[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide
May 9 TURKEY: Turkey Reinstating Death Penalty Would Mean End of EU Accession Talks - Juncker-If Turkey goes through with reintroduction of death the penalty, it will mean the end of the country's talks on the accession to the European Union, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in an interview with the Rheinishe Post newspaper on Monday. Following Turkey's constitutional referendum on expanding presidential powers over the judicial and legislative branches of the government, held on April 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his readiness to reinstate the death penalty if the measure was supported by the people. Turkish protestors chant slogans and a man (C) holds a placard reading ''We want death penalty'' as former Turkish soldiers, accused of trying to assassinate Turkish President during the July coup attempt, are escorted by Turkish soldiers towards the courthouse in Mugla, western Turkey, on February. "It is the ultimate red line. If the introduction of death penalty becomes more than a rhetoric, it will be Turkey's clear renunciation of the European family. It will be equal to the end of the negotiations, because our Union is based upon respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as upon the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. These values exclude death penalty," Juncker said. Ankara signed an association agreement with the then-European Community in 1963, and submitted a membership application in 1987. Talks concerning Turkish membership into the European Union began in 2005. On November 24, European lawmakers voted in favor of freezing EU accession talks with Turkey until it lifted restrictive measures in the country, set in place since a failed coup in July 2016. (source: sputniknews.com) *** Opposition MHP calls on AKP gov't to swiftly reinstate death penalty Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli has issued a strong call to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to swiftly reinstitute the death penalty amid warnings from the European Union. "Once again I declare my determination. The MHP is present with its full power for a proposal or a draft that will be prepared and accepted in parliament after discussions regarding the imposition of the death penalty," Bahceli said in a parliamentary group meeting on May 9. "It is waiting for this issue to be closed swiftly." The reinstitution of the death penalty was brought to the agenda repeatedly ahead of the April 16 constitutional referendum, particularly by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who promised to approve any constitutional amendment that would bring back capital punishment. Erdogan said the people were demanding the penalty from the government, especially after the July 2016 coup attempt. "Is the death penalty a social demand? Yes. Will the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) support it? Yes. Will the president approve it if the law is conveyed to him? That is a 'yes' too. Then we should not wait, sing in someone else's tone or be late. Instead, we should show what Turkey is and will be by declaring to everybody her independence," he said, eliciting applause from party members in the group meeting. The death penalty has not been implemented since 1984, while Turkey formally abolished capital punishment in 2004 as part of reforms to ease Turkey's accession to the European Union. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in March that any return of the death penalty in Turkey would be a "red line" in the country's stalled EU membership bid. Bahceli criticized Europe's position on the issue. "Now some European countries say they will not allow a possible referendum concerning the death penalty. "So much so that they argue and state that capital punishment is against all the values of European countries. So, is it a part of European values to give support to terrorist organizations?" he said. (source: Hurriyet Daiy News) IRELAND: Garda assassinations and IRA executions during the EmergencyThe IRA shot dead 5 gardai during the 2nd World War. The State executed 6 IRA men The 2nd World War was a conflict that claimed tens of millions of lives worldwide. Although Ireland adopted a neutral stance during the war, it would not be completely shielded from the effects of the brutal conflict. Rationing of basic items, including tea, sugar, petrol and tobacco took its toll on the Irish population, although this seemed like a small price to pay to keep citizens far away from the horrors of the front line of war. Not everyone agreed with the policy of neutrality, however. Certain people, TD James Dillon foremost among them, argued passionately that Ireland was duty bound to support Britain and the Allies against the evils of Nazi Germany. Conversely, elements within the IRA stuck to the old
