Death Penalty News

A forthcoming study to be published in the Fordham Urban Law Journal found that almost all states that use a paralyzing drug in the lethal injection of death row inmates forbid the use of this same drug in euthanizing animals. Ty Alper, the associate director of the Death Penalty Clinic at the University of California-Berkeley School of Law, conducted the research that found that 42 states do not approve neuromuscular blocking agents in the ordinary euthanasia of animals. However, almost 98% of the lethal injections of human beings that have been carried out since 1982 have involved the use of this kind of drug that hides from view severe pain an inmate may be experiencing. The constitutionality of the lethal injection protocols used in virtually all states with the death penalty is currently being considered by the U.S. Supreme Court in Baze v. Rees that was argued in January. The death row inmates in that case have maintained that the 3-drug method of lethal injection can be extremel...

In a move that could trim his stay on Texas' death row from the norm of about 10 years to less than 2, condemned killer Selwyn P. Davis wants to waive most of his appeals, according to his lawyer. Ariel Payan, Davis' appeals lawyer, declined to say why Davis doesn't want to carry out all of his appeals. During his October trial in Travis County, Davis' lawyers said he conceded that he fatally stabbed Regina Lara, his ex-girlfriend's mother, at her 381/2 Street apartment. But they argued that his crime was not committed in the course of a burglary and robbery, as charged, and that therefore it didn't fit Texas' definition of capital murder. Davis killed Lara during a 2-day crime spree that began when he beat his ex-girlfriend, fracturing her eye socket, and poured rubbing alcohol over her head and threatened to set her on fire, according to testimony. During the capital murder trial, Davis stuck his middle finger up at Lara's family. It is uncommon for de...

March 31, 2008: a man and a woman were stoned to death by militants in Pakistan's Khwezai-Baezai area after a 'qazi court' found them guilty of adultery. This is the first incident of stoning in FATA. Earlier, couples found guilty of adultery by militants or tribesmen were executed by firing squads. The woman, identified as Shano from Mohmand Agency, allegedly eloped with Daulat Khan Malikdeenkhel of Bara on March 15. Dr Asad, a spokesman for the militants, told Dawn that Shano was a married woman living in Peshawar's Deen Bahar colony. The body of the woman was laid to rest in the same area by some local people. The man's body was taken to the hospital and handed over to his relatives. Source : Dawn.com, 02/04/2008

April 8, 2008: a soldier who was found guilty of murdering a fellow soldier was publicly executed by firing squad in Bosaso, Somalia. A few months ago, the Bari region Supreme Court sentenced Saeed Elmi to death by firing squad for the murder of Abdiwali Olad, a Puntland soldier. The commander of Puntland Police Force, Colonel Saeed Ga'amey, said "execution procedures were put in place to enforce the court ruling." Many people in Bosaso gathered to witness the execution of the former Puntland soldier. Sources: Somali Press Review, 08/04/2008

April 8, 2008: the official Saudi Press Agency said authorities beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of beating a fellow citizen to death. A Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry statement announced that Muhammad Farouq Fadl moved a ladder that Muhammad Wali-Ahmed was standing on, which made him fall. The statement says Fadl then repeatedly beat Wali-Ahmed on the head with a metal rod until he passed away. Fadl then wrapped the body in a piece of cloth before hiding it in mountainous areas in southern Saudi Arabia. Fadl was executed in the southern Nammas Province. Sources: International Herald Tribune, 08/04/2008

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- There appeared to be a dramatic change in plans in San Francisco Wednesday as the Olympic Torch disappeared from public view as its controversial run through the city got under way. Thousands of demonstrators were in the city to line a course that was shortened several times, a source involved in the planning of the event said. The torch was lit in a short ceremony at AT&T Park in front of hundreds of pro-Chinese supporters, who waved Chinese, American and Olympic flags. But from the park, the runners, accompanied by Chinese security forces, went into a security warehouse. Vehicles were seen leaving the building moments later. Mayor Gavin Newsom had said the route along the waterfront -- already cut from eight to six miles -- could be changed up to and even during the run itself. Read more>>>

