[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, CONN., VA., FLA., OHIO, TENN.
June 10 TEXAS: Texas shooting suspect indicted in 4 more deaths A North Texas man suspected in a daylong series of shootings that ended with 5 people dead has been indicted in 4 of those killings. The indictments returned Friday accuse Charles Brownlow, 36, in the killings last year of his mother, his aunt and 2 other people elsewhere in the rural community of Terrell, about 30 miles east of Dallas. He was already indicted in the shooting death of store clerk Luis Gerardo Leal-Carrillo. The attacks began to be uncovered early on the evening of Oct. 28, when Brownlow's uncle, Robert Walker, arrived home to discover his wife Belinda dead on his son's bedroom floor. About 30 minutes later, fire units responded to a blaze at the home of Brownlow's mother, Mary Brownlow. Firefighters found her body in the smoldering remains of the house and police said the fire was clearly arson. Around 10:30 p.m., police responded to a report of a shooting at another home and found Jason Wooden and Kelleye Sluder dead. An off-duty police officer meanwhile spotted a car that authorities believed Brownlow had stolen parked outside a convenience store. As the officer called in the sighting, the suspect ran from the store, jumped in the car and led police on a high speed chase. He wrecked the car and was found by police hiding in a creek. Leal-Carillo's body was discovered inside the convenience store. A police affidavit released after his arrest accuses Brownlow of targeting seven people in total, suggesting that he had intended to kill two other people that day. Brownlow was also indicted for burglarizing a home with the intent to commit aggravated assault. Brownlow's brother said immediately after the shootings that his sibling had been living with his mother and struggled with drug addiction. Prosecutors have already said in a court filing that they intend to seek the death penalty. Brownlow's attorney, Jack Stoffregen, did not immediately return a phone message. (source: Associated Press) CONNECTICUT: Stop charade, fully repeal death penalty When the General Assembly abolished the death penalty 2 years ago, this newspaper said the state should have the courage and consistency to outlaw government sanctioned killing in all instances, including the 11, now 12, men awaiting execution for death penalty crimes committed before April 25, 2012. It remains our position that a state-sponsored execution disproportionately targets minorities, has no deterrent value, cannot be undone if there is a mistake and is a barbaric act that lowers the state to the level of the killer. Now, we can add the botched execution in Oklahoma that has prompted several death penalty states to suspend executions until serious questions about lethal injection - the method of execution in Oklahoma and Connecticut - are resolved. Then there is a practical problem. Connecticut has none of the 3 execution drugs required by state law to administer its leftover death penalty and can't legally get them. To kill a person legally in Connecticut, the executioner must use sodium thiopental, which induces unconsciousness; pancronium bromide, which paralyzes the muscles and potassium chloride to stop the heart. The Department of Correction has confirmed it has none of these drugs and no way to obtain them because many domestic and foreign drugmakers, including those in the 28-nation European Union, have objected to using their products in executions. This has led to severe drug shortages for executions in most of the 32 states where the death penalty has not been abolished, as well as in Connecticut, where it exists for a dozen men. There's no state that I know that currently has access to these drugs, Michael Lawlor, the state's undersecretary of criminal justice policy told the Associated Press. Asked what the state would do to carry out an execution, Lawlor said he didn't know. There is no execution imminent in Connecticut, so we can wait and see. There was no execution imminent in 2005 when one of the longtime death row inhabitants, Michael Ross, voluntarily gave up his appeal rights and became the only person to die of lethal injection in Connecticut. It was the state's 1st execution since 1960. In a state that has abolished capital punishment and has clearly had no appetite for it for more than half a century, the current situation borders on the grotesque as it does in the 32 states using lethal injection. Ironically, this is the method considered the more humane substitute for other, barbaric means of legally taking a life. There's more. We do not know who lethally injected Mr. Ross, but until 2010, it was often an anesthesiologist. Since then, the American Board of Anesthesiologists has announced it will revoke the working credentials of any anesthesiologist who participates in an execution on the grounds that we are healers, not executioners, a
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----KY., MO., OKLA., IDAHO, CALIF.
