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USA | The execution I witnessed haunts me. Biden, clear death row before Trump returns: Opinion

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Under Trump, there were 13 executions in his last six months as president. Biden must clear death row now to stop that and what Albert Camus described as the most cold-blooded premeditated murder. On Jan. 14, 2021, I stood in a small chamber in the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, while the federal government carried out an execution. Relegated to a spot 6 feet away from the gurney, I prayed with Corey Johnson, the “Gentle Giant” as he was known on death row.  He was one of the last of 13 people executed under then-President Donald Trump, who carried out an unprecedented killing spree during the final six months of his presidency.

Indonesia: "Attorney General Slow In Executing Death Penalty"

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The Indonesian Judicature Monitoring Community of the Law Faculty of the University of Indonesia (MAPPI FH UI) said the attorney general deliberately delays the execution of the death penalty.

The attorney general has said in May there were 116 death row prisoners in the country waiting for a review of their cases, the last legal attempt to change their penalty.

"It could be said the execution has been deliberately delayed," Choky Risda Ramadhana, the chairman of MAPPI FH UI said last night.

Earlier, Bahar bin Matar, a death row inmate charged with robbery, murder, rape and abduction, died at a hospital in Cilacap, Central Java. He was awaiting his execution after being held in the Nusakambangan island prison for more than 40 years.

Bahar was sentenced to death by the Tembilahan district court in March 1970.

Choky said that if a convict no longer seeks a PK (a court review), then he should be executed immediately, as his appeal to the supreme court has been rejected.

There is no time limit for a PK, but a PK is valid only if there is new evidence that could be presented in favor of the convict, he said.

"If there is no attempt from the convicts to seek a PK , the penalty should be executed immediately," he added.

Deputy attorney general Darmono said the execution of the court's decisions meted out to the 116 convicts are awaiting any attempt for a PK.

"If there is no request for a PK, they would be executed," Darmono said.

Source: Jakarta Globe, August 17, 2012
Location: Indonesia
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