[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, PENN., N.C., FLA. ALA., LA.
Nov. 2 TEXASnew execution date John Ramirez has been given an execution date for Feb. 2; it should be considered serious. Executions under Greg Abbott, Jan. 21, 2015-present20 Executions in Texas: Dec. 7, 1982present-538 Abbott#scheduled execution date-nameTx. # 21-December 7---John Battaglia539 22-January 11---Christoper Wilkins540 23-January 25---Kosoul Chanthakoummane541 24-January 26---Terry Edwards-542 25-February 2---John Ramirez--543 26-February 7---Tilon Carter--544 27-April 12-Paul Storey---545 28-June 28--Steven Long---546 (sources: TDCJ & Rick Halperin) PENNSYLVANIA: Prosecutors drop death penalty in '92 killing The York County District Attorney's Office is no longer seeking the death penalty against a man who's waiting for a retrial in the killing of his girlfriend, who was stabbed and cut more than 200 times and found covered in bleach over 24 years ago. Daniel Jacobs, 45, of York, is already serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the death of his 7-month-old daughter, Holly. But, he's been waiting for another trial in the killing of Tammy Lee Mock, 18, for about 10 years, because his case has been in limbo. Both were found in the bathtub of the couple's apartment on West King Street near South Richland Avenue in York on Feb. 16, 1992. It's unclear why the District Attorney's Office made the decision, which is mentioned in court documents dated on Friday. Chief Deputy Prosecutor Tim Barker, one of the attorneys who's handling the case, could not immediately be reached. Initially, Jacobs was found guilty of 1st-degree murder in Mock's killing and sentenced to death. But federal appeals courts threw out his punishment and conviction, in 2001 and 2005, respectively. In September, Common Pleas Judge Harry M. Ness ruled that Jacobs is competent to stand trial, but that he cannot serve as his own lawyer. He has since filed a motion asking the judge to reconsider the decision. Kevin Hoffman, an attorney who's been appointed to represent Jacobs, said he will most likely have to prepare for the case to go trial. But, he said, it will be "some time" before one is held. Now, Hoffman said it will be a "more straightforward process." That's because the attorneys will not have to pick a jury for a death penalty case, nor present additional testimony - if there's a conviction. Jacobs is expected back in court on Dec. 1. (source: York Daily Record) NORTH CAROLINA: Time to end NC's death penalty There is a deadly battle going on in the courts of the United States. It has lasted for decades. The battle is between those favoring the death penalty and those opposed to it. In North Carolina we have 150 people on death row. 55 North Carolina Counties have prisoners on death row. 45 counties have no one there. It is clear that people in certain counties have been more likely to receive a death sentence than others. For instance, Durham County has no one on death row. Its neighbor, Wake County has ten. Guilford County has 3 prisoners on death row. Yet, its neighbor, Forsyth County, has 12. The last execution in North Carolina was on August 18, 2006, 10 years ago. There are many things that keep prisoners from being executed in North Carolina. Here are 6 of them: 1. The legislature passed the Racial Justice Act. It made it extremely difficult for death sentences to be upheld on appeal. That law has been repealed, but the result is that most (if not all) death sentence cases are under appeal. Resolution of this problem will take months - perhaps years. 2. The law requires a doctor to be present during executions. However, both the American Medical Association and the North Carolina Medical Board have ruled that doctors should NOT be present at executions. In response to this, the legislature has passed a law which states that participation in executions is not the practice of medicine. The intent was to protect doctors who attended an execution from discipline by medical boards. It is unlikely that this law will entice doctors to participate in executions. Whether it is practicing medicine or not, it is still helping to kill someone. Second, the propriety of that law will continue to be litigated. 3. The State has to find the appropriate drugs to cause death. Many companies have refused to sell the drugs to states that will use them in executions. Then, once the chemicals are picked, there will be legal challenges to those particular chemicals. 4. It will be at least 2 years before executions are scheduled. The passing of 12 or more years from the last execution will make it more unpleasant to restart executions. Judges will