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----ARK., OKLA., COLO., WYO., ARIZ., CALIF., USA
May 9 ARKANSAS: Arkansas executions a prime example of how death penalty targets the poor This Easter season started in a deeply disturbing way: Arkansas scheduled 8 executions in 10 days, starting on Easter Monday. Ultimately, 4 of these condemned men had their executions stayed, while the other 5 were put to death between April 20 and April 27, including 2 on 1 day. You might think these men were sentenced to death and slated for execution simply because of the gravity of their crimes. You'd be wrong. There is something beyond the terrible crimes that determined their fates even more so: poverty. The death penalty preys on poor and vulnerable populations. All 8 men grew up in poverty. Sometimes, the conditions were shocking. Marcel Williams, at certain times, did not have shoes to wear and lived in houses where the utilities were regularly turned off. Kenneth Williams shuffled among 6 foster homes that were often infested with rats and roaches. Both men also experienced periods of extreme hunger. Even more sinister than these poor conditions is the poor counsel these men received. None of these 8 individuals was able to afford his own lawyer, and the results were catastrophic. Ledell Lee's 1st post-conviction attorney showed up to court so intoxicated, the prosecution asked that he receive new counsel. The trial attorneys for Jack Jones spent only $6,641.95 on his entire trial, significantly less than is required for a constitutionally effective defense. Williams' death sentence was even overturned by a federal judge because of ineffective assistance by his lawyers. A federal appellate court later reinstated the death sentence because of a procedural error - not because it disagreed that he had had poor counsel. Several of these 8 men's lawyers missed filing deadlines, never visited their clients, or continued representing them despite a likely conflict of interest. This poor lawyering was the difference between life and death. But Arkansas is not unique. Death rows across the country are filled with men and women who were too poor to afford an attorney. You'd be hard-pressed to find a rich person who received the death penalty. The saying holds true, "Those without the capital get the punishment." The death penalty must end because it disproportionately impacts people who are poor and vulnerable. These individuals are the same ones whom Jesus so loved - and whom we are asked to love also. This was vibrantly clear in Lee's choice of Holy Communion for his final meal. We would do well to remember the words of Jesus when we consider who receives the death penalty: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (source: Karen Clifton is executive director of the national organization Catholic Mobilizing Network, which is working to end the death penalty and promote restorative justiceReligion News) Meet the Arkansas Judge Who Faces Impeachment for Protesting Against the Death Penalty Guests Wendell Griffenjudge of the 6th Circuit, for Pulaski County in Arkansas. He is also the pastor of New Millennium Church. Griffen was barred from considering death penalty cases after participating in a Good Friday prayer vigil. He now faces calls for his impeachment. Mike Lauxcivil rights attorney. He is one of the attorneys representing Judge Wendell Griffen. We go now to Arkansas, where the state executed 4 men in April, marking the 1st executions in Arkansas since 2005. Arkansas had initially planned to execute 8 men over 11 days during the month of April, but several of the executions were blocked by the courts. One of the judges who blocked the state's efforts is now facing calls to be impeached. On April 14, state Judge Wendell Griffen issued a temporary restraining order that effectively halted 6 of the executions over concerns the state used false pretenses to obtain a key drug slated to be used in the executions. Following his ruling, Judge Griffen took part in an anti-death penalty protest outside the Governor's Mansion organized by his church to mark Good Friday. In addition to being a judge, Griffen is an ordained Baptist minister. Calls for Wendell Griffen's impeachment began soon after photographs from the vigil appeared in the press showing him lying down on a cot with his hands bound together as though he were a condemned man on a gurney. In his 1st national television interview, Wendell Griffen speaks to Democracy Now! JUAN GONZALEZ: We're going now to Arkansas, where the state executed 4 men in April, marking the 1st executions there since 2005. Arkansas had initially planned to execute 11 men during the month of April, but several of those executions were blocked by the courts. One of the judges who blocked the state's efforts is now facing calls to be impeached. On April 14th, state Judge Wendell Griffen issued
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, DEL., FLA., ALA., OHIO
