Guantanamo Trouble: As discussed in yesterday's post by Kent Scheidegger, the Supreme Court refused to hear the appeals of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The 45 detainees wanted to challenge the Military Commissions Act of 2006 that restricts federal courts from hearing appeals from the detainees considered enemy combatants. The Supreme Court's denial means that detainees do not have the right to habeas corpus petitions. Two articles, the first by Linda Greenhouse of the New York Times and the second by Amy Goldstein of the Washington Post, further discuss the story.

The Right to Vote: Florida's Governor, Charlie Crist wants the reinstate the right to vote for convicted felons. Currently, Florida, Kentucky, and Virginia ban voting for all convicted felons according to an article by Abby Goodnough of the New York Times. Governor Crist may make it a provision for the felons to pay restitution to victims before receiving their voting rights. The article also points out that Florida can "grant blanket clemency to everyone who completes their sentence."

552 Texas Juveniles will be released starting tomorrow according to a story by Ralph Blumenthal of the New York Times. Thousands more are due for release but had their sentences extended; a revised Texas Youth Commission is reviewing those cases. This came after mistreatment and sexual abuse of the juveniles became public.

First death penalty trial for a woman in South Dakota began yesterday according to this AP story by Carson Walker. Daphne Wright (43) was charged with kidnap and murder of Darlene VanderGiesen (42), a friend of Wright's girlfriend, Sallie Collins. Walker is accused of hacking VanderGiesen's body with a chainsaw and burning it after killing her. Evidence includes receipts for a chainsaw and garbage bags two days after VanderGieson's disappearance.