[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
October 12 ANTIGUA: Top Cop says Death Penalty Can Be a Deterrent Acting Commissioner of Police, Atlee Rodney, believes there is still a place for the death penalty in today's society. "Over the years we keep hearing all the debate about it, but I think it still has its place. I think it can serve as a deterrent to some of the heinous crimes we are having. Some persons think it is inhumane but you need to have certain things to serve as a deterrent to crime. I am one of the people who think it still has its place," the acting commissioner said. He was speaking with OBSERVER media on the occasion of World Day Against the Death Penalty. Rodney acknowledged that there are those who would argue that there are countries which continue to practice the death penalty which would suggest that it has not acted as a deterrent. "But, I think that we need to have some sort of strong punishment to send a serious message in those cases," Rodney said. "It is still on the books but there has been a lot of procedures and rulings from higher courts that give certain instructions." The World Day Against the Death Penalty is observed annually on October 10 since 2003. It has been spearheaded by the World Coalition against the Death Penalty (WCADP). Many renowned institutions that support the anti-death penalty thrust, including Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, are members of WCADP. The annual commemoration highlights the plight of those who have been denied the most essential human right of all, the right to life, by the justice system. This year, the aim is to raise awareness of the inhumane living conditions of people sentenced to death. The Greater Caribbean For Life has highlighted that too often, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the treatment of prisoners are ignored, with many death row inmates confined to harsh and inhumane conditions. The rules set out the minimum standards for good prison management, to include ensuring the rights of prisoners are respected. In a release, the activist group listed overcrowding, solitary confinement, substandard physical and psychological health care, as well as insufficient access to natural light as some of the problems plaguing those condemned to death. (source: stluciatimes.com) UGANDA: Journey of Hope Organisation visits the Commission Staff from Journey of Hope Uganda chapter together with US based chapter paid a courtesy visit to Uganda Law Reform Commission. The purpose of this visit was to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty and replace it with alternative forms of punishment. This will end the cycle of violence that capital punishment perpetuates in society. The speakers shared their stories about the process of healing through reconciliation. Among these included family members of those executed by death row and those exonerated from death row. (source: ulrc.go.ug) IRAN: Iranian Yarsani Man; Killed by Security Forces or Executed in Prison? Iranian state-run media say Ramin Majidifar has been executed on rape charges while some human rights activists say he was initially arrested by security forces for propagating his religious beliefs. On October 9, 2018, Iranian Semi-official Fars News Agency reported that Ramin Majidifar was executed in the Iranian city of Hamedan on rape charges. According to the report, he was arrested on August 16, 2018, in Hamedan and was convicted to death for raping 10 people, kidnapping, recording video of his sexual relationship with women and blackmailing them. However, some human rights activists, including Iran HRM website, report that he was arrested in the Iranian city of Tuyserkan -not Hamedan- and for charges like spreading propaganda for Yarsan faith. Ramin Majidifar was a Yarsani, belong to Yarsan faith which has hundreds of thousands of followers, mostly in western Iran and among Kurds. Some human rights activists claim that he was killed while was under arrest by security forces, and his execution was announced to cover the murder. Lack of transparency in Iranian Judiciary and suppressing freedom of the press makes it difficult for the media and human rights activist to obtain credible information in such cases. In this regard, Iran Human Rights (IHR) Persian website has invited those who know about Ramin’s case or have pieces of related evidence, to contact the organization. (source: Iran Human Rights) PAKISTAN: LHC sets aside death sentence handed to PML-N MNA Abid Raza, 3 others in murder case The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday acquitted PML-N MNA Chaudhry Abid Raza and 3 others in a murder case, DawnNewsTV reported. A 2-member LHC division bench comprising Justice Sardar Shamim Ahmad and Justice Shehbaz Rizvi was hearing the case. A trial court had sentenced Raza in 1999 under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----MD., N.C., TENN., NEB., S.DAK., IDAHO, WASH., USA
