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First Third Of 2024 In Saudi Arabia: Executions Rise By 189% And Portend Another Bloody Year. At Least 71 Currently Facing Execution.

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Since the beginning of 2024 until the end of April, the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia announced the execution of 55 individuals. This figure constitutes a 189% increase compared to the executions in the first third of 2023, which witnessed 19 executions. The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights views these numbers as a clear indication of the Saudi government's continued approach towards executing and issuing death sentences, and that the promises made in recent years have become elusive.

Jodi Arias case stalls but the taxpayers' tab rings on

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Jodi Arias
After a two-week holiday hiatus, the Jodi Arias sentencing retrial got underway this morning…

…for about three minutes.

While the jury was waiting in the wings and families were waiting in the courtroom, Maricopa County Superior Court Sherry Stephens held yet another one of her private confabs with the attorneys, her white-noise machine fully engaged so that no one in the courtroom could hear them.

Then came a recess. Then came yet another private meeting with attorneys in her chambers.

Then the jury was sent home for the day.

That ca-chinging sound you hear is the taxpayers' ongoing and ever increasing tab for this extravaganza.

By my count, Monday was Day 21 of the Arias sentencing retrial, a hearing that began in September and was supposed to wrap up in three to six weeks.

Of course, it wouldn't be necessary at all if county prosecutors would drop their push to put Arias to death. The first jury – the one that heard the entire case – couldn't decide on life or death. Rather than simply allowing the judge to impose a life sentence in 2013, prosecutors requested this do-over.

We don't know the real cost of this retrial – in prosecutors' staff time that could be devoted to the dozens of other pending death-penalty cases, or the tab for paying for expert witnesses and flying in the family of the victim, Travis Alexander. Prosecutors won't disclose that information.

But we do know our approximate cost to defend Arias. It was approaching $2.8 million a month ago. The county didn't respond to my request Monday for an update on the tab.

And we do know that the cost to put her on death row, should it get that far will continue the cash register ringing wildly, with appeals on end.


Source: AZ Central, Laurie Roberts, January 5, 2015

Report an error, an omission: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com
Location: Arizona, USA
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First Third Of 2024 In Saudi Arabia: Executions Rise By 189% And Portend Another Bloody Year. At Least 71 Currently Facing Execution.

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Since the beginning of 2024 until the end of April, the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia announced the execution of 55 individuals. This figure constitutes a 189% increase compared to the executions in the first third of 2023, which witnessed 19 executions. The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights views these numbers as a clear indication of the Saudi government's continued approach towards executing and issuing death sentences, and that the promises made in recent years have become elusive.
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