Man, we keep shakin' things up - first Civil Unions, now this... -jeffrey-
> -----Original Message----- > From: The Fool [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 01:34 PM > To: Brin-L > Subject: Death Penalty Ruled Unconstitutional > > > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61028-2002Sep24.html > > Death Penalty Ruled Unconstitutional > > The Associated Press > Tuesday, September 24, 2002; 3:41 PM > MONTPELIER, Vt. -- A federal judge declared the federal death > penalty unconstitutional Tuesday in the second such ruling in > less than three months. > U.S. District Judge William Sessions said the law does not > adequately protect defendants' rights. > "If the death penalty is to be part of our system of justice, > due process of law and the fair trial guarantees of the Sixth > Amendment require that standards and safeguards governing the > kinds of evidence juries may consider must be rigorous, and > constitutional rights and liberties scrupulously protected," he said. > On July, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in New York City > became the first federal judge to declare the 1994 Death > Penalty Act unconstitutional. He cited evidence indicating > that innocent people have been put to death. > The rulings will not affect individual states' death penalty > statutes. Thirty-eight states allow capital punishment, > though some have not executed anyone for many years. The > governors of Illinois and Maryland have placed moratoriums on > executions in their states. > Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and drug killer Juan > Garza have been executed under the federal death penalty law. > Tuesday's ruling came in the case of Donald Fell, 22, who is > facing the death penalty for allegedly kidnapping and killing > a woman in 2000. > (c) 2002 The Associated Press > > _______________________________________________ > http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l > _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
