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http://www.newsmax.com/us/American_Bar_Death/2007/10/29/44909.html
Lawyers Group Urges Death Penalty Moratorium
Monday, October 29, 2007
The American Bar Association said on Monday it was renewing its call for a
nationwide moratorium on executions, based on a three-year study of death
penalty systems in eight states that found unfairness and other flaws.
The lawyers' group said its study identified key problems, such as major
racial disparities, incompetent defense services for poor defendants and
irregular clemency review processes, making those death penalty systems
operate unfairly.
The American Bar Association in 2001 launched its Death Penalty Moratorium
Implementation Project as the next step toward a nationwide moratorium on
executions. The study was part of that project.
The project was created to encourage state government leaders to establish
moratoriums and undertake detailed examinations of capital punishment laws
and systems in their jurisdictions.
The eight states in the study were Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
The study did not include Texas, which is by far the most active capital
punishment state. Since 1976, Texas conducted 405 executions, distantly
followed by Virginia with 98, according to the Death Penalty Information
Center.
The study was released as executions appear to be effectively put on hold
since the U.S. Supreme Court last month agreed to consider a challenge to
the lethal injection method.
On September 25, the high court agreed to decide a challenge to the
three-chemical ****tail used under the lethal injection procedures in
Kentucky, procedures similar to those used in other states.
So far this year, 42 people have been executed in the United States,
according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Last year, there were 53
executions.
All but one of the 38 U.S. states with the death penalty and the federal
government use lethal injection for executions. The only exception is
Nebraska, which requires electrocution.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the Kentucky case in
January, with a decision likely before the end of June. At issue is whether
the lethal injection method constitutes cruel and unusual punishment,
inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering.
Lawyers Group Urges Death Penalty Moratorium
Monday, October 29, 2007
The American Bar Association said on Monday it was renewing its call for a
nationwide moratorium on executions, based on a three-year study of death
penalty systems in eight states that found unfairness and other flaws.
The lawyers' group said its study identified key problems, such as major
racial disparities, incompetent defense services for poor defendants and
irregular clemency review processes, making those death penalty systems
operate unfairly.
The American Bar Association in 2001 launched its Death Penalty Moratorium
Implementation Project as the next step toward a nationwide moratorium on
executions. The study was part of that project.
The project was created to encourage state government leaders to establish
moratoriums and undertake detailed examinations of capital punishment laws
and systems in their jurisdictions.
The eight states in the study were Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia,
Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
The study did not include Texas, which is by far the most active capital
punishment state. Since 1976, Texas conducted 405 executions, distantly
followed by Virginia with 98, according to the Death Penalty Information
Center.
The study was released as executions appear to be effectively put on hold
since the U.S. Supreme Court last month agreed to consider a challenge to
the lethal injection method.
On September 25, the high court agreed to decide a challenge to the
three-chemical ****tail used under the lethal injection procedures in
Kentucky, procedures similar to those used in other states.
So far this year, 42 people have been executed in the United States,
according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Last year, there were 53
executions.
All but one of the 38 U.S. states with the death penalty and the federal
government use lethal injection for executions. The only exception is
Nebraska, which requires electrocution.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in the Kentucky case in
January, with a decision likely before the end of June. At issue is whether
the lethal injection method constitutes cruel and unusual punishment,
inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering.