June 10 KENTUCKY: Death penalty sought in Knox -- Taylor's defense attorney notified of penalty sought in woman's death 1 of 3 defendants charged in the 2010 beating death of 67-year-old Catherine Mills could face the death penalty in her murder. Jonathan M. Taylor, 26, appeared in Knox County Circuit Court with his defense attorneys Sam Cox and Heather Gatnerek before Judge Tom Jensen Friday. Taylor's case had not been listed on the court docket - and when his case was called, those seated in the gallery were asked to remain seated during the proceedings. It was learned that on Monday, the defense had filed a motion to have the September trial date moved. On Wednesday, Commonwealth Attorney Jackie Steele said notice was filed that his office was seeking the death penalty against Taylor in this case. After Friday's motion hearing, Steele explained the Commonwealth seeks the death penalty against Taylor because Mills' murder included aggravating circumstances. Steele added that at this time, his office is not seeking the death penalty against the other two defendants in this case, Amanda Hoskins, 29, of Barbourville and William Lester, of Flat Lick. Taylor's defense attorneys said they had received the Commonwealth's notice - and they were preparing to oppose that notice, as it would change the way the case was litigated, Gatnerek said. She added that their office had originally been told by the Commonwealth that their office was not seeking the death penalty in this case. Gatnerek said she plans to submit a written objection to the notice, and hopes to get (the issue) heard as soon as possible. There are also requested recordings she is waiting to hear. Jensen scheduled a hearing on the matter in Laurel County Circuit Court for July 11. Once that decision was made, the attorneys and the judge briefly spoke, and Jensen said I'm not going to have people jump out on prisoners. (source: The Times Tribune) MISSOURI: A Missouri Juror Tries To Save Man She Helped Send to Death Row Americans are generally supportive of the death penalty, although slightly less now than 20 years ago. But capital juries are especially partial to the death penalty, largely by design: only people who support capital punishment are allowed to serve on them. So Kimberly Turner is an unusual defector. In 1998, the 30-year-old single mom served on a Missouri jury that sentenced John Winfield to death for murdering 2 women who were friends of his former girlfriend. Winfield is scheduled to be executed on June 18, the 7th execution in the state since November. Turner, though, doesn't think Winfield should die. She has told his lawyers that while serving on the jury, court officials pressured the jury to continue deliberating, even though at least two jurors wanted to vote for life without parole. According to Turner, the jury was already a bit of a pressure cooker. They had been sequestered for several days, and by Friday night, the jurors wanted to go home. Turner also had been struggling to find care for her daughter while she performed her civic duty. So in the end, she and another juror who'd wanted to spare Winfield's life caved and voted for death. But 16 years later, she still regrets that vote and has been helping Winfield challenge his conviction. She's not giving media interviews, but Turner gave Winfield's lawyers a written declaration describing her recollections of the jury proceedings. It's a poignant document describing her regrets, but it also provides an unusual window into a process that forces ordinary citizens to decide whether or not a person should be killed. Turner outlines her concern about the way the case played out, such as the bad defense lawyers who failed to call many witnesses who might have humanized their clients. She faults the prosecutor for playing up racial biases, for instance, writing: The jury was predominantly white, including me, and Mr. Winfield is black. The prosecutor made me think that Mr. Winfield was a thug. She played up that he drove around St. Louis in a Cadillac with tinted windows. I could not identify with the picture that the prosecutor painted. When we were deliberating as a jury, a lot of people described Mr. Winfield as a thug and that influenced the way that people voted. Ultimately, we deadlocked in deliberations. Another juror and I had voted for life without the possibility of parole. That was my vote. In my heart, that has always been my vote. Despite the fact that Mr. Winfield's defense had not given me a picture of who he was as a person, I still had compassion for the man in front me at the trial. I knew he was someone's son, and I did not want him to be killed. Turner describes how difficult it can be for jurors to vote their conscience in a capital trial, calling out the role she saw of court officials in trying to pressure the jury towards a unanimous verdict for death.
