Va. GOP File Lawsuit to Block Felons from Voting: Virginia Republicans filed a lawsuit Monday in the state Supreme Court to block over 200,000 felons from voting in November, arguing that Gov. Terry McAuliffe abused his power when he restored the voting rights of convicts with completed sentences. Alanna Durkin Richer of CNS News reports that the lawsuit, brought by House Speaker William Howell and Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment along with four other Virginia voters, argues McAuliffe's executive order violates the separations of powers by suspending the state's ban on voting by felons and ignores the decades-old practice of governors being able to restore voting rights only on a case-by-case basis. McAuliffe's announced the sweeping order last month, which allows an estimated 206,000 felons who have completed their sentences and any supervised release by April 22 to vote, run for public office, serve on a jury or become a notary public.
OK Considering New Execution Method: The state of Oklahoma is seriously considering nitrogen hypoxia as its primary method of capital punishment in lieu of the current method of lethal injection, which has come under Grand Jury investigation in the state. Grant Hermes of News 9 reports that the method works by pumping pure nitrogen gas into a face mask or sealed hood of the individual being executed and cause death by lack of oxygen. According to an unnamed doctor and unnamed professor who testified in front of the jury, nitrogen hypoxia would be "easy and inexpensive," "simple to administer" and "quick and seemingly painless." The method was signed into law last spring as an alternate execution procedure.
More Gitmo Detainees Set to be Transferred: The Obama administration is preparing the transfers of up to 24 Guantanamo Bay detainees this summer. Catherine Herridge and Lucas Tomlinson of Fox News reports that the announcement of more transfers comes as President Obama continues progression towards closing the camp, so far reducing the population from 242 detainees to 80. An official could not state confidently whether the countries receiving the detainees would keep them locked up or track them. Republican Sens. Mark Kirk, of Illinois, and James Lankford, of Oklahoma, have introduced an amendment to hold countries that accept transfers accountable.
OK Considering New Execution Method: The state of Oklahoma is seriously considering nitrogen hypoxia as its primary method of capital punishment in lieu of the current method of lethal injection, which has come under Grand Jury investigation in the state. Grant Hermes of News 9 reports that the method works by pumping pure nitrogen gas into a face mask or sealed hood of the individual being executed and cause death by lack of oxygen. According to an unnamed doctor and unnamed professor who testified in front of the jury, nitrogen hypoxia would be "easy and inexpensive," "simple to administer" and "quick and seemingly painless." The method was signed into law last spring as an alternate execution procedure.
More Gitmo Detainees Set to be Transferred: The Obama administration is preparing the transfers of up to 24 Guantanamo Bay detainees this summer. Catherine Herridge and Lucas Tomlinson of Fox News reports that the announcement of more transfers comes as President Obama continues progression towards closing the camp, so far reducing the population from 242 detainees to 80. An official could not state confidently whether the countries receiving the detainees would keep them locked up or track them. Republican Sens. Mark Kirk, of Illinois, and James Lankford, of Oklahoma, have introduced an amendment to hold countries that accept transfers accountable.
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