Alabama executes second inmate this month: Birmingham News writer Tom Gordon, reports
that the execution of Danny Joe Bradley, has finally granted his
victim's family with a feeling of relief. "Bradley was convicted of
murdering his 12-year old stepdaughter, who was sexually assaulted and
strangled on the night of Jan. 24, 1983." He had been on death row for
over 26 years. "Bradley became the 193rd inmate to be put to death by
the state since 1927, the 40th since executions resumed in the state in
1983 after an 18-year pause, and the 16th to die by lethal injection."
Death penalty ousted by New Mexico House: An article by the Associated Press reports that "the House of Representatives voted Wednesday to abolish New Mexico's death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life in prison without parole." Supporters of the abolition are claiming to "no longer need the death penalty [because] its costs far outweigh its benefits," while opponents say, "victims' families deserve to keep the option of urging prosecutors to seek the death penalty."
Texas executes second person in one week: Johnny Ray Johnson was executed last night after being on death row for convictions of rape and murder, writes Michael Graczyk, of the Associated Press. Johnson was guilty of at least five rape-slayings and eight other rapes, beginning in the 1970s. "Johnson's lawyers went to the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, seeking to delay the punishment. The high court rejected the appeal about 30 minutes before Johnson was scheduled to be taken to the death chamber." His "similar appeal Wednesday at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals" concluded in a loss also. Johnson "was pronounced dead at 6:19pm."
Update: Clemency granted by Ohio governor: Andrew Welsh-Huggins, of the Associated Press, writes that "Gov. Ted Strickland on Thursday spared the life of a death row inmate who killed his mother in a cocaine-induced rage and whose upcoming execution was opposed by his entire family, including his mother's siblings." The governor's new sentence for Hill "is life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years. [Hill] already has served nearly 17 years and could be paroled as early as 2017." Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deter opposed clemency and preferred Hill stay in prison the rest of his life. "'We've done our job,' Deters said in a statement to the Associated Press this week. 'I respect the ability for the governor to do what he believes is right.'" Previous post on the Parole Board recommendation is here.
Death penalty ousted by New Mexico House: An article by the Associated Press reports that "the House of Representatives voted Wednesday to abolish New Mexico's death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life in prison without parole." Supporters of the abolition are claiming to "no longer need the death penalty [because] its costs far outweigh its benefits," while opponents say, "victims' families deserve to keep the option of urging prosecutors to seek the death penalty."
Texas executes second person in one week: Johnny Ray Johnson was executed last night after being on death row for convictions of rape and murder, writes Michael Graczyk, of the Associated Press. Johnson was guilty of at least five rape-slayings and eight other rapes, beginning in the 1970s. "Johnson's lawyers went to the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, seeking to delay the punishment. The high court rejected the appeal about 30 minutes before Johnson was scheduled to be taken to the death chamber." His "similar appeal Wednesday at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals" concluded in a loss also. Johnson "was pronounced dead at 6:19pm."
Update: Clemency granted by Ohio governor: Andrew Welsh-Huggins, of the Associated Press, writes that "Gov. Ted Strickland on Thursday spared the life of a death row inmate who killed his mother in a cocaine-induced rage and whose upcoming execution was opposed by his entire family, including his mother's siblings." The governor's new sentence for Hill "is life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years. [Hill] already has served nearly 17 years and could be paroled as early as 2017." Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deter opposed clemency and preferred Hill stay in prison the rest of his life. "'We've done our job,' Deters said in a statement to the Associated Press this week. 'I respect the ability for the governor to do what he believes is right.'" Previous post on the Parole Board recommendation is here.
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