May 9 TEXASnew death sentence Joseph Colone Jr. sentenced to death Joseph Colone Jr. has been sentenced to death in the 2010 double killings of Mary Goodman and her 16-year-old daughter Briana at their South End Beaumont home. Both sides rested Monday in the sentencing phase of the capital murder case against Colone, who last week was convicted of capital murder. On Monday, Colone's family members testified as character witnesses in an effort to spare him of the death penalty. Jurors heard from Colone's teenage daughter, his aunt, and multiple deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. (source: KFDM news) DELAWARE: Delaware House votes on reinstating death penalty House lawmakers are set to vote on a bill reinstating Delaware's death penalty. Tuesday's scheduled vote comes amid a public outcry over the killing of a correctional officer during a prison riot and hostage-taking in February, and the fatal shooting of a state trooper 2 weeks ago. Under the bill, jurors would have to find unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant should be executed. A majority of state Supreme Court justices declared Delaware's death penalty law unconstitutional in August because it allowed judges too much discretion and did not require that a jury find unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendant deserves execution. That ruling came after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Florida's death sentencing law, which was similar to the one in Delaware. (source: Associated Press) FLORIDA: Ayala-Scott death penalty suit waiting for Florida Supreme Court ruling Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala has filed a reply to Gov. Rick Scott's argument in their legal fight over death-penalty cases, and the 2 now wait for a response from the Florida Supreme Court. Ayala announced in March that she would not seek the death penalty against anyone while she is in office, and Scott responded by reassigning 23 death-penalty cases from her office to that of Ocala-based State Attorney Brad King. Ayala sued last month. Ayala had asked the court to order Scott to provide his valid legal reasoning for reassigning the cases. Scott's attorneys responded with counter-arguments, and people with interest in the matter - lawmakers, activists and families of homicide victims - filed their own legal briefs. The filing Monday is the final step in the initial state of the process. Ayala and Scott will now wait for the Florida Supreme Court???s next ruling in the case. (soruce: Orlando Sentinel) * State to seek death penalty against man charged in Jupiter triple homicide State attorneys said during a Monday court hearing they will seek the death penalty against a man arrested in connection with the February shooting deaths of 3 people in Jupiter. Christopher Vasata, 24, was arrested in March after the homicides occurred Feb. 5 on Mohawk Street. Vasata faces 3 counts of 1st degree murder with a firearm, 1 count of attempted 1st-degree murder with a firearm and 1 count of a felon possession of a firearm or ammunition. Kelli J. Doherty, 20, of Tequesta, Brandi El-Salhy, 24, of Gainesville and Sean P. Henry, 25, of Jupiter died in the shootings. (source: WPTV news) ALABAMAimpending execution Alabama death row inmate Tommy Arthur writes to Gov. Kay Ivey: 'My life is in your hands' Alabama death row inmate Tommy Arthur, who is set to be executed later this month, has sent a letter to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey pleading for his life and DNA testing on hair he claims was collected in his case. "Please do not let me die for a crime I did not commit and the facts on these pages point to (the) real killer," Arthur writes in a 4-page hand-written letter. He states that "my life is in your hands" and asks her to consider his claims about evidence in his case. The letter was first sent by the 75-year-old inmate last week to AL.com, which forwarded it to Ivey's press secretary. "We just received the letter and it will be reviewed. The AG's (Alabama Attorney General's) office will be given an opportunity to respond, and Gov. Ivey will be thoroughly briefed on all the issues raised by Mr. Arthur and his attorneys," according to a statement emailed to AL.com from Bryan Taylor, Governor's Legal Counsel. Arthur's execution is set for May 25 at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. It is the 8th time since 2001 that the state has set an execution for Arthur for his conviction in the 1982 shooting death of Troy Wicker. Last month, Ivey denied a request by Arthur's attorneys for DNA testing of a wig purportedly used by Wicker's killer. Ivey, in her letter denying the testing, stated that no genetic material had been found when the wig was tested 8 years ago. Arthur, however, states that his attorneys did not include a request to test a hair he claims is also among the evidence collected by
