Tête-à-Tête-Tête » Death Penalty

Of Railroading

smijer — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:20:31 +0000

Worth more than an eye-booger… an upcoming wrongful execution (that’s assuming for the sake of argument that not all executions are wrongful). It isn’t too late yet.

Thirteen years after he was convicted, Keith’s lawyers discovered that one of the state’s “witnesses” never actually existed, and that police at his trial testified about a fictitious person and attributed a statement to her.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Yet Kevin Keith is still on death row.

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Posted in: Justice
Post tags: Death Penalty

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No Constitutional Right for Innocent Not to be Executed

smijer — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:52:09 +0000

Alan Dershowitz versus Tony Scalia and Clarence Thomas on a truly unthinkable (but thankfully minority) opinion….

Let us be clear precisely what this means. If a defendant were convicted, after a constitutionally unflawed trial, of murdering his wife, and then came to the Supreme Court with his very much alive wife at his side, and sought a new trial based on newly discovered evidence (namely that his wife was alive), these two justices would tell him, in effect: “Look, your wife may be alive as a matter of fact, but as a matter of constitutional law, she’s dead, and as for you, Mr. Innocent Defendant, you’re dead, too, since there is no constitutional right not to be executed merely because you’re innocent.”

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Posted in: Justice
Post tags: Death Penalty

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West Memphis 3

smijer — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:17:48 +0000

- link

A key witness who helped put one of the West Memphis 3 behind bars in the murder of three boys, now claims police forced her to lie.

Vicki Hutcheson was in court Friday at a hearing to determine if Jesse Misskelley and Jason Baldwin will get a new trial, but did not take the stand because the statute of limitations has not run out on perjury for her previous testimony.

She originally testified in Jesse Misskelley’s trial in 1994 that she saw Damien Echols and Misskelley participating in satanic rituals. But the defense Friday submitted a 2004 transcript of her recanting it all under oath.

She says West Memphis Police threatened her if she didn’t testify against Misskelley and that they put her up in a hotel immediately after his trial, so she wouldn’t be available for the Echols and Baldwin trial.

Also Friday, an acquaintance of Misskelley, Echols, and Baldwin, took the stand. She testified that the night of the murders, she talked to Echols on the phone between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. and he was at his home.

The defense today, also introduced an affidavit from Jason Baldwin’s uncle stating that Jason was at his house mowing the lawn from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. the night of the murders.

None of that testimony was heard during the original trial.

The defense wrapped up Friday, but the prosecution didn’t have its witnesses ready, so the judge continued the hearing to October first and second. He says he wants it all wrapped up then.

Also,

Another medical expert has testified that injuries to three West Memphis boys who were killed in 1993 were due to animals – not humans.

Forensic odontologist Richard Souviron of Miami testified Wednesday in Jonesboro that it is “bunk” to contend a knife caused the wounds to Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. A former New York medical examiner made similar comments in testimony Tuesday.
[...]
Also convicted was Damien Echols who was sentenced to death. His request for a new trial was denied in 2003.

here.

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Posted in: Justice
Post tags: Death Penalty, West Memphis 3

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They Don’t Get to Kill This Guy

smijer — Tue, 12 May 2009 17:43:20 +0000

Kleinheider has the news. Sometimes justice is served despite everything.

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Posted in: Justice
Post tags: Death Penalty

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They really want to kill this guy

smijer — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:00:07 +0000

The Defense for Paul House is seeking to kill the retrial, and with good cause.

Merritt, being more candid that usual for an appeals court judge, said there appeared to be “pure stubbornness and vindictiveness on the part of the state” in wanting to continue to prosecute House when the Supreme Court has said that no reasonable person would convict him on the evidence that was presented at trial.

“All the circumstances in the case add up to vindictive prosecution,” Merritt said.

New Mexico Death Penalty

smijer — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Congratulations, New Mexico. You’re all grown up now. Thanks to the New Mexico legislature and to Governor Richardson. Good call!

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Posted in: Justice
Post tags: Bill Richardson, Death Penalty

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New Mexico

smijer — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:00:58 +0000

Did I mention that they voted to repeal capital punishment there? Meant to.

Now it’s up to Gov. Richardson. Will update.

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Posted in: Justice
Post tags: Death Penalty

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Michael Steele Opposes Death Penalty

smijer — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:48:00 +0000

I did not know that. Good for him. And good for the GOP for not letting that be an obstacle to his ascent to RNC chair.

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Posted in: Justice, R's
Post tags: Death Penalty, Michael Steele, RNC

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