced to 16 years in prison. On 18 May 2015, Judge Abolghasem Salavati who heads the 15th division of Tehran Islamic Revolutionary Court stretched the already long prison sentence of Narges Mohammadi by sentencing her to 16 years in prison. This new 16 year sentencing is in addition to all of Mohammadi's pervious sentencings. On the most recent of the charges that the Iranian state brought against Mohammadi, she is now "convicted" of leading a right to life campaign which aimed to end capital punishment in Iran. Mohammadi, who is already serving numerous prison sentences on different charges, inaugurated the "Step by Step to Stop the Death Penalty" (Lagam in Persian). She is also charged with "assembly and spreading propaganda against the state" as well as "acting against the national security of Iran." According to Taqi Rahmani - Mohammadi's husband who now lives in exile - of the 16 years, 10 years is on the account of Mohammadi's involvement with "Step by Step to Stop the Death Penalty", 5 years for "assembly and spreading propaganda against the state" and 1 year is for "acting against the national security of Iran." The trial of the most recent charged brought against Mohammadi started in 20 April 2016 and was rescheduled numerous times since its original date of 3 May 2015. The "Step by Step to Stop the Death Penalty" campaign which seems to be the main reason Mohammadi is convicted this time, is now completely crumbled with this sentencing. Mohammadi's lawyer was present during the trial but the trial was closed to the public and members of the press. Her husband, Taqi Rahmani has been living with their children outside of Iran. Rahmani on a number of occasions has told the media that Evin prison officials have denied his wife the right to be in contact with her children regularly. Mohammadi's Children have only had 1 single phone call during her time in prison and Rahmani has never spoken to her wife since her arrest. Mohammadi was first arrested in 1998 for her criticisms of the Iranian state and spent a year in prison. In April 2010, she was summoned to the Islamic Revolutionary Court for her membership in the Defenders of Human Rights Center and sent to Evin prison.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
May 19 UNITED NATIONS: UN's rights chief urges firms to follow Pfizer's lead on death penalty U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein praised Pfizer on Thursday for banning sales of its chemicals that have been used for lethal injections in some U.S. states, and urged other companies to follow its lead. Zeid said Pfizer's stance was "heartening" but said there were other companies, beyond the pharmaceutical industry, that could be facilitating the death penalty. He also urged governments not to resort to "questionable sources" for the drugs used in lethal injections. (source: channelnewsasia.com) AUSTRALIA: Let's not rest until the death penalty is a thing of the past around the world In a sane world, shouldn't the right to life trump political expediency? Apparently not: given the addiction of some countries to the death penalty, and the possible re-introduction of capital punishment by some of our neighbours in the region. Issues around capital punishment reverberated throughout our community last year, with the execution of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, 2 Australians who spent 10 years on death row in Kerobokan prison. The bipartisan position of the Australian Parliament, as well as the pleadings of many in the international community did little to persuade the Indonesian President to show mercy. I remember all too well the conditions of death row from when I visited members of the Bali Nine at Denpasar. Having met with Myuran, Andrew and Scott Rush and some of their families I also witnessed first-hand, what can only be described as a successful rehabilitation: Myuran an accomplished Artist and Andrew a prison Counsellor and religious Pastor. If anything, this should have been seen as an example of the accomplishments of Indonesia's correctional system - proof that people can turn their lives around and make a positive contribution to society, even after going down such a dark path. Instead, it resulted in two funerals, no social benefit and two deeply grieving families, innocent of any wrongdoing. Together with Phillip Ruddock, I have been the convenor of Australian Parliamentarians Against the Death Penalty and sought to publicly advocate for the right to life and arguing that capital punishment is not the answer. Most credible criminal justice research shows that the death penalty does not deter crime. Partly due to the diplomatic fall out following the 2015 executions, which included the execution of a Brazilian man with mental health issues, the Indonesian Government placed a moratorium on further executions. But it didn't last long. "It is clear that we have a long way to go with our efforts to preserve the right to life. As Parliamentarians and community leaders, I believe we have a moral and legal obligation to advance the cause of global abolition of this cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment." Indonesian Attorney-General H.M Prasetyo has recently confirmed that executions will resume in the near future. The government has already moved 3 prisoners, to Nusakambangan Island, better known as 'Death Island,' a facility reserved for executions by firing squad. According to Amnesty International, around 10-15 people are being considered for the next round of executions which include both Indonesian and foreign nationals. Astonishingly, Yusman Telaumbanua, currently on death row in Indonesia for a crime he committed when he was 16, was sentenced to death as a child, not at the request of the prosecution but of his own lawyer. This in itself would have set the alarm bells ringing for any reasonable person let alone members of the Judiciary. The UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions clarified in his 2012 report that the death penalty "may only be imposed for crimes that involve