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Japan | Hakamada found religion, but then felt under attack by ‘the devil’

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Editor's note: This is the last in a four-part series on letters that Iwao Hakamada wrote while on death row. About a decade after cursing God, Iwao Hakamada was baptized Catholic at the Tokyo Detention House on Dec. 24, 1984. “Since I have been given the Christian name Paul, I am keenly feeling that I should be aware of the greatness of Paul.” (June 1985)

Texas, Missouri Plan Executions Wednesday

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Missouri Death Chamber
Two of the nation's most active death penalty states are planning executions on Wednesday, as attorneys for the inmates continue efforts to save them.

Earl Ringo Jr. is scheduled to die at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday in Missouri for killing two people during a robbery at a Columbia, Missouri, restaurant in 1998.

Hours later, Texas plans to execute Willie Trottie for fatally shooting his common-law wife and her brother in Houston in 1993.

The executions would be the 8th this year in each state. Florida also has performed 7 executions in 2014. All other states have combined for 6 executions.

A court appeal on Ringo's behalf raised concerns about Missouri's use of a pre-execution sedative and what impact it has on the execution.

Trottie's lawyers said he had inadequate legal representation at trial.

Source: Associated Press, Sept. 8, 2014
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