Death penalty - Page 5

 Silicon Valley Cash Failing Effort to Abolish Death Penalty

Despite Silicon Valley executives’ expectation they could lead a national effort to abolish the death penalty by funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars into a California initiative, law enforcement and conservatives have raised cash to defend the death penalty, and appear headed

FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2014, file photo, Department of Corrections officials look through

Supreme Court: Pennsylvania Chief Justice Cannot Rule on Death Penalty Case

In a 5-3 split decision, last Thursday the Supreme Court held that Chief Justice Ronald Castille of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court cannot be part of deciding a convict’s case because 30 years ago he was one of the prosecutors involved with the original prosecution, creating an “impermissible risk” of bias that would violate due process.

AP Photo/Dave Martin

CA GOP Opposes Marijuana, Gun Control Initiatives

On Sunday, the California GOP voted to endorse a ballot initiative to “hasten death penalty appeals” while opposing initiatives legalizing recreational marijuana, expanding gun control, and mandating condoms in pornography.

Emma Solorzano, 13, of Jefferson, holds a sign saying Gun Free Zones Make Me a Target at a

Seven Ways Pope Francis Slapped Conservatives in the United States

Many conservatives viewed the prospect of the Pope’s visit to the United States with a mixture of hope and trepidation: hope, because the Pope’s visit would force heavy media coverage of religious issues; trepidation, because of Pope Francis’ mixed record on issues ranging from climate change to illegal immigration.

The Associated Press

Pope Francis Lobbies Congress for Abolition of Death Penalty, Downplays Abortion

Among the several controversial points in his historic address to the U.S. Congress Thursday, Pope Francis lobbied strongly for the abolition of the death penalty, while remaining mostly silent on the issue of abortion. Pro-abortion Catholic politicians including Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden will undoubtedly capitalize on the Pope’s omission to continue snubbing Church teaching on the sanctity of life.

Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.

UK Foreign Aid ‘Funding Pakistan Executions’

British foreign aid money is helping fund executions in Pakistan, a human rights group has claimed. Legal charity Reprieve, which campaigns against the death penalty, says that nearly £13 million has been used to fund anti-drugs operations in the country,

Islamic State

CA Can Restore Death Penalty

Now that the Supreme Court has upheld Oklahoma’s three-drug lethal injection method, California can resume carrying out the death penalty, although mandatory administrative procedures and hearings could slow the process.

AFP/Getty Images

Liberal Hypocrisy: Death Penalty and State-Sanctioned Suicide

In our society, the act of dying is treated respectfully as a private affair. This is because it is an emotionally difficult process for the living and often a painful one for the dying. As all of us can or will attest, dealing with death is difficult and in my own case the loss of my brother to a terminal illness brought these issues home.

Brittany Maynard (Maynard family / Associated Press)

Hillary Clinton’s Forgotten Death Penalty Shift

On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton made a far-reaching appeal for reform of the nation’s criminal justice system, reflecting a bipartisan shift against the law-and-order politics of the past three decades — and reversing her own shift to the right after starting her career as a crusader against capital punishment.

The Associated Press

Family of Murdered Victim Say Released Death Row Inmate No Innocent Victim

Glenn Ford was released after serving 30 years on death row when the Caddo District Attorney asked that the man’s conviction and sentence be set-aside. The District Attorney found new evidence about the actual gunman after an investigation into another homicide. The attorney who prosecuted apologized for his part in not looking under every rock for the evidence. The man’s release was extensively covered by the media but the murder victim’s family want people to know “Glenn Ford is not an innocent victim.”

glennford-cnn-screenshot

State of Texas Executes Cop-Killer by Lethal Injection

Kent William Sprouse, 42 years-of-age, was put to death at 6:33 CST on April 9, 2015 in Huntsville, Texas, for fatally shooting Ferris Police Officer Harry Marvin “Marty” Steinfeldt III. The murder occurred at a Ferris, Texas, Diamond Shamrock gas station and food mart on October 6, 2002. Sprouse is the fifth Texas death row inmate to be executed this year. There were no late-filed appeals to stop the execution.

Kent Sprouse. Executed by Texas on April 9, 2015

Texas Bar Alleges Prosecutorial Misconduct in Case of Man Executed in 2004

The State Bar of Texas has filed a formal accusation of misconduct against John H. Jackson, the former Navarro County Assistant District Attorney who convicted Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in February 2004 for the arson murder of his three young daughters. The Bar had been investigating Jackson for months, and he is accused of obstruction of justice, making false statements and concealing evidence favorable to Willingham’s defense. Pursuant to the disciplinary petition filed by the Texas Bar, Jackson has fifty days from the date of service of the petition to respond.

John Jackson