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BREAKING: NM Abolishes the Death Penalty!!
Governor Richardson has signed the legislation abolishing the death penalty in New Mexico!!!!! From Death Penalty Focus:
New Mexico becomes the 15th state to abolish the death penalty, and the second state since 1976. You can read more at the New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty. Call Governor Richardson NOW!
From the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty:
NM Legislature passes abolition of death penalty
New Mexico legislature votes to repeal the death penalty:
Governor Richardson still needs to sign it, which, unfortunately, is not a sure thing. But this is a huge step... and places New Mexico one step away from abolishing the awful practice of killing to show that killing is wrong! Shifting Tide?
The Tide Shifts Against the Death Penalty I am not completely convinced that the "tide" is shifting, but at least the tide has slowed down somewhat. But we can keeping hoping for a full shift, right? Illinois Death Penalty and HB262
Take a look at HB0262, which is new piece of legislation in Illinois designed to abolish the death penalty in the state. It will no doubt be extremely difficult to get this legislation passed in this session, but it will be impossible without people mobilizing around it. There is currently a moratorium in Illinois on any executions, put into place by Governor Ryan, and continued by Governor Blagojevich. While the moratorium has assured that no person will be executed in the state in recent years, it still means that we have work to do to abolish the death penalty completely in the state. The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is actively working to end the barbaric practice in the state, and is always looking for new members and partners in the efforts. And oh yea... I recently just built their new site! Troy Davis - Stay!
Troy Davis has been granted a stay, for 25 days, in order for the 11th Circuit Court to be briefed on the case. This is excellent news. More on Davis here. Troy Anthony Davis: Justice Denied
The United States Supreme Court has denied Troy Anthony Davis a new trial in order to hear evidence:
You can read more about the case of Troy Anthony Davis on my blog, at Amnesty, or at Davis's website. STAY FOR TROY DAVIS!!!
US Supreme Court delays execution of Ga. man:
Doctors and Executions
Rainbow Medical is a private medical company that is paid by the State of Georgia to provide medical assistance for their executions, including the provision of provides two physicians and two registered nurses. Rainbow Medical is paid thousands of dollars for these services. These doctors have sworn commitments to the Hippocratic Oath, which says they will "do no harm." Someone please tell me how assisting with an execution is doing "no harm?" Troy Anothony Davis - 8 hours left
Troy Anthony Davis is going to be killed in about 8 hours by the State of Georgia. They may be killing an innocent man. Why, oh why, are people okay with this?!?! Troy Anthony Davis - 27 hours left
Troy Anthony Davis is 27 hours away from being killed by the State of Georgia. Troy will be executed at 7pm tomorrow — Tuesday, Sept 23, 2008. Davis was convicted of a murder of a police office in 1989 based on the testimony of nine eyewitnesses, seven of which have since recanted their testimony. There are very serious doubts about whether Davis was guilty, but the State of Georgia is ignoring the doubts and moving forward with their plans to kill a man who may innocent. You can read more at the following links: Here are some things that you can do:
An innocent may be murdered tomorrow. And none of us, regardless of our stance on the death penalty, should be okay with that. Troy Davis' Clemency Denied
Troy Anthony Davis' clemency has been denied:
Let me repeat that. Clemency was denied, despite a group of witnesses who recanted their testimonies against the convict. There is serious doubt about the guilt of Mr. Davis, yet the State of Georgia is moving forward with their plans to kill. He is scheduled to be murdered on September 23rd. Regardless of your stance on the death penalty, this should cause EVERYONE to think about how the current judicial system works in relation to the death penalty. Are you really comfortable with a person being killed amidst serious doubts of his guilt? I have previously written about Davis here. God on our side?
