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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

South Dakota lawmakers reject bill to repeal death penalty

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A South Dakota legislative panel has decided the state should keep the death penalty.

After hearing from relatives of 2 murder victims, the House State Affairs Committee voted 7-6 to reject a measure that would have repealed the death penalty.

The measure would have banned the death penalty in future criminal cases, but it sought to leave in place the death sentences of 3 convicted murderers currently on South Dakota's death row. Opponents say the bill's language might have allowed those 3 convicts to avoid being executed.

Supporters of the death penalty argued it is an appropriate penalty for the most vile crimes and deters others from committing murder.

Opponents of the death penalty contend it does not deter others from committing horrible crimes, save money or improve public safety.

Source: Associated Press, Feb. 22, 2014
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