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
June 10 PAKISTAN: PIDC blast mastermind sentenced to death An anti-terrorism court in Karachi Tuesday awarded capital punishment to the mastermind of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) blast Abdul Hameed Bugti, DawnNews reported. The court sentenced Bugti to death after hearing arguments from both sides and reviewing evidence presented by the prosecutors. In a separate case, Bugti was awarded the life sentence whereas the court also ordered seizure of his property. A penalty of Rs8 million was also imposed on him. Meanwhile, another suspect in the case was proclaimed an offender. 4 security guards were killed and 21 others wounded when a powerful car bomb had exploded in front of the PIDC House on Nov 15, 2005. (source: Dawn) CANADA: Death penalty is fitting Re: The 3 fallen Mounties, June 7. We cannot reverse the horrible events of Moncton last week. We can ensure that the deaths of these 3 Mounties, coldblooded executions by any measure, become the impetus to reinstate the death penalty for such heinous crimes. The death penalty is not revenge; it is the only fitting punishment that can be meted out. Life in prison falls far short of a fair and adequate sentence. Knowing the very limited amount of time left in one's life before the minute of execution may be considered excruciating mental torture by some, but it is the very precious gift that was denied to the victims. They did not have the opportunity to say their last farewells to their loved ones before their executions at the hands of this monster. Let the deaths of these fine men not be totally in vain. John Finn Nanton (source: Letter to the Editor, The Calgary Herald) BANGLADESH: Law LetterStoning to death: A misconception Stoning to death is treated as a very well known punishment system in the Muslim world although it gives rise to several controversies. In the countries where Islamic Law is strictly followed this stoning to death is imposed upon a person who is found convicted of fornication or adultery. In case of offering the sentence of stoning to death several hadiths (traditions of the prophet) are cited without assessing the authenticity of them or without analysing the overall perspective of the hadiths. But priority is not given upon the Holy Quran which never says anything regarding stoning to death rather it signifies that Allah has commanded only to impose hundred lashes upon the person who is proved guilty of adultery or fornication. Generally Islamic Law is based upon 4 sources i.e. Quran, Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas. But in case of maintaining the hierarchy they are often arranged horizontally which is a serious mistake. Allah Himself declared that the Holy Quran is the book which never gives rise to any doubt (Sura Al-Baqara:2). So if the arrangement is made vertically then obviously the Holy Quran must be given the highest position. Then comes the Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas respectively. But when the matter of stoning to death comes forward it will be noted that several hadiths are cited without giving any priority upon the Holy Quran which remains silent regarding imposing the sentence of stoning to death if someone commits adultery or fornication. In most of the regions of the whole universe some Muslims are always found whose conduct has given birth to religious orthodoxy. Same situation have taken place in case of punishing an adulterer. Several groups will be found who will always deny stoning to death having respect for Quran and Sunnah in true sense and some other groups will misinterpret the Sunnah skipping the verses of the Holy Quran and thus serious confusion arises because of the attitude of the later. Anything done going beyond the divine command of the Holy Quran is strictly prohibited. But adding an opinion during interpreting any verse is permitted if it is done through Ijtihad and if it does not become inconsistent with the Quran and Sunnah. Heresy has been strictly opposed both by the Quran and Sunnah. Therefore if it is found in any Hadith or any Ulema's saying that he has heard of stoning to death then it must not be believed rather it should be the primary task to ensure its authenticity. No human being possesses any authority to urge for death sentence of another human being where Allah Himself is against killing any person. Moreover in case of murder the Holy Quran has also gone for a flexible approach through providing a rule regarding blood money. Therefore, before offering death penalty the judge must think at least hundred times and must not act in such a way which seriously hinders the growth of the justice system. (source: Letter; Wasequzzaman, Student of Law, Eastern UniversityThe Daily Star) IRANexecutions 17 prisoners executed in Karaj, Bandar Abbas and Shahr-e-Kord The anti-human mullahs' regime hanged three prisoners in the central prison of Bandar Abbas
