Death Penalty, and Strategy for 9/11 Terror Attacks Trial:  New York Daily News writers Robert Johnson and David Saltonstall report that according to a Daily News/Marist poll  77% of New Yorkers believe that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his four accomplices will be found guilty.  Some critics, including Mayor Rudy Giuliani say that having the trial in New York City is too risky, too costly, and gives the offenders too many rights.  Although not everyone believes that the terror suspects should be tried in New York, the decision has been made, and New Yorkers are not planning to let anyone down.  Henry Romer, a 51 year old construction manager in midtown Manhattan says, "[t]hose guys don't stand a chance.  There's no question they'll get the death penalty here."  Calvin Seibert, a 51 year old artist from Chelsea states, "New York will get it done, because the families of the people that died won't let them do anything else.  It's just what you have to do."  Polled New Yorkers may want to impose the death penalty on the terror suspects, but Germany says that it can't be done with evidence they collected.  New York Post writer Adam Nichols reports that Germany is sending a team to observe the trial to make sure the evidence they provided does not help sentence the terror suspects to death.  Evidence on the attacks was handed over to the US by the German government on the condition that the death penalty would not be sought.  It's unclear how essential the German evidence is to the convictions. but the suspects do not seem to be concerned about receiving the death penalty, instead they want to be heard.  The Associated press reports that the five terror suspects plan to plead not guilty in order to declare their displeasure with US foreign policy.  The lawyer for Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali says that the men would not deny their role in the 2001 attacks, but "would explain what happened and why they did it."  Many are worried that the decision to try the suspect in New York will provide them with a propaganda platform. 

Ohio's proposed Lethal Injection Method:  Cleveland's Plain Dealer reporter Aaron Marshal reports on Ohio's decision to change the three drug cocktail for lethal injection to a single injection of barbiturates.  Prison officials plan to use a single injection, and if they can't find a suitable vein the dose will be injected into an inmate's chest muscle.  Associate Director of the Death Penalty Clinic at the University of California-Berkeley, Ty Alper, says, "I think this is something that is pretty well accepted.  It's very similar to the way that animals are euthanized -- there's been a lot of testimony about it, and the effects of the anesthetic are pretty well known."  Kenneth Biros could be the first executed by the new method; he is scheduled to be executed on Dec. 8th.   His execution is on hold after he argued the three drug injection caused pain and is cruel and unusual punishment.  Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray said in court papers that this new method renders Biros' argument moot.  Comments by Biros' attorney can be found in Lancaster Eagle Gazette.  There are skeptics of this new method.  Stuart Youngner says Dutch doctors have extensively studied the issue for their countries, and concluded the three drug cocktail is the best.

Priority for Backlogged Rape Kits:  Louisville, Kentucky's WLKY writer Steven Tellier reports on the problem of backlogged rape kits and the push to make them more of a priority.  Many times a rape kit is the only evidence linking a victim and their attacker.  But many of these kits go untested for months or years.  More funding would solve the problem.  The backlog problem has been brought to the attention of the US Senate and House of Representatives.  This month, in both houses, bills have been introduced that attempt to increase funding and decrease rape kit backlogs.