Entries tagged with “Supreme Court Justices”
Methods of Execution
,Mar 19, 2025
Louisiana Resumes Executions After 15-Year Hiatus with First Nitrogen Gas Execution
After a series of last-minute legal challenges, culminating with a denial of stay from the U.S. Supreme Court, Louisiana executed Jessie Hoffman on March 18, 2025. Mr. Hoffman’s execution marked both the state’s first execution in 15 years and the state’s first execution using nitrogen gas — only the second state to use this new method. State officials acknowledged that Mr. Hoffman exhibited“convulsive activity” as he inhaled nitrogen gas through a mask while…
Executions
Jul 27, 2023
Alabama executes James Barber as SCOTUS denies a stay
On July 21, 2023, Alabama death row prisoner James Barber was executed two hours after the U.S. Supreme Court denied his motion for a stay in a 6 – 3 decision. This marks the state’s first execution since a series of three botched executions in 2022 and an internal investigation into the Alabama Department of Corrections’ (ADOC) execution…
Issues
Jul 02, 2018
In Two Mississippi Cases, Justice Breyer Renews Call to Review Constitutionality of Death Penalty
As its 2017 – 2018 term came to a close, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review two Mississippi cases that presented significant challenges to capital punishment as implemented in that state and across the country. Over the dissent of Justice Stephen Breyer (pictured), who renewed his call for the Court to review the constitutionality of the death penalty as a whole, the Court on June 29 denied certiorari in the cases of…
Issues
Jun 04, 2018
Justice Sotomayor Criticizes Supreme Court For Failing to Intervene in Texas Death-Row Prisoner’s Case
Over a strong dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor (pictured), the United States Supreme Court on June 4 declined to review the case of Texas condemned prisoner Carlos Trevino, who had argued that his lawyer was ineffective for failing to investigate and present mitigating evidence of Trevino’s brain damage and developmental delays from his extensive prenatal exposure to alcohol. Having failed to investigate, Trevino’s lawyer…
Issues
Aug 30, 2017
50 Years After Historic Confirmation to Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall’s Legacy Continues To Shape Future
Fifty years ago today, Thurgood Marshall (pictured) was confirmed as the nation’s first African-American Supreme…
Research
Executions Overview
,Mar 08, 2017
As Supreme Court Denies Stay of Execution, Justice Breyer Urges Consideration of Death Row Conditions
On March 7, the United States Supreme Court denied a stay of execution for Texas death-row prisoner Rolando Ruiz, declining to consider his claim that the more than 20 years he had been incarcerated on death row, mostly in solitary confinement, violated the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Ruiz’s lawyers had urged the Court to consider this issue, writing,“At this point,…
Issues
Dec 13, 2016
As Supreme Court Rejects Death Penalty Petitions, Justice Breyer Renews Call For Constitutional Review
In the span of one week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review petitions from six death row prisoners, denying them relief in their cases. The petitioners raised issues related to DNA procedures, conflict of counsel, a disputed guilty plea, juror bias, judicial override, and a previously botched execution attempt. In two of the cases, the Court allowed executions to proceed in Georgia and Alabama. The case of Ronald Smith left the Court…
Research
New Voices
,Feb 23, 2016
Retired Justice John Paul Stevens Criticizes Capital Punishment as a “Wasteful Enterprise”
Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens (pictured), in remarks to a capital case seminar hosted by California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, criticized the death penalty as a“wasteful enterprise” and urged voters, legislators, and the courts to address the issue. Speaking by video, the former Justice said,“Few other civilized societies engage in such a wasteful use of resources with no demonstrated benefit to society. Taxpayers should terminate…
Issues
New Voices
,Apr 29, 2014
NEW VOICES: Another Oregon Chief Justice Questions the Death Penalty
Three former Chief Justices of the Oregon Supreme Court have recently called for an end to the death penalty in their state. Retired Chief Justice Wallace P. Carson, Jr. (l.), was the most recent Justice to call for a change:“In my opinion, the exceptional cost of death penalty cases and the seemingly haphazard selection of which cases deserve the death penalty outweigh any perceived public benefit of this sanction,” Carson said.“The…
Issues
New Voices
,Jan 28, 2013
NEW VOICES: Ohio Supreme Court Justice Calls Death Penalty Unconstitutional
Ohio Supreme Court Justice William O’Neill recently voted to strike down the death penalty, when he dissented in an order setting an execution date for Jeffrey Wogenstahl. Justice O’Neill wrote,“I would hold that capital punishment violates the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article I, Section 9 of the Ohio Constitution. The death penalty is inherently both cruel and unusual and therefore is unconstitutional. Capital…
Research
New Voices
,Mar 05, 2012
NEW VOICES: Former Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Calls for Reform
A recent op-ed written by retired Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero Jr. highlights the state’s history of violating the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Brady v. Maryland. According to this ruling, prosecutors are required to disclose evidence favorable to the defense, and that failure to do so violates the defendant’s right to due process. Calogero cited a report by the Innocence Project New Orleans which found…
Research
New Voices
,Dec 27, 2011
NEW VOICES: California’s New Chief Justice Calls Death Penalty System Ineffective
The Chief Justice of California‘s Supreme Court, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, recently called for a re-evaluation of the state’s death penalty system, saying the system is not working and“not effective.” In her first public comments on the issue since she became head of the the state’s highest court, Justice Cantil-Sakauye pointed to the present predicament for the state, saying the death penalty system needed“structural change, and we don’t have the money…
Research
New Voices
,Jun 23, 2010
NEW VOICES: Former New Hampshire Supreme Court Justice Calls for Abolition
Joseph P. Nadeau, who served on New Hampshire’s Supreme Court for six years and as a judge for 37 years, recently testified before the state’s death penalty commission about his opposition to the practice. In an op-ed, Judge Nadeau summarized the moral and practical reasons why he believes capital punishment should be repealed.“Our thinking evolves, as people, technology, and societies progress,” he said.“And what is acceptable…