July 27
TEXAS----stay of impending execution
Court of Criminal Appeals Stays Execution of Marcus Druery
Late this afternoon we learned that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has
granted a stay of execution to Marcus Druery. The Court stayed the execution
pending review of the appeal of the denial of a competency hearing for Druery.
Here’s a statement from Attorney Kate Black in response to the stay of
execution:
“We are pleased that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed the execution
of Marcus Druery to allow for careful consideration of our request for a
competency hearing. The State has never contested the fact that Mr. Druery
suffers from a psychotic disorder, which has been diagnosed by the State’s own
experts. Executing Mr. Druery, who lacks a rational understanding of his
punishment, would stand in clear violation of the Constitution. We are hopeful
the Court will find that Mr. Druery is entitled to a full and fair hearing to
present the evidence of his severe psychosis and establish his incompetence to
be executed.” - Kate Black, Attorney for Marcus Druery, July 27, 2012
(source: TCADP)
CONNECTICUT:
Judge: Connecticut inmates can't bring up death penalty repeal.
A judge has ruled that the state's recent repeal of the death penalty can't be
raised as an issue in a long-running lawsuit by death row inmates challenging
the fairness of capital punishment in Connecticut.
Superior Court Judge Samuel Sferrazza in Rockville said in Thursday's decision
that there's no reason to add the repeal issue at such a late stage in the
lawsuit because inmates can file new appeals raising the issue. The lawsuit is
scheduled to go to trial in September.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and state lawmakers repealed the death penalty this year,
but it only applies to future crimes.
The 7-year-old lawsuit claims the state's process for deciding when to seek the
death penalty in murder cases was fraught with racial and geographic biases.
(source: The Bulletin)
VIRGINIA:
Virginia adds new lethal injection drug
Virginia has added a new drug to be used in executions to replace one that is
in short supply across the U.S.
The Virginia Department of Corrections said Friday that rocuronium bromide can
now be used in the lethal injection cocktail. The drug is an alternative to the
scarce pancuronium bromide, which is used to paralyze muscles.
Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center says Virginia appears to
be the 1st state to substitute a drug for pancuronium bromide.
He says Texas and Georgia have switched from the 3-drug cocktail to just 1,
bigger dose of a sedative.
In May, an anti-death penalty group called Reprieve complained that Virginia
had a stockpile of pancuronium bromide while hospitals are in short supply.
(source: Associated Press)
MISSOURI:
Collings Appeals Death Penalty in Rowan Ford Murder
A man found guilty earlier this summer with the 2007 murder of 9-year old Rowan
Ford, is appealing his death penalty.
Christopher Collings was found guilty in March by a jury in Rolla, Missouri,
where the case had been moved on a change of venue. The same jury, chosen in
Platte County, recommended the death penalty. A judge formally sentenced him
May 11.
Monday, July 23, attorneys for Collings filed a Notice of Appeal of the death
penalty with the Missouri Supreme Court. Under Missouri law, such appeals are
automatic in capital punishment cases.
Online court records do not show a hearing date set yet for the appeal.
Collings was accused of the 2007 kidnapping, rape and murder of Rowan Ford,
(right) 9, of Stella. Ford's body was found in a cave in McDonald County 2
weeks after she disappeared.
Rowan's stepfather, David Spears, is also charged in her murder. His trial is
scheduled to begin October 30 with jury selection in Clay County. Testimony is
set to start November 5 in Waynesville on a change of venue.
(source: Ozarksfirst.com)
_______________________________________________
DeathPenalty mailing list
DeathPenalty@lists.washlaw.edu
http://lists.washlaw.edu/mailman/listinfo/deathpenalty
Search the Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/deathpenalty@lists.washlaw.edu/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A free service of WashLaw
http://washlaw.edu
(785)670.1088
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