intentional killing." This effectively limited its application to premeditated murder and certainly not crimes of passion. Clearly these views are being ignored in favour of domestic political posturing. The Philippines, largely a Catholic country, abolished capital punishment in 2006. But for rank popularism, President-elect Rodrigo Duterte indicated he will re-introduce the death penalty. During his election campaign, Duterte issued a series of inflammatory statements that contravenes the Philippines??? international human rights obligations, including his promise to reduce crime rates by shooting suspected criminals. He also says he would 'execute 100,000 criminals and dump them into Manila Bay.' It is worrying to see in such an emerging nation that political leaders are still looking for the future in the rear view mirror. Re-introducing such barbaric and archaic measures when there is clearly no evidence to prove that the death penalty reduces crime shows little vision in a civilised world. Although the trend is clear as 140 nations have now abolished the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----ARIZ., NEV., CALIF., USA
May 19 ARIZONA: Judge allows inmate challenge to death penalty to proceed A court challenge to the way the state of Arizona carries out the death penalty will proceed, according to a court order filed late Wednesday. The plaintiffs in the case are death row inmates and the First Amendment Coalition of Arizona, which advocates for open government on behalf of the media. Their attorneys had argued that the state is violating the First and Eighth amendments in its execution process. At issue, according to the plaintiffs, is a lack of transparency about how the executions are carried out, including where the state obtains its execution drugs and the state???s pattern of changing execution procedures at the last minute. Federal Judge Neil Wake dismissed the First Amendment claims. "The press has no such right, (of access to all aspects of the execution process) not without the court making new law that extends beyond historical practice and legal authority," he wrote. Wake allowed the claims questioning the drug combination the state is using and the failure of the state to follow its execution protocol without significant last-minute changes to proceed. Arizona is under a death penalty moratorium until this case, which was filed in 2014 after the execution of convicted murderer Joseph Rudolph Wood took nearly 2 hours, is resolved. Wood's execution was described by some as "botched." (source: azfamily.com) NEVADA: Lethal Drug Stoppage Shows Death Penalty Divide The Nevada Department of Corrections is still moving forward with plans for a new execution facility in Ely in light of pharmaceutical powerhouse, Pfizer, halting its sell of lethal injection drugs last Friday. Reno Public Radio's Marcus Lavergne reports: Department of Correction's spokeswoman Brooke Keast says plans for the nearly $858,000 facility will continue, but she doesn't know how quickly. "It's our legislature, the voters and the people of Nevada that will ultimately make the decision on what happens with this stuff," Keast said. Pfizer is the most recent company to discontinue the use of its Food and Drug administration approved-drugs for lethal injection, the only method for execution used in Nevada. The move represents a national distancing by drug makers from the death penalty. Currently, 82 Nevada death row inmates don't have court-ordered execution dates, but Keast says Nevada will have the appropriate means to execute if the order comes through. (source: KUNR news) CALIFORNIA: Showdown Set Over Future of California's Death Penalty Death penalty supporters are setting the stage on Thursday for a November showdown over whether to speed up executions in California or do away with them entirely. Crime victims, prosecutors and other supporters plan to submit about 585,000 signatures for a ballot measure to streamline what both sides call a broken system. No one has been executed in California in a decade because of ongoing legal challenges. Nearly 750 convicted killers are on the nation's largest death row, but only 13 have been executed since 1978. Far more condemned inmates have died of natural causes or suicide. Supporters plan 10 news conferences statewide to promote an initiative they say would save taxpayers millions of dollars annually, retain due process protections and bring justice to murder victims and their families. The measure would speed what is currently a lengthy appeals process by expanding the pool of appellate attorneys and appointing lawyers to the death cases at the time of sentencing. Currently there is about a 5-year wait just for condemned inmates to be assigned a lawyer. By contrast, the ballot measure would require that the entire state appeals process be completed within 5 years except under extraordinary circumstances. To meet that timeline, appeals would have to be filed more quickly and there would be limits on how many appeals could be filed in each case. Appeals currently can take more than 2 decades, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. "Justice denied is not justice," former NFL star Kermit Alexander said as he choked up while testifying at a legislative hearing on the measure this week. "My mother, sister and two little nephews still remain in their graves and my family is still having to fight for justice." They were killed in South Central Los Angeles in 1984, and he has since become the proponent and most prominent public figure for the reform measure. Additional provisions would allow condemned inmates to be housed at any prison, not just on San Quentin's death row, and they would have to work and pay victim restitution while they wait to be executed. "What is the point of seeking the death penalty in the state of California if it doesn't work?" Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, another proponent, asked at the same hearing. Opponents
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----FLA., ALA., OHIO, NEB.
