[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
Nov. 28 SAUDI ARABIAexecutions Saudi Arabia executes 7 for murder, drugs offences Saudi Arabia on Tuesday executed 6 Yemeni men convicted of murder and robbery and a Saudi man for smuggling drugs, the interior ministry said. The Yemenis were convicted of forming a gang that killed 2 men and a woman in 3 separate attacks on homes in the southern province of Assir, it said in a statement cited by the SPA news agency. In each attack, they also stole cash and other items, the statement added. They were executed at Abha in the southwest of the Gulf kingdom. The 7th convict, a Saudi, was executed in the northern city of Tabuk after being convicted of smuggling pills, the ministry said. Saudi Arabia, where executions are carried out in public by the sword, has one of the world's highest execution rates. The kingdom is governed under a strict form of Islamic law, with suspects convicted of "terrorism", murder, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty. Tuesday's executions take the total number of judicial killings in the ultra-conservative country so far this year to 130, according to data compiled by AFP. (source: channelnewsasia.com) IRANexecutions 3 More Executions in Tabriz 3 prisoners were hanged at Tabriz Central Prison on murder charges while 3 other prisoners were hanged at the same prison on Wednesday November 22. According to a report by HRANA News Agency, on the morning of Sunday November 26, 3 prisoners were executed at Tabriz Central Prison (Northwestern Iran). The prisoners were sentenced to death on murder charges. 1 of the prisoners was identified as Taher Amini, 30, from Maragheh. The prisoner was from ward 9 of Tabriz Central Prison. The 2 other prisoners, who were from ward 12, have not been identified. 3 other prisoners were executed at the same prison on similar charges only 4 days before these executions, on Wednesday November 22. The execution of these prisoners has not been announced by the state-run media so far. According to Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penalty, 142 of the 530 execution sentences in 2016 were implemented due to murder charges. There is a lack of a classification of murder by degree in Iran which results in issuing death sentence for any kind of murder regardless of intensity and intent. (source: Iran Human Rights) BANGLADESH: Gallows-glut justHC highlights necessity of stern sentence while upholding death penalty for 139, life term for 185 in BDR carnage case The High Court has confirmed death penalty for 139 out of 152 accused who were given capital punishment by a lower court for their involvement in the massacre during the BDR mutiny in 2009. Terming the offenders "most brutal" and "cold-blooded" murderers, a 3-member special HC bench pronounced the verdict yesterday in the biggest-ever criminal case in the country's history in terms of number of accused and people convicted. "The most brutal, cold-blooded murderers who committed murders/crimes showing a vicious and wanton disregard for innocent human life, such individual, by their actions, have unequivocally demonstrated that they are a threat to other members of society so long as they are alive," it said, regarding the necessity of capital punishment in this case. "In order to ensure that the society is completely protected from these dangerous murderers, the only recourse is the finality of capital punishment," said Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder while delivering the judgment in a jam-packed courtroom. "Accordingly, we are of the view that the application and imposition of death penalty as a punishment will certainly and clearly enhance the law and order situation of the country and help reduce and prevent the gruesome murders and inhuman offences of rape in the society as a whole." The 2 other judges of the bench -- Justice Md Shawkat Hossain and Justice Md Abu Zafor Siddique -- agreed with the observations. The bench started delivering the judgment on Sunday as it had earlier held hearing on the death references and appeals for 370 days. In the verdict, the High Court commuted death sentence of 8 of the 152 to life imprisonment and acquitted 4 others. 1 of the death sentenced accused died during the hearing of the appeals and death references at the HC. It upheld life imprisonment of 146 out of 160 convicted by the trial court, and acquitted 12 of them. 2 convicts died during the HC proceedings. The HC upheld 10 years' term for 182 out of 256 and awarded each of 2 accused to 10 years and 3 years in jail at the same time. The sentences of the 2 will run concurrently, meaning that they will have to serve 10 years. The HC sentenced 8 accused to 7 years and 4 others to 3 years in jail. Of the 256, 29 were acquitted, Deputy Attorney General KM Zahid Sarwar Kazal told The Daily Star. Of the 256, 28 did not file appeal against the
