Publications & Testimony
Items: 5101 — 5110
Jul 24, 2006
New Jersey Commission Weighs Whether Death Penalty Should be Continued
During its first public hearing on capital punishment, the New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission heard testimony from witnesses representing a broad spectrum of opinions. Almost all those testifying spoke against retaining the death penalty. Among those who testified before the 13-member panel were legal experts, religious leaders, murder victims’ family members, and exonerees such as Larry Peterson, who spent 18 years in a New Jersey prison for a rape and…
Read MoreJul 23, 2006
Texas Office Investigating Possible Wrongful Execution Shows Signs of Bias
Based on taped conversations among members of the Bexar County prosecutor’s office, some participants in the investigation of the case of Ruben Cantu may have made up their minds before talking to those who now assert that Cantu was innocent. Cantu was executed in Texas in 1993. Significant evidence has emerged from a victim-witness and from a co-defendant that Texas may have executed the wrong man. The senior District Attorney, Mike Beers, said on tape, before…
Read MoreJul 19, 2006
PUBLIC OPINION: Wisconsin Voters Favor Life Without Parole Over Death Penalty
In a recent University of Wisconsin Badger Poll, more respondents favored a sentence of life without parole rather than the death penalty. Only 45% supported capital punishment, while 50% favored life sentences. When asked about the death penalty in theory, without any alternative sentences mentioned, 55.6% of Wisconsinites polled favored capital punishment for“cases involving a person who is convicted of first degree intentional homicides, if the conviction…
Read MoreJul 19, 2006
New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission: Testimony of Richard C. Dieter
New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission: Testimony of Richard C. Dieter (July…
Read MoreJul 18, 2006
NEW VOICES: American Medical Association, EMT Association Say Participation in Executions Violates Medical Ethics
Both the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) recently issued public statements reminding members of their ethical obligation not to participate in legally authorized executions. As courts and legislatures throughout the country continue to struggle with questions related to lethal injection procedures, AMA president William G. Plested III noted that AMA policy clearly prohibits medical…
Read MoreJul 18, 2006
RAND Study Finds No Federal Race Bias in Death Penalty From 1995 to 2000
A recent RAND Corporation study of the federal death penalty from 1995 to 2000 found no evidence of racial bias. Even though the investigators found that the death penalty was more often sought against defendants who murdered white victims, researchers ultimately concluded that the characteristics of the crime, and not the racial characteristics of the victim or the defendant, could be used to make accurate predictions of whether federal prosecutors would seek…
Read MoreJul 18, 2006
Arizona Study Finds Serious Flaws in State’s Death Penalty
A nine-member death penalty assessment team appointed by the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Death Penalty Moratorium Implementation Project has determined that Arizona’s capital punishment laws are plagued with serious problems and that the state should immediately take steps to improve the fairness and accuracy of the system. A report issued by the assessment team identified significant problems, including the lack of a centralized system of…
Read MoreJul 17, 2006
NEW RESOURCES: Symposium: Catholics and the Death Penalty
A recent edition of the Journal of Catholic Legal Studies contains articles from a symposium on “Catholics and the Death Penalty: Lawyers, Jurors & Judges.” In addition to a foreword by Amelia Uelmen and an introduction to Catholic teaching on capital punishment by Art Cody, the volume contains a panel discussion with Kevin Doyle, director of the New York Capital Defender Office, and Charles Hynes, the District Attorney of Kings County (NY). The symposium…
Read MoreJul 14, 2006
RELIGIOUS VIEWS: New Books Examine Victims, Criminal Justice, and Punishment from a Faith Perspective
Five books addressing religion and its role in coping with violent crime are now available:“Healing Violent Men: A Model for Christian Communities” — This book by religion professor David Livingston explores domestic violence. It offers practical advice for pastoral and programmatic efforts to embrace the twin Christian imperatives of forgiveness and responsiblity. (Fortress Press, 2002).“When Violence is No Stranger: Pastoral Counseling with Survivors of…
Read MoreJul 14, 2006
NEW VOICES: The Death Penalty 30 Years after Gregg v. Georgia
Stuart Streichler served as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Gregg v. Georgia. He observed many capital cases and now concludes:“A fundamental idea of American law is that all defendants should receive fair trials all of the time. The persistent failure to come close to that in death penalty cases undermines the integrity of the legal system.” Streichler’s op-ed appreared recently in…
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