Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens believed in capital punishment at one time; he does not support the death penalty today. And, in an article published in the December 23, 2010, issue of the New York Review of Books (available now online), entitled "On the Death Sentence," Justice Stevens tells
November 2010
Lawyers Cannot Afford to Take Death Row Appeals in California
Posted in Indigent Defense in Capital Cases
Today, Maura Dolan of the Los Angeles Times provides excellent reporting of the indigent defense crisis as it impacts death penalty appeals in California. Read the article, "Lack of funding builds death row logjam," in its entirety here.
It’s a topic that gets covered periodically by the national media: a cruel reality…
Cost of Death Penalty At Appellate Level Gets Some Ohio Media Coverage: The More We Talk Money, The Better
Posted in Death Penalty Resources
WBNS-TV in Ohio is reporting this week on a topic that we periodically delve into: the reality of the death penalty appeals process, and how expensive this is in both time and money. Good. The fact that not enough money exists for effective death penalty defense at the trial level, and how this directly correlates to…
Illinois Report on Death Penalty 2010: How Much Coverage Isn’t It Getting?
Posted in Death Penalty - States
A lengthy report was issued last month by the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Committee (read it in its entirety here). Several reforms were suggested by the Committee (read them here) – but it doesn’t seem that much coverage has been provided the Committee’s efforts by the news media.
Or so…
Death Penalty Info Center Releases New Poll – More Favor Life Over Death
Posted in Legal Issues - Death Penalty
Today, the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) held a press conference to release details about their latest poll concerning capital punishment in America today. The DPIC describes its efforts as one of "the most comprehensive studies ever conducted of Americans’ views on the death penalty."
The poll itself was done by Lake Research Partners. Those polled? 1500 registered voters. …
Will Executions Become The Same as Euthanizing Pets? In Oklahoma, They’re Arguing the Answer is Yes.
Posted in Execution Methods
Okay, we’re aware that there is a national shortage of thiopental sodium, one of the three drugs legally okayed to be used in execution by lethal injection. The result has been delaying some executions. In at least one instance, an execution kept to the calendar as the needed drug was purchased from an overseas…
New Gallup Poll – 64% of Americans Approve of Death Penalty
Posted in Death Penalty - States
This week, the results of the latest Gallup poll regarding capital punishment in the United States were released, and can be read in their entirety over at the Gallup site (which includes nice visuals). Here are some of their 2001 – 2010 findings, in summary:
Asked if they were in favor of the death penalty…
Cheshire Connecticut Home Invasion Trial – Is Death Too Good for Steven Hayes?
Posted in Death Penalty - States
Whether or not Steven Hayes will be sentenced to death will be decided soon – the case has gone to the jury. Of particular interest, the closing arguments of defense counsel reported in the New York Times as suggesting to the jury that the worst punishment they could give the defendant would be life in…
QEEG Brain Mapping and the Death Penalty
Posted in Legal Issues - Death Penalty
As discussed earlier this week, the ability to consider QEEG Brain Mapping as evidence in capital trials is of major importance.
QEEG is different than other brain imaging tools.
Over the years, the ability of experts to provide analysis of the human brain through x-rays, CAT scans (Computerized Axial Tomography scans) or MRIs (Magnetic Resonance…
Brain Mapping Evidence in Death Penalty Cases: QEEG Is Recognized
Posted in Legal Issues - Death Penalty
For my blog readers, here is the press release issued earlier this week regarding QEEG admissibility:
Highly Publicized Grady Nelson Death Penalty Trial Sets National Precedent with Florida Circuit Court Judge Hogan-Scola’s Admission of QEEG Brain Mapping Evidence
Miami, Florida (PRWEB) 28 October, 2010 — “This may be the first time in any United States…