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Nov. 2 SINGAPORE: He gives hope to those on death rowLawyer wins award for pro bono work in capital offence cases Even after appealing twice, his client was still sentenced to hang for trafficking in drugs. But lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam held on to hope that he could save his client, Dinesh Pillai Reja Retnam, a Malaysian national who was convicted in 2011. Just when it seemed hopeless, an amendment to the law allowed Mr Thuraisingam to apply for a re-sentencing. His client, who was found to be suffering from depression when caught trafficking in 19.35g of heroin in 2009, became the 1st drug convict to escape the noose because of his mental condition. Dinesh Pillai, who was given life imprisonment, is just one of many clients Mr Thuraisingam has saved from the death penalty in the past 12 years. Yesterday, Mr Thuraisingam, 41, was conferred the Lasco Award - in recognition of his commitment and service to the scheme, state and community - at the inaugural Tri-Court Volunteers Appreciation Dinner. Since January 2012, he has handled 13 cases - 6 trials and 7 appeals under the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences (Lasco). Lasco is a scheme which ensures that all people facing capital charges in the High Court are given legal representation by pro bono lawyers. There are about 200 lawyers on board this scheme. Mr Thuraisingam said that his wife and three children, aged between 5 and 8, were proud of him for receiving the award, but he admitted that there have always been mixed emotions when handling cases involving the death penalty. Referring to Dinesh Pillai's case, he said the Malaysian was paid RM200 (then S$80) to carry a package containing drugs into Singapore. "I was happy that I saved someone from the gallows. Yet I was also sad because over a RM200 profit, someone has to spend the rest of his life in prison," he said. Mr Thuraisingam also represented another Malaysian, Wilkinson Primus, who was caught with 35.66g of heroin in his motorcycle when riding into Singapore on Nov 3, 2008. Wilkinson was given the then-mandatory death penalty in 2009. But in 2014, Mr Thuraisingam applied for a re-sentencing under the amended laws, relying on psychiatric reports that Wilkinson was suffering from major depressive disorder and was "performing at an extremely low level of intellectual functioning" at the time. The prosecution did not object to the application and Wilkinson was also given life imprisonment. Working such capital charge cases are never easy and are always stressful, said Mr Thuraisingam. "The pressure is very high. It's extremely intense," he said. "What most of us do is to take a step back and be objective, because you won't do the client any good if you don't distance yourself from the fact that he is facing capital punishment. "So know your law well, know the facts well and fight hard to the best of your ability," he said. Mr Thuraisingam is full of praise for the Lasco scheme. He said: "Without the dedication and compassion shown by the many lawyers who participate in this scheme, there would be no representation for these people in court. "Because none of them can afford lawyers. They are the poorest of the poor, some who are exploited for RM200." Mr Thuraisingam, who is against the death penalty, said he will continue to fight to save lives. "The simple reason is that none of us can say why we are here on earth and where we go to when we die. "When you cannot answer that question, I feel you have no right to take away life," he said. I was happy that I saved someone from the gallows. Yet I was also sad because over a RM200 profit, someone has to spend the rest of his life in prison.-- Lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam on one of his cases Judicial volunteers and pro bono services are essential in making justice accessible to those in need, said Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon at the inaugural Tri-Court Volunteers Appreciation Dinner, held at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, last night. For the 1st time, the judiciary, comprising the Supreme Court, the State Courts and the Family Justice Courts, came together to show its appreciation and recognise the contributions of volunteers in pro bono work. In the last 3 years, the number of judiciary volunteers - including lawyers as well as volunteers, such as engineers, lecturers and retirees who serve as mediators and counsellors - grew by about 20 %, from 229 in 2014 to 284 this year. VITAL TO JUSTICE Said CJ Menon: "The fact is there are the disadvantaged in society who lack the means to pay for legal services that would allow them to access justice in a meaningful way. "It is here that pro bono work bridges the gap." He referred to lawyers and non-lawyers, such as volunteers who provide meditation or counselling services, and said both groups are equally vital to the administration of justice. Last night, 4 volunteers were
