Supreme Court Lets Ohio Stay of Execution Stand: Andrew Welsh-Huggins of the Associated Press reports the U.S Supreme Court on Wednesday denied Ohio's appeal of decisions from a federal court and the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of condemned inmate Charles Lorraine that said the state strayed too far from its execution policies. Lorraine stabbed a 77-year-old man five times with a butchers knife and stabbed his 80-year-old bedridden wife nine times before burglarizing their home in 1986. The office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine argued to the high court that minor deviations in policy don't mean that the system is unconstitutional. In fact, Ohio's execution procedures have never been ruled unconstitutional. Without any Supreme Court action, DeWine had said Ohio is in danger of having numerous executions delayed on a case-by-case basis.
Victim Speaks Out About Mississippi Pardons Hearing: Jewell Hillery of WLBT (MS) reports the day before the Mississippi Supreme Court is set to take up the case of whether the pardons granted by outgoing Governor Haley Barbour were constitutional, one of the victims of a man who was pardoned says he is optimistic the pardons will be reversed. In 1993, David Gatlin shot Randy Walker in the head and killed his friend Tammy. Gatlin is one of the more than 200 convicted criminals pardoned by Barbour. He hopes state lawmakers will consider creating new pardon legislation that would forbid Governors from granting pardons during their last three months in office, and would require hearings before pardons are granted. "We never had a say in any of this, no victim has ever has ever gotten a say," said Walker.
More Murderers Paroled Under Jerry Brown: Jim Sanders of The Sacramento Bee reports an annual report to the Legislature released Tuesday shows California Governor Jerry Brown let stand 331 of 405 decisions to parole convicted killers by the state Board of Parole Hearings last year, which is roughly 82 percent. By comparison, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger permitted the release of about 27 percent of paroled killers, and Democratic Gov. Gray Davis only permitted the release of about 2 percent.
Victim Speaks Out About Mississippi Pardons Hearing: Jewell Hillery of WLBT (MS) reports the day before the Mississippi Supreme Court is set to take up the case of whether the pardons granted by outgoing Governor Haley Barbour were constitutional, one of the victims of a man who was pardoned says he is optimistic the pardons will be reversed. In 1993, David Gatlin shot Randy Walker in the head and killed his friend Tammy. Gatlin is one of the more than 200 convicted criminals pardoned by Barbour. He hopes state lawmakers will consider creating new pardon legislation that would forbid Governors from granting pardons during their last three months in office, and would require hearings before pardons are granted. "We never had a say in any of this, no victim has ever has ever gotten a say," said Walker.
More Murderers Paroled Under Jerry Brown: Jim Sanders of The Sacramento Bee reports an annual report to the Legislature released Tuesday shows California Governor Jerry Brown let stand 331 of 405 decisions to parole convicted killers by the state Board of Parole Hearings last year, which is roughly 82 percent. By comparison, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger permitted the release of about 27 percent of paroled killers, and Democratic Gov. Gray Davis only permitted the release of about 2 percent.
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