[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----PENN., ALA., LA., KAN., OKLA., NEB., CALIF., USA
Dec. 17 PENNSYLVANIA: Man faces death penalty for double homicide in home invasion York County prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against a man accused of 2 murders in southern York County last summer. A spokesman for the York County district attorney's office said the county has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Paul Henry in the murders of Danielle Taylor and Foday Cheeks last September. Henry, 40, of Manchester, and his wife Veronique were accused of committing the murders during a home invasion at Cheeks' home in Fawn Township. Veronique committed suicide in the York County Prison a day after her capture. Henry faces an arraignment on the murder charges next week in York County Court. (source: WHTM news) ALABAMA: Alabama court rules death penalty law constitutional in 3 cases SCOTUS sent back for review The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday ruled the death sentences of 3 state inmates are constitutional and don't conflict with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Florida's similar death penalty sentencing scheme. The U.S. Supreme Court had vacated the sentences of Alabama death row inmates Ronnie Kirksey, Corey Wimbley, and Ryan Gerald Russell, this year and sent them back to the state appeals court to review in light of its Florida ruling. Alabama's death sentencing law has been compared to Florida's because both allowed judges to override jury recommendations for life and instead impose death. On Friday the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals said it wasn't the same and affirmed the convictions of Kirksey, Wimbley and Russell. The court said Alabama's law is constitutional and does not "run afoul" of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Hurst v. Florida in January. Prosecutors and Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange have repeatedly argued that Alabama's law was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1995 and is not the same as the portion of the Florida law struck down in Hurst. Florida's law had required the judge -- not the jury -- to find the existence of an aggravating circumstance in order for the defendant to be subject to the death penalty. Alabama's law already requires the jury to find an aggravating factor, such as murder during the commission of a robbery, kidnapping or rape, prosecutors argue. Therefore, at the time of conviction, the jury has already agreed upon at least one aggravating factor before the sentencing phase began. In Alabama, after the jury unanimously convicts a defendant with at least one aggravating factor at the trial jurors in a separate hearing then weigh any other aggravating factors and mitigating circumstances and recommend life without parole or death. Jurors must vote 10-2, 11-1 or 12-0 to recommend death. The judge then imposes the final sentence and at that time can override the jury's life or death recommendation. Most of the overrides in Alabama have resulted in the death penalty. In its order in Wimbley's case, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals found that the jury - not a judge - had determined Wimbley was eligible for the death penalty because it had unanimously convicted him of murder during the course of a robbery and arson. Robbery and arson are both aggravating factors. "Consequently, the jury's guilt-phase verdict satisfied Wimbley's Sixth Amendment right to a jury finding as to the existence of an aggravating circumstance," the appeals court stated. "That, as the Alabama Supreme Court explained, is all that "Ring (a previous SCOTUS ruling) and Hurst require ... nothing more and nothing less." Florida's legislature enacted a new law that gives the jury, not the judge, the power to impose a death sentence. In Delaware, the only other state that allowed judicial overrides, that state's Supreme Court struck down its override law in August. That leaves Alabama as the only state that allows judicial override. Alabama now alone on 'limb' with death penalty law Alabama is now the only state to allow judges to override jury recommendations for life without parole and for those recommendations to be non-unanimous. Wimbley Wimbley was convicted in Washington County and sentenced to death in the death of 55-year-old Connie Ray Wheat at a grocery store in Wagarville. Kirksey Kirksey, of Gadsden, was convicted in the death of 23-month-old Cornell Norwood. The jury in 2010 found Kirksey guilty and unanimously recommended he be sentenced to death. The judge agreed and sentenced Kirksey to death. Russell Russell was convicted of murdering 11-year-old Katherine Helen Gillespie on June 16, 2008 in Shelby County. The jury unanimously to recommend Russell be sentenced to death and the judge followed the recommendation. A sheriff's deputy found Katherine's body in the backseat of a vehicle at Russell's home. Her body had been partially stuffed into a garbage can and covered in bloody towels and clothes. She had died a