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- A nonprofit group of attorneys that helps inmates believed to be wrongfully convicted has filed a formal complaint against a pathologist whose work has come under scrutiny. Innocence Project attorneys said Tuesday they've asked a Mississippi board to revoke the medical license of Dr. Steven Hayne, who has worked as the state pathologist for several years. Hayne came under scrutiny after DNA and other evidence cleared two men convicted in separate murder cases. The two men were cleared of the charges earlier this year after a third man allegedly confessed to both murders. "Steven Hayne's long history of misconduct, incompetence and fraud has truly sent innocent people to death row or to prison for life. This is precisely why regulations are in place to revoke medical licenses," said Innocence Project co-founder Peter Neufeld. Hayne didn't return a call to his cell phone seeking comment. A woman who answered Hayne's telephone...

San Francisco prepares for protests today as runners plan to carry the Olympic torch through the city. As the flame arrived Tuesday, thousands demonstrated against China's human rights record. "This is putting a stamp of approval on repression and human rights abuses," said actor Richard Gere, a longtime rights advocate. full story

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA: Breaking a lethal habit A look back at the death penalty in 2007 Index AI : AMR 51/197/2007 Ce document nous rappelle les principaux événements/faits suivants : * Le 25 septembre la Cour Suprême fédérale a accepté de réexaminer la constitutionnalité de la procédure d'exécution par injection létale appliquée dans le Kentucky (et dans la plupart des États américains). Il s‘en est suivi un moratoire de fait dans tout le pays qui devrait durer jusqu‘en juin 2008, quand la Cour rendra ses conclusions ; * Le 17 décembre 2007, le gouverneur Jon Corzine a promulgué la loi abolissant la peine de mort dans le New Jersey qui devient ainsi le 14e État américain sans peine capitale. Désormais la peine maximale encourue dans cet État est la réclusion à perpétuité sans libération conditionnelle. Cette loi fait suite à un rapport présenté en janvier 2007 par la Commission d‘étude sur la peine de mort qui était arrivée à la conclusion que « l'exécution de quelques per...

Source : Ze Jiho Blog

April 1, 2008: Kuwait's Supreme Court upheld a death sentence against an overseas Filipino worker for the killing of her seven year old ward, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. May Vecina, 28, was convicted of killing her employer's youngest son Salem Sulaiman Al-Otaib on January 6, 2007, as well as attempting to kill his 13 year old brother Abdulla by slitting his throat and stabbing his 17 year old sister Hajer. Vecina was convicted of murder and two counts of frustrated murder and was sentenced to hang. The court ruling is final and only needs to be signed by Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah to be implemented. Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said the Philippine government would continue to work to save the maid's life. Source: Inquirer.net, 01/04/2008

April 1, 2008: a Syrian court sentenced four Syrians, two Turkish and one Lebanese to death for being involved in drug trafficking, media reports said. Two of the Syrians were arrested in the city of Homs, while they were in their way to deliver what police suspected was five kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of cocaine, the Syrian al-Thawra newspaper said. Police said that the two Turks supplied the drugs that were being sold by the two Syrians to the Lebanese. The investigation showed the seized drugs to be pain relievers and other prescription drugs. Source: Monsters &Critics, 01/04/2008

March 31, 2008: an Emirati man's charity gave a new lease on life to two prisoners sentenced to death for a murder they committed ten years ago. Abdul Rahman Farooq, a 42 year old Pakistani and Radwad Naeem Al Deen, a 37 year old Indian were awaiting execution. Saeed Mohammad Al Amiri, a good Samaritan, paid the blood money to the parents of the victim and rescued the prisoners from capital punishment. "I'm not a rich man. I live a normal life just like my fellow compatriots in the country, but I have the intent to do good things and help people who are suffering from financial problems or those living under poor conditions," said Al Amiri. Source: Gulf News, 31/03/2008