NOTE: See update at bottom. People are talking about Palin saying we may need to go to war with Russia. That is a big deal, though I am not so sure that is it not getting blown out of proportion. Then again, even the idea of a war with Russia, spoken by a Vice Presidential candidate from a major party, is pretty absurd. But something else interested me from the transcript excerpts of her interview with Charlie Gibson:
Huh? How does saying that the war in Iraq is a "task that is from God" at all relate to Abraham Lincoln saying "let us not pray that God is on our side in a war or any other time, but let us pray that we are on God's side?" Palin said quite explicitly that the war in Iraq was a task from God. And now she is saying that what she meant was that we should should pray that we are on God's side? Anyone else confused? ***UPDATE***: It looks Gibson was a bit off on his quote, and in turn my analysis is a bit off. This is the quote that Palin is referring to:
I believe what she is saying is that she is praying that the war in Iraq is God's plan. She does not say that it IS God's plan. So the Abraham Lincoln connection makes sense, and I apologize for that mistake. Now, with that said, I find it completely absurd that bombing the hell out of a nation is "God's plan." Because that sure is not in my Bible. I do not believe that war is a "task that is from God." But that is a theological issue, not a political issue. And of course, the idea that this MAY be God's plan, or that it is a "task that is from God" does give credence to the idea that this could, or would, be a "Holy War," which is quite problematic both politically AND theologically. An Appalling Display of Injustice
You can read more about Troy Anthony Davis by reading through these posts. CA: Race and the Death Penalty
California is trying to determine how much race plays a role in death penalty cases: The death penalty in black and white. TalkLeft has a good analysis. Illinois: Cuts to Fighting Wrongful Convictions
Governor's vetoes cut funds to fight wrongful convictions:
Lovely. Thanks Rod. Death Penalty: The Odd Couple
Activists: Halt death penalty in California [hat tip Talk Left]:
Fascinating. The well-known progressive Mike Farrell, who has long advocated for the end of the death penalty, and "the hanging judge of Orange Country" are working together to end the horrid punishment of death in the State of California. The more allies we have, the better. Barack Obama Disappoints Me
Barack Obama has disappointed me greatly. Not because of the realization that he is a politician. We have all (hopefully) known that for a long time. He is as much of a politician as anyone else in the national political realm. He just happens to be a better one than most. But what disappoints me this week, and I believe that it is in part related to his being a politician, is his recent statement on the Supreme Court's decision on the death penalty for child rapists. The Supreme Court, earlier this week, ruled that the death penalty can and should only be used in the case of a death. A death sentence can only be the result of a crime where a death occurs. This was in response to a case that was related to a death sentence for a child rape. Child rape is an awful, awful thing, and it is a crime that I hope to never have to come close to. There is absolutely not question about that, and I think that everyone reading this would agree. But the Supreme Court has correctly ruled that it is not a crime that demands to be re-paid with death. For those of you who know my stance against the death penalty, you will not be surprised that this is a ruling that I agree with. Of course, I long for the day where the Supreme Court will rule that the death penalty IS crule and unusual, and it is not a sentence that should be administered for any crime. But Barack Obama disagrees. A long time ago Barack Obama was opposed to the death penalty. As Obama has drifted to the center (for the aforementioned reason of being a typical politician trying to win an election), he has built a stance that is supportive of the death penalty for the "most egregious of crimes." And there is no question that child rape is one of the "most egregious of crimes." But he is wrong to assert that such crimes deserve death.
To use death as retribution for "egregious" crimes may be as "egregious" as the original crime itself. Lottsa' Quick Links
Posted by Dave
 on 06/13/08 at 02:59:13 pmCategories: Capital Punishment, Religion and Politics, Crime and Justice, LGBTQ, Quick Links, Immigration, Labor, Barack Obama, Campaign 2008 Here is what I am reading... what are you reading?
Are Innovents Every Truly Free?
Exonerations Continue Across the Country -- But Are Innocent Prisoners Ever Truly Free? Also see a two-part series from CNN:
Randomness
Posted by Dave
on 05/23/08 at 09:08:41 amCategories: Random Ravings, Sports Ravings, Theological Ravings, Capital Punishment, Non-violence, Chicago/Illinois, Labor, Barack Obama, Campaign 2008, McCain - More of the Same Hmm... looks like I have not blogged much lately, eh? Life happens, I guess. A few things I have been meaning to write about:
Anything else exciting going on? Race and the Death Penalty
As executions resume, it is probably pretty important to remind people about the intense racial disparities in the practice of executions. The New York Times takes a look at this exact thing: New Look at Death Sentences and Race:
But yea... racism does not exist, right? The death penalty must end. And the racial discrimination involved is just one of many, many reasons for this. Executions Scheduled
I am a bit behind on this, but states are beginning to set new execution dates after the recent Supreme Court decision. After Hiatus, States Set Wave of Executions:
The courts decided that the current methods used for killing people does not violate the 8th Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Because somehow killing people is not cruel and unusual. Or something like that. In a nutshell, what this really means is that more people are going to die. Death in the News
Jeralyn has a good roundup of the recent death penalty news, so I will just give you the links, you can head over there for more information:
Supreme Court overturns death sentence on race claim
Court overturns death sentence on race claim:
This is excellent news. Prosecutions often attempt to exclude certain individuals from juries, especially those who happen to have the same race of the defendant. As African-American defendants are disproportionately represented in death penalty cases, it is often easier for the prosecution to simply dismiss any possible jurors who are also African-American. Of course, they give "reasons" for such dismissals, but they are often fail to actually be valid criteria for such exclusion. This, in turn, often creates a lilly-white jury that is more likely to convict a black man of a violent crime. Good for the Supreme Court, including Justices Roberts and Alito. :: Next Page >> |
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