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Dec. 17 PHILIPPINES: Senate minority bloc to oppose death penalty bills The Senate minority bloc composed of 3 senators will oppose legislative proposals seeking to restore capital punishment, Minority Leader Ralph Recto said. The minority bloc is composed of Recto, and Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Francis "Chiz" Escudero. Recto said the approval of the death penalty bills in the Senate "will be difficult" but he is keeping an open mind about the proposals. "Fundamentally, I'm against the death penalty" Recto said. There are at least 7 bills pending before the Senate justice and human rights committee seeking to reimpose the death penalty. 3 of the 7 bills were filed by Senator Manny Pacquiao, a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte. Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the panel, had said that he is against the death penalty. Liberal Party (LP) senators will also oppose death penalty proposals, Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon earlier said. Aside from Drilon, the LP senators are Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV, Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Ralph Recto, and Leila de Lima. Senator Risa Hontiveros of the Akbayan Party meanwhile is a close ally of the party. The House versions of the death penalty bills have already hurdled the committee level. Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas claimed that 50 % of the "supermajority" supported the measure, while only 15 % opposed it and 35 % were undecided. (source: gmanetwork.com) IRANexecutions 6 Prisoners Hanged For Drug Charges 6 prisoners were executed for drug charges in Karaj (west of Tehran) Thursday morning Dcember 15. According to Iran Human Rights (IHR) sources, 5 of the prisoners were hanged in the Central Prison of Karaj. The prisoners are identified as Behzad Lazemi, Mostafa Gholami, Fardin Sabzi, Mehdi Kaeni and Saeed Faramarzi from the sections 4, 5, 2, 3 and 3 respectively. On Wednesday IHR reported about the transfer of 4 of these prisoners for execution. The website of the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported about the execution of one prisoner on Wednesday December 14. The prisoner who was identified as Mohammad Hossein Beheshti was charged with possession of drugs. A source close to Mohammad Hossein said that besides being sentenced to death for drug offences, he had also been held in Rajaishahr prison for 23 years charged with murder. But the execution was for his drug charges. Drug related executions continue in Iran despite the fact that the Iranian Parliament recently passed a law with the aim of limiting the use of the death penalty for drug charges. The law has to be approved by the Guardian Council and it is not clear whether t will actually lead to a reduction in the number f drug related executions. Prisoner Executed on Drug Charges A prisoner sentenced to death on drug related charges was reportedly executed at Bandar Abbas Central Prison (Hormozgan province, southern Iran) on Thursday December 15, according to close sources. Close sources identify the prisoner as 39-year-old Behzad Salimkord. About 4 years ago, Mr. Salimkord was sentenced to death by branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court in Bandar Abbas for the charge of possessing and trafficking 2 kilograms of crystal meth and 250 grams of opium. Mr. Salimkord was reportedly transferred to solitary confinement 2 days ago in preparation for his execution, and was permitted a visit with his wife and 2 young children. "Behzad worked in a brick factory for 11 years to pay off the house we lived in. He eventually lost his job and we weren't able to pay for the house for 3 months, so he went to Bandar Abbas to find work. Behzad said that the drugs he was charged for weren't his. Behzad didn't even smoke cigarettes. He hated drugs. Nonetheless, they executed him on drug charges," says a relative of Mr. Salimkord. Iranian official sources, including the media and Judiciary, have been silent on Behzad Salimkord's execution. Iran Human Rights (IHR) has received reports from local sources about the execution of two other prisoners at Bandar Abbas Central Prison this week. However, IHR has not been able to confirm these reports at this time. Secret executions for drug related charges continue in Iran even though the Iranian Parliament recently passed a law to want to limit the use of the death penalty for drug charges. The law has to be approved by Iran's Guardian Council, and it is not clear whether it will actually lead to a reduction in the number of drug related executions. Additionally, members of parliament recently wrote a letter to the head of the Judiciary calling for the execution of about 5,000 prisoners sentenced to death on drug related charges to be quashed pending investigation into their charges. (source for both: Iran Human Rights) EGYPTexecution Egypt Executes Habara Amid Vengeance Threats Egyptian authorities ex