Glen Edward Chapman, a North Carolina man who was sentenced to death for the 1992 murders of Betty Jean Ramseur and Tenene Yvette Conley, was released from death row on April 2 after prosecutors dropped all charges against him. In 2007, North Carolina Superior Court Judge Robert C. Ervin granted Chapman a new trial, citing withheld evidence, “lost, misplaced or destroyed” documents, the use of weak, circumstantial evidence, false testimony by the lead investigator, and ineffective assistance of defense counsel. There was also new information from a forensic pathologist that raised doubts as to whether Conley’s death was a homicide or caused by an overdose of drugs. Chapman’s lawyers, Frank Goldsmith and Jessica Leaven, were pleased with their client’s release. “Edward has always maintained, and we have always believed in, his innocence,” said Goldsmith. “Justice has not been served for the families of Ms. Ramseur and Ms. Conley, and we hope their deaths will be reinvestigated.” The sta...

March 31, 2008: Two Chinese bank workers who spent about 45 million yuan (6.4 million dollars) in stolen money on lottery tickets were executed in northern China's Hebei province. Ren Xiaofeng, 34, and Ma Xiangjing, 37, were sentenced to death in August last year after being convicted of stealing the money from a branch of the Agricultural Bank of China in Handan city where they worked. Ren and Ma were vault managers at the bank when they started taking money from the safe to play the state lottery. The two thought that by spending millions of yuan on tickets they would eventually win back enough to replace the missing funds and they would be able to leave their low-paid jobs for a life of luxury. At first Ren colluded with two other bank employees and stole 200,000 yuan from the bank's safe, earlier reports said. Ren actually replaced the missing funds after he had a lottery win. But he became bolder when he began collaborating with Ma, stealing another 50.95 million yuan from...

March 30, 2008: Releasing its annual report on the state of human rights in 2007, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that as many as 134 convicts were executed and 309 awarded death sentence. There were over 7,000 prisoners on the death row. Prisons housed 95,016 detainees as against an authorised capacity of 40,825. Across Pakistan, 67 per cent of the prisoners were awaiting trial. Sources: Khaleej Times, 30/03/2008

March 27, 2008: A US federal appeals court upheld the murder conviction against Mumia Abu-Jamal, but ruled the death-row campaigner cannot be executed without undergoing a new sentencing hearing. The three-judge panel rejected Abu-Jamal's request for a new trial but ruled the former radio journalist and Black Panther civil rights activist should either face a new hearing or have his sentence commuted to life in jail. The 118-page ruling upheld a district court decision from 2001, which stated that jurors in the original trial were given faulty instructions. "We will affirm the judgement of the District Court," the appeals panel said in its ruling. It said Pennsylvania could only execute Abu-Jamal if prosecutors decide to re-submit him to a new death penalty hearing. Abu-Jamal, 53, born Wesley Cook, was sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of a Philadelphia police officer the year before. While in jail, he became a figurehead for anti-death penalty activists. Abu-Jama...

March 27, 2008: a Saudi man was beheaded by the sword after he was convicted of murdering a compatriot, the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry said. Mohammed bin Duhaim al-Dossari was executed in Wadi al-Dawasser in the Riyadh region after he was found guilty of fatally shooting Mohammed bin Mubarak al-Muaili following a row, said a ministry statement carried by the official SPA news agency. Source: Agence France Presse, 27/03/2008

March 27, 2008: death sentences were upheld by the Fukuoka High Court in Japan against a yakuza gang boss and his son, ensuring they will join his wife and another son on Death Row. The court dismissed the appeals by gang boss Jitsuo Kitamura and his son, Takashi, against the lower court ruling that sentenced them to death for committing four murders in 2004. The high court also upheld execution orders handed down to Kitamura's wife, Mami, and another son, Takahiro, for their roles in the killings. Each member in the family of four has now received a death sentence that has been upheld by a high court. During his initial trial at the Kurume Branch of the Fukuoka District Court, Jitsuo Kitamura, 64, said he alone had killed all four people the clan was accused of murdering. However, during the appeal trial, Kitamura said his family had worked together to bring about the killings. His son Takashi, 27, has maintained his innocence throughout proceedings. Source: Mainichi Daily News, 2...