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As clock ticks toward another Trump presidency, federal death row prisoners appeal for clemency

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President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office is putting a spotlight on the U.S. penitentiary in Terre Haute, which houses federal death row. In Bloomington, a small community of death row spiritual advisors is struggling to support the prisoners to whom they minister.  Ross Martinie Eiler is a Mennonite, Episcopal lay minister and member of the Catholic Worker movement, which assists the homeless. And for the past three years, he’s served as a spiritual advisor for a man on federal death row.
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Botswana resumes executions, hangs death row inmate

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Botswana continued executions this year, with the hanging of another death row inmate in 2018. State media reported that Uyapo Poloko was hanged on Friday.

Poloko was convicted of killing Indian businessman Vijeyadeyi Kandavaranam on January 25, 2010 in Francistown in northern Botswana.

Justice Modiri Letsididi sentenced Poloko to death for the murder, as well as 12 years in jail for attempted murder charge and 10 years for robbery.

Letsididi, in passing sentence, said there were several aggravating factors in the case.

"The crimes were committed in a brutal and ruthless manner because he strangled the deceased. Strangulation by nature leads to a slow and painful death.

"In all the circumstances, I am unable to find any extenuating circumstances in the conviction for the offences that could reduce the accused's blameworthiness,' declared the judge.

Poloko failed in his bid to overturn his death sentence this year after another judge, Justice Bashi Moesi, dismissed the convict's application.

In February this year, Botswana hanged Joseph Tselayarona, after a court in 2017 sentenced him to 20 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend and handed him the death penalty for the murder of the son.

Deprose Muchena, of Amnesty International and the organisation's regional director for Southern Africa, said Tselayarona's execution was a step back for Botswana and showed the government's contempt for life.

"Joseph's execution is a step back for Botswana and it shows the government's contempt for life. The death penalty is an abhorrent punishment and should never be used in any circumstances. While many countries in the region are moving away from this cruel form of punishment, Botswana is regressing".

Source: journalducammeroun.com, May 25, 2018


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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde
Location: Botswana
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