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, PENN., S.C., ALA., KY., ARIZ., CALIF., USA
Nov. 28 TEXAS: High Court Won't Review Beaumont Courthouse Shooter Case The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to review the conviction and death sentence of a Houston man for the slaying of a 79-year-old woman during a 2012 shooting rampage outside the courthouse in downtown Beaumont. The high court, without comment, ruled Monday in the case of 47-year-old Bartholomew Granger. He does not have an execution date and his lawyers are in the early stages of other appeals in federal district court. Granger testified at his 2013 trial moved to Galveston that he wanted the death penalty. He acknowledged opening fire on his daughter outside the Jefferson County Courthouse after she testified against him in a sexual assault case but said he didn't intend to kill a bystander, Minnie Ray Sebolt. Granger's daughter and her mother were among 3 people wounded. (source: Associated Press) PENNSYLANIA: Will Rahmael Holt Be Given The Death Penalty For The Murder Of Officer Brian Shaw? A prominent local defense attorney says the likelihood is very high that Rahmael Holt will be given the death penalty for the murder of New Kensington Police Officer Brian Shaw. "This poor young kid was doing this job protecting all of us, and for the defendant to turn around and do what he allegedly did is outrageous, and I think it will be treated as such," defense attorney William Difenderfer said. The killing of a police officer in the line of duty is a capital felony and the chances of a death penalty being imposed are greater than in other homicides. Richard Poplawski, convicted of murdering 3 Pittsburgh police officers, was sentenced to death and currently sits on death row awaiting execution. Difenderfer says the jury Holt will face in Westmoreland County will likely be apt to do the same. "You're going to be in Westmoreland County," Difenderfer said. "That's mostly a rural area. As we know, rural areas are typically conservative. Conservatives are typically pro-prosecution." But that's not always the case. In 2007, prosecutors were denied the death penalty they sought against Leslie Mollett for the murder of Cpl. Joseph Pokorny. The jury gave Mollett life instead. 4 years ago, Ronald Robinson also got life for the murder of Penn Hills Police Officer Michael Crawshaw. Difenderfer believes that won't be the case with Holt, but notes that the verdict must be unanimous with no dissenters. "When it ultimately comes to deliberate and them to go home knowing they voted to put a young man to death, that's a very tall order to ask of somebody," he said. If Holt is convicted and if the death penalty is sought, there's a good likelihood it will be granted, but the burden is high and it would take only 1 juror to spare his life. Holt is the 13th person since 2000 to be accused of killing a police officer in our region. Poplawski is the only one to receive the death penalty. 3 others received life in prison. Governor Tom Wolf has issued a moratorium on the death penalty. The last execution in Pennsylvania was carried out in 1999. (source: KDKA news) SOUTH CAROLINA: SC man on death row for parents' double murder in 1997 still appeals 20 years ago, Terry and Earl Robertson were beaten and stabbed to death in their Rock Hill home. Their son, James Robertson was charged and convicted of the killings. Robertson, known as "Jimmy," has been on South Carolina's death row for 18 years, since his 1999 conviction for double murder, armed robbery and credit card fraud. Saturday, Nov. 25 is the 20th anniversary of the murders and subsequent arrest. The deaths, and the ensuing trial, captured the nation's attention and continues to do so. This weekend, there will be a TV special focusing on the Rock Hill case. Meanwhile, Robertson is not done with his appeals. On Dec. 1, he will have a hearing on his latest attempt to get a new trial or his sentence overturned. State prosecutors with the S.C. Attorney General's Office, and lawyers who took on Robertson's case 6 years ago, are arguing whether Robertson's should get a new trial because of errors in 1999 by his trial lawyers and by prosecutors. "Justice is not fast, especially in capital cases," said Colin Miller, a University of South Carolina law school professor and legal expert in criminal procedure and evidence. "The 'CSI effect' is people expect cases to be resolved, finalized, quickly. Reality is there are people who receive death sentences that never are executed. Most of them are never executed." South Carolina does not have enough lethal injection drugs to execute anyone. A planned execution of a convicted killer, set for Dec. 1, has been postponed. Not a question of guilt Kevin Brackett, 16th Circuit Solicitor who prosecuted Robertson along with former prosecutor and current S.C. Rep. Tommy Pope, said there is no doubt that Robertson is guilty. "The evidence against him
