Death Sentence: A federal jury has recommended the death penalty for a Missouri woman who, in December of 2004, murdered a young, expectant mother and cut the baby from her womb as reported in this AP story by Heather Hollingsworth.

Medial Ethics and the Death Penalty is the subject of an Op Ed piece by John Hood in the Lincoln Tribune. The North Carolina Medical Board had imposed a de facto moratorium on executions last year when it promised to discipline doctors who were present during and execution, as required the state procedures. The state sued the Medical Board an won. The Wake County Superior Court decision is here (hat tip to Jurist).