Before I begin to get queries on the recent departure of Andrea Lyons from the Casey Anthony Defense Team (since both Ms. Lyon and I served as death penalty qualified counsel for Casey Anthony at one point), I ask that anyone interested read the quote that I gave to Anthony Colarossi of the Orlando Sentinel:
Terry Lenamon / Reba Kennedy
Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings for Kagan Begin – Where Does Elena Kagan Stand on Death Penalty?
Posted in Death Penalty - Federal
Yesterday, former Harvard Law School dean Elena Kagan began answering questions from members of the Senate Judiciary Committee as confirmation hearings started on her nomination to the United States Supreme Court.
Elena Kagan is young at 50 years old and her presence on the High Court could impact the law of the land for several…
Georgia Death Row’s Troy Davis Evidentiary Hearing Concludes – What Next?
Posted in On Death Row
Troy Davis may well be an innocent man setting on Georgia’s Death Row, and things came closer to Davis proving his innocence as U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore heard two days of evidence this week.
Judge Moore did so because the United States Supreme Court mandated that the district judge had to hold an…
Will U.S. Supreme Court Reinstate Death Penalty for California’s Scott Pinholster?
Posted in Death Penalty - States
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will hear Cullen v. Pinholster (09-1088), reviewing California’s federal Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on whether or not the death penalty should be reinstated for convicted murderer Scott Pinholster.
Importance of mitigating factor was the key to Ninth Circuit’s decision.
The Ninth Circuit nixed capital…
Ronnie Lee Gardner Execution – Terry Lenamon Interview by U.K. TalkRadio’s Mike Graham
Posted in Death Penalty - States
Last night, Ronnie Lee Gardner died by firing squad. He was pronounced dead shortly after midnight, but the sound of those four rifle shots are being heard worldwide. (The firing squad was made up of four expert police officers who each shot bullets from a 30 caliber rifle; three of the bullets were metal…
Will Utah Put Ronnie Lee Gardner to Death by Firing Squad This Friday?
Posted in Death Penalty - States
Today, the Board of Pardons and Parole for the State of Utah denied Ronnie Lee Gardner’s Commutation Petition (opinion here).
Which means that one more door has closed on Mr. Gardner’s attempts to avoid the execution currently scheduled to take place this Friday, June 18, 2010, at midnight.
Appeal Still Pending Before the …
Michigan Jurors May Impose First Death Penalty Sentence in 72 Years
Posted in Death Penalty - States
The State of Michigan does not approve of the death penalty; capital punishment was removed from the state statutes as a sentencing option in 1847.
In fact, Michigan was the first state in the union to abolish the death penalty — and Michigan has stood fast on its position against killing as punishment for…
Richard Nields Will Not be Executed – Clemency by Ohio Governor Strickland
Posted in Death Penalty - States
Jeff Gamso alerted us to Richard Nields being granted clemency, when he commented to the Execution List for the remainder of 2010: Nields’ name needs to be removed. Wow. Great news, right?
Instead of being killed by the State of Ohio on Thursday, June 10, 2010, Richard Nields will remain alive to serve a life…
Mitigation Specialists Play a Vital Role In Death Penalty Defense
Posted in Players in a Death Penalty Case
Failure to include a "mitigation specialist" in a death penalty case is arguably per se ineffective assistance of counsel, violating the defendant’s rights under both the Sixth and Eighth Constitution according to the United States Supreme Court. See Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984); Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68 (1985); Wiggins …
US Death Penalty Execution Schedule June – December 2010
Posted in Death Penalty - States
With thanks to the recordkeeping of NCADP, here is a list of those doomed to die at the hands of the State between now and the end of this year. Notice how many are set in Texas – and Ohio:
Jun 2: George Jones, TX
Jun 9: Melbert Ford, GA
Jun 10: Richard Nields, OH
…