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Nov. 2 UNITED KINGDOM: There's a Legitimate Case for the Death Penalty in the UK - It Shouldn't Be Taboo The UKIP leadership contender Paul Nuttall MEP has expressed support for restoration of the death penalty. It was a cautious plea in a measured tone. There were caveats. He would favour it in exceptional circumstances "for child and serial killers". Furthermore he would only wish to see capital punishment restored if it had first won support in a referendum. Still, for him to have to be temerity to raise the issue at all was still enough to produce indignation. "UKIP are the only thing the death penalty should be used on," was the measured response of one member of the Lib Dems via Twitter. Milder responses to Nuttall's view was that it was "extreme", "barbaric", "uncivilised" and that he proved himself to be a "demagogue" by proposing it. Yet Nuttall's opinion is widely shared. The last time YouGov polled on the matter - in 2014 - there was support from 45% for the reintroduction of the death penalty for murder, opposition from 39%. Often the debate is characterised as encompassing left wing" and "right wing" divide. However, 35% of Labour voters support capital punishment. Yet not a single one of the 231 Labour MPs in the House of Commons shares their view. I suspect that if any of them were to do so they would be deselected. There has been much reflection on how out of touch Labour proved with its working class supporters over Brexit. In a way this disconnection is even more stark with regard to the death penalty. Inevitably there will be strong emotions - but sensible people will consider the evidence. The real justification for capital punishment is not some bloodthirsty desire for retribution but the conclusion that it would mean fewer lives being lost. The overwhelming verdict from the academic research in the United States is that it does. One study by professors at Emory University in 2003 estimated that each execution deters an average of 18 murders. That ratio was exceptionally high, but other research confirms that basic message. A 2006 study by professors at the University of Houston found that the Illinois moratorium on executions in 2000 led to 150 additional homicides over the following 4 years. Professor Naci Mocan of the University of Colorado undertook another research project which found that each execution results in 5 fewer homicides. He said: "The conclusion is there is a deterrent effect. The results are robust, they don't really go away. I oppose the death penalty. But my results show that the death penalty [deters] - what am I going to do, hide them?" What is even harder to dismiss is that capital punishment deters repeat offending. When Ronald Reagan was Governor of California he kept a sheet of paper on his desk which he would bring out when challenged on the issue. "It was a list of the names of 12 criminals, 12 murderers, who had all been sentenced to prison, who had all served their terms or been paroled, and released, " he said. "And at the time the list was on my desk, their total number of victims then was 34, not 12. I think capital punishment in the beginning might have reduced that figure considerably." Barack Obama has said, in the past at least, that he supports the death penalty: "We have to have this ultimate sanction for certain circumstances in which the entire community says this is beyond the pale." Hillary Clinton says she supports its use under "federal jurisdiction, for very limited purposes". Certainly the use of the death penalty has declined, and some argue its use is outdated. But the reality is that new technology strengthens the case for it. DNA evidence greatly reduces the risk of miscarriage of justice. Just as there is a moral case for pacifism, so the moral objection to capital punishment deserves respect. Yet the abolition of capital punishment since 1965 in the UK has had the practical consequence that innocent lives have been lost that otherwise could have been saved. This is why ordinary people continue to debate the issue in a rigorous and intelligent manner. Its consideration should no longer be a taboo among the political establishment. (source: Harry Phibbs, heatst.com) TURKEY: Is Erdogan really serious about bringing back death penalty? President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues to respond to calls from his supporters for the plotters of the July 15 attempted coup to receive the ultimate punishment, and he is signaling his keenness on seeing the death penalty reinstated in Turkey. It is not clear, though, whether he is doing this for its own sake or if he is using the topic to increase his support base as the debate on changing Turkey from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency gathers steams. Turkey, a Council of Europe member and a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, abolished the death penalty