May 19 FLORIDA: Lawyers in Sievers, Rodgers cases: Trial long way off, no death penalty decision Lawyers involved in the Lee County murder cases of Mark Sievers and Jimmy Rodgers said Wednesday that they're a long way from trial, with thousands of pages of records still to be shared between the sides. At a case management conference for the 2 defendants, prosecutors also said they haven't made a decision about whether to seek the death penalty in the case of Rodgers. They didn't speak to whether a decision has been made in Sievers' case, but no filing has been made. "I can tell you the state is right now considering all options," Assistant State Attorney Hamid Hunter said. Prosecutors have until mid-June to make a decision. Sievers is accused of coordinating the killing of his 46-year-old wife, Bonita Springs Dr. Teresa Sievers, with his lifelong friend, Curtis Wayne Wright Jr. Investigators believe Wright and Rodgers traveled from their home state of Missouri and bludgeoned Teresa Sievers to death in her home in June 2015 while Mark Sievers was in Connecticut. Wright has pleaded guilty to a 2nd-degree murder charge and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in exchange for a 25-year prison sentence. Mark Sievers and Rodgers have pleaded not guilty to 1st-degree murder charges. Hunter said more than 43,000 pages of evidence have been shared with lawyers for Rodgers and Sievers, with another large set of cell phone and tower records expected in the coming weeks. "It's taking a lot of time," Hunter said. Chief Assistant Public Defender Kathleen Fitzgeorge, who's representing Rodgers, said it's been "slow going" as prosecutors gather and share evidence. The 2 sides are "not even close" to starting depositions, she said. "There are no forensic reports. There is a very basic, basic crime scene report. In my opinion, in my experience, there is a lot missing," Fitzgeorge said. Rodgers hasn't waived his right to a speedy trial. If Rodgers doesn't waive that right, prosecutors could be required to take the case to trial by late August. Mark Sievers has waived his speedy trial rights. The next scheduled court dates are June 21 for Rodgers and July 27 for Mark Sievers. (source: Naples News) Death penalty uncertain in another Tampa murder case Prosecutors said an ice cream truck driver - seeking revenge and armed with a gun - killed 2 and injured 4 back in 2010. But the death penalty may not be on the table for defendant Michael Keetley based on the ongoing controversy with Florida's death penalty sentencing guidelines. The U.S Supreme Court said Florida's death penalty sentencing procedure was unconstitutional, because it gave too much power to a judge, and not the jury. Attorney Anthony Rickman explained why lawmakers still haven't solved the confusion. "What the Supreme Court didn't do is address whether the jury's decision should be unanimous or some sort of super majority," explained Rickman. Lawmakers scrambling to fix the law, chose a super-majority. Under the new guidelines, a 10 to 2 vote is all a jury needs to hand down a death sentence and the jury's decision is final. In its latest motion, Keetley's attorney said the new law is still unconstitutional, adding, the vote should be unanimous, as all verdicts are. Rickman reviewed the motion for FOX 13 News and said, "it's either a unanimous decision or it's not, and if it's not, they have the opportunity to sentence that person to life in prison." Last week, a Miami judge rejected the new death penalty guidelines based on his analysis of social norms and the constitution, Rickman said. In his ruling, Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch wrote, "every verdict in every criminal case in Florida requires the concurrence, not of some, not of most, but of all jurors - every single one of them." Rickman added, "in a petty theft case, like taking a Kit Kat from from a Kash and Karry, you need a unanimous verdict. You need all six jurors, because its a misdemeanor. Why, then, on a murder case where you are sentencing someone to death, do you need less than that?" A Tampa judge is expected to hear arguments on Keetley's motion May 20. (source: Fox news) ALABAMA: Teaser's shooting trial delayed again amid questions about capital punishment Death row inmates and those awaiting trial on capital murder charges in Alabama could be impacted by an ongoing Florida court case recently ruled on by the U.S. Supreme Court. Houston County Circuit Judge Brad Mendheim this month delayed indefinitely the trial of Ryan Clark Petersen who is accused of gunning down 3 people in 2012 at Teasers, a Wicksburg strip club. In his order, Mendeim cites Hurst vs. Florida, an ongoing case involving death row inmate Timothy Hurst. Mendeim - and defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed---inferred the Hurst case could potentially impact death sentences in Alabama. In the
