DNA testing solves 1984 cold case: Revealed in an article by the Associate Press, police in central Illinois say they've used DNA testing to determine that a man now dead sexually assaulted and killed two young Decatur girls. Unfortunately, because DNA testing was not available back in 1984 and the other leads in the case were not enough to convict the man, he only "served prison time for taking indecent liberties with a child before the slayings."
'Bathtub Killer' executed in Texas: Michael Graczyk of the Associated Press writes that Dale Devon Scheanette, of Louisiana, was put to death by lethal injection last night (February 10, 2009). "Scheanette, 35, became known as the 'Bathtub Killer' after two women at the same apartment complex in Arlington in 1996 were found dead in half-filled bathtubs, strangled, raped and bound with duct tape." During the trial, Scheanette chose to represent himself, and his appeals to the federal courts were rejected. "The Texas board of Pardons and Paroles also voted 7-0 to turn down a clemency request."
California to release one third of prison population?: Don Thompson, of the Associate Press, writes that because prison overcrowding is being ruled "so severe it unconstitutionally compromises medical care of inmates" California is being forced to "free roughly a third of its prison inmates in a few years." Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a few solutions, one is "ending parole for former inmates not convicted of a violent or sex-related crime." Schwarzenegger claims "that would lead to fewer parolees being sent back to prison because they violated rules." Stanislaus County Chief Probation Officer Jerry Powers thinks differently, "Freeing or diverting inmates as the judges suggest is 'a dangerous game of Russian roulette.'" So what will be done? According to Republican Assemblyman Jim Neilson, "California should accelerate construction of new prison cells to ease overcrowding."
Florida preparing for tonight's execution: Wayne Tompkins, 51, is scheduled to die by lethal injection tonight, reports the Associated Press. Tompkins is "a rapist convicted of murdering his girlfriend's teenage daughter 26 years ago." The Florida Supreme Court, in a one-page order, denied all of Tompkins' appeals Wednesday morning. He has filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. So far Florida has executed 66 inmates since the death penalty was resumed in 1972. Tompkins will be number 67. Update: Tompkins was put to death on schedule as reported in this AP story.
'Bathtub Killer' executed in Texas: Michael Graczyk of the Associated Press writes that Dale Devon Scheanette, of Louisiana, was put to death by lethal injection last night (February 10, 2009). "Scheanette, 35, became known as the 'Bathtub Killer' after two women at the same apartment complex in Arlington in 1996 were found dead in half-filled bathtubs, strangled, raped and bound with duct tape." During the trial, Scheanette chose to represent himself, and his appeals to the federal courts were rejected. "The Texas board of Pardons and Paroles also voted 7-0 to turn down a clemency request."
California to release one third of prison population?: Don Thompson, of the Associate Press, writes that because prison overcrowding is being ruled "so severe it unconstitutionally compromises medical care of inmates" California is being forced to "free roughly a third of its prison inmates in a few years." Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed a few solutions, one is "ending parole for former inmates not convicted of a violent or sex-related crime." Schwarzenegger claims "that would lead to fewer parolees being sent back to prison because they violated rules." Stanislaus County Chief Probation Officer Jerry Powers thinks differently, "Freeing or diverting inmates as the judges suggest is 'a dangerous game of Russian roulette.'" So what will be done? According to Republican Assemblyman Jim Neilson, "California should accelerate construction of new prison cells to ease overcrowding."
Florida preparing for tonight's execution: Wayne Tompkins, 51, is scheduled to die by lethal injection tonight, reports the Associated Press. Tompkins is "a rapist convicted of murdering his girlfriend's teenage daughter 26 years ago." The Florida Supreme Court, in a one-page order, denied all of Tompkins' appeals Wednesday morning. He has filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. So far Florida has executed 66 inmates since the death penalty was resumed in 1972. Tompkins will be number 67. Update: Tompkins was put to death on schedule as reported in this AP story.
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