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TENN., KY., OHIO, OKLA., NEB., CALIF., USA
Nov. 2 TENNESSEE: TN Supreme Court to review death penalty case of man convicted of murdering, dismembering girlfriend The Tennessee State Supreme Court will review the death penalty case of James Hawkins, a Shelby County man who was sentenced to death for premeditated 1st degree murder. Hawkins was convicted in 2011 of murdering his girlfriend, the mother of his 3 children, and dismembering her body. Investigators said Hawkins forced their then, 12-year-old daughter to help dismember her mother and dispose of her body. Charlene Gaither was stabbed and strangled to death in 2008 in Raleigh. The court will consider multiple issues, including whether Hawkins' statements to police and statements made by the victim to other witnesses should have been excluded. The court will hear this case in addition to several others Wednesday in Jackson. (source: Fox news) KENTUCKY: Lane could face death penalty if convicted in Ashland murder case 24-year-old Jacob Lane of Franklin Furnace could face the death penalty if convicted of 1st-degree murder, according to Boyd County Commonwealth???s Attorney David Justice. Lane is accused of killing Justin Reeder, 21, of Ashland, on Oct. 16. By state law, murder cases are death-penalty eligible if the capital offense was committed during the attempt of a specified felony, such as robbery, kidnapping or rape. A Boyd County grand jury indicted Lane on Tuesday morning on first-degree robbery and 2nd-degree burglary charges in addition to murder, Justice said. Lane, jailed in the Boyd County Detention Center, pleaded not guilty to murder last week in Boyd County Circuit Court. Reeder was found dead in Lawrence County, Ohio on Oct. 24, a week after he was reported missing. Over the course of the search for Reeder, Lane was questioned by the Ashland Police Department after phone records and additional evidence pointed toward Lane as a suspect, according to Chief Todd Kelley. Lane initially denied involvement, but later admitted to police he shot Reeder in the head on Oct. 16 in the 1100 block of 29th Street in Ashland. Lane also told police the man's body was hidden along Tunnel Ridge Road near Ironton. Reeder's parents told police Lane had broken into their home a few days after Reeder's disappearance "in an attempt to steal money and narcotics," according to Kelley. The police chief announced on Tuesday an arrest warrant was issued for Zachery Tarleton, of Ironton, who allegedly provided Lane with a weapon. Tarleton, 24, is awaiting extradition from Lawrence County Jail to the Boyd County Detention Center on a 1st-degree criminal conspiracy to commit robbery charge. Tarleton provided the gun to Lane, Kelley said, during Lane's attempted robbery of Reeder. Lane was not originally charged with robbery. Kelley announced the warrant issuance for Tarleton during a press conference Tuesday afternoon, and did not take questions from reporters, citing the ongoing investigation. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department, Kentucky State Police, the Lawrence County Coroner's office and Justice's office were among the agencies that have assisted Ashland police. Lane's next court appearance has not been scheduled, according to the online courts system. An online petition created anonymously on change.org titled "Death Penalty for Jacob Lane" has circulated since last week and accrued over 345 signatures. The author of the petition suggests Lane "doesn't deserve his life" and the petition will be delivered to Gov. Matt Bevin and Sen. Mitch McConnell. Justice said the death penalty eligible case is the 1st such case in Boyd County in more than 10 years. Kentucky has carried out 3 executions of death row inmates since 1976. Lane is represented by attorney Mark Hardy. Circuit Judge Gerald Reams declared last week Lane's bond remains $100,000. (source: The Daily Independent) OHIO: Ex-student leader could face death penalty in US While some student leaders face the prospect of spending Christmas behind bars, one of their former leaders who made Durban's Westville campus ungovernable in the early 2000s is set to spend his 6th Christmas behind bars. However, it won't be for student protests, but rather his conviction for 2 murders that will keep Muziwokuthula "Muzi" Madondo behind bars in the US state of New Mexico. According to officials in Ohio, he is unlikely to be moved any time soon from the Penitentiary of New Mexico near Santa Fe to Ohio, where he faces a further 2 charges of murder and a potential death sentence. "I suppose we are in no rush to get him here. He's not going anywhere soon," said James Pollack, spokesperson for the Summit County prosecutor's office. Madondo, who led student protests over the canteen food at the then University of Durban-Westville (UDW) before its merger with the University of Natal in 2004, pleaded