Oct. 12 MARYLAND: Author speaks on death row inmate exonerated through DNA evidence Students listened to author Tim Junkin present his findings on the 1st death row inmate exonerated by DNA evidence at Salisbury University Thursday night. Junkin is the author of the novels "Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence," "The Waterman: A Novel of the Chesapeake Bay" and "Good Counsel." Junkin is a practicing attorney and an award-winning novelist who resides in Maryland. All 3 of his novels take place on the Eastern Shore. His novel "Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence" is the 2018 One Maryland One Book selection. Kirk Bloodsworth is the 1st American to be sentenced to the death penalty and be exonerated due to DNA evidence. Bloodsworth was convicted in 1985 for the 1984 1st-degree murder and rape of Dawn Hamilton. Police captured Bloodsworth in his home when he was 22 years old. He was later gassed multiple times in prison. Bloodsworth was released 19 years after his arrest. Bloodsworth is now a national spokesperson for prison reform and has gone on tour with Junkin presenting the novel. Bloodsworth was exonerated in 2004, but the death penalty was not eradicated in the state of Maryland until 2013. The United States spends over $80 billion on incarceration each year. The United States comprises about 5 % of the world's population, but it houses approximately 25 % of the world's prisoners. The death penalty is used disproportionately against minorities, with 50 % of death row inmates being black. Junkin said that Bloodsworth became a symbol of hope and justice for people after speaking on their book tour and speaking at law schools together. He said Bloodsworth is a symbol of wrongful conviction and the problem of mass incarceration in the U.S. "We have a burgeoning crisis of mass incarceration in our prison system," Junkin said. Bloodsworth was represented by lawyer Bob Warren. At the time of Bloodsworth's conviction, only 2 labs in the country were performing DNA testing. In the United States, 162 people have been exonerated from death row after Bloodsworth. DNA evidence has convicted the serial sexual offender and rapist Kimberly Shay Ruffner as the killer of the 9-year-old girl whose body was found in Rosedale. Ruffner was an absolute DNA match with the semen and blood samples found on Hamilton's clothing. Junkin's novel has experienced a renaissance in popularity recently despite having been released in 2004. Junkin said the themes of justice and wrongful conviction still ring true to audiences in 2018. "I think it's got some really important parallels for today," Junkin said. "Everybody that comes in contact with him thinks he's innocent." Junkin read about Bloodsworth's case in the newspaper and was inspired to find the truth. He studied police notes and the grand jury testimony, and he spoke directly to Bloodsworth and the people working the case. He researched his case as an investigative journalist, speaking to every source that was willing to talk to him. He said the only people who refused to talk to him were the 2 homicide detectives in charge of the case. He decided that creating a 1st-person narrative from Bloodsworth's point of view would be the best way to create sympathy and understanding with the reader, but he also only wanted to write information that was factual in his novel. "Of course I wanted to write this story from Kirk's perspective," Junkin said, "But, I also wanted to write from the perspective of the investigators and the prosecutors." Junkin believes that people in the community wanted to accept Bloodsworth as the killer without DNA evidence because it gave them a sense of security for their children. He said they wanted a simple case of justice that was solved quickly. "The community is terrified," he said, "And they're afraid to let their kids out of the house." Bloodsworth had weed in his shoes and was sweating nervously after having a fight with his wife at the time his psychological profile was performed. Junkin said this profile led the police to "key in on Kirk." The case also relied on 10- and 7-year-old eyewitnesses who described a tan, blond, mustached man. Junkin said that Bloodsworth had red hair and pale skin that did not tan. Junkin believed that Bloodsworth was innocent, but he did not want to make any assumptions as he investigated his case. Molly Welch, a social work and community health major, thought the lecture was insightful and had an interest in the case because she wants to specialize in the criminal justice field of social work. Welch grew up in Somerset County around a family working in law enforcement, and she said working with people in this field has made both her and her family stronger. Welch said people are "quick to jump to conclusions" whene
