Death Penalty

Afternoon Briefs: SCOTUS splits over immigrant’s fight against ID theft conviction; first black justice on top Illinois court dies

SCOTUS splits over undocumented immigrant’s fight against state identify theft conviction The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Tuesday against Ramiro Garcia, an unauthorized immigrant in Kansas who was convicted under a state identity theft law after using someone else’s Social Security number to get a job. The conservative justices…

Mar 3, 2020 3:21 PM CST

ABA urges top state court to consider death penalty policy, constitutional challenges in drug records case

The ABA filed an amicus brief with the Idaho Supreme Court on Friday that urges justices to consider the association’s position on issues related to public records about the lethal injection drugs used in death penalty cases.

Mar 2, 2020 10:51 AM CST

ABA brief criticizes trend in which courts fail to consider prevailing norms in ineffective assistance cases

The ABA has filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reaffirm that courts must look to “prevailing professional norms” when assessing lawyers’ performance in ineffective assistance cases.

Feb 28, 2020 10:28 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Sotomayor sees ‘pall of uncertainty’ in capital case; judge backs park proselytizing

Death-row inmate’s conviction has ‘pall of uncertainty,’ Sotomayor says Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed concern on Monday about a “pall of uncertainty” over the conviction of Texas death-row inmate Rodney Reed. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Reed’s appeal, spurring Sotomayor’s statement in which she noted Texas courts are considering…

Feb 24, 2020 4:55 PM CST

Some Tennessee death-row inmates opt for electric chair over lethal injections

A Tennessee inmate scheduled for execution Thursday evening has chosen the electric chair over lethal injection.

Feb 20, 2020 12:29 PM CST

Oklahoma will resume executions after 5-year moratorium

Oklahoma plans to resume lethal injections following a five-year moratorium spurred by botched executions.

Feb 14, 2020 11:46 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: AG Barr will consider Giuliani’s Ukraine evidence; Trump praises drug dealer death penalty

AG Barr will consider Giuliani evidence from Ukraine U.S. Attorney General William Barr said Monday he will consider information from Ukraine provided by lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Barr cautioned that there “are a lot of agendas” in Ukraine, and information received from the country can’t be taken at face value. Giuliani…

Feb 11, 2020 4:52 PM CST

This state appears likely to abolish the death penalty after Senate vote

The Colorado Senate on Friday passed a bill to repeal the death penalty, sending the measure to the House where it is expected to win approval.

Feb 4, 2020 10:31 AM CST

Overturning 2016 precedent, Florida top court says jury unanimity not needed for death penalty

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a 2016 decision and ruled that judges may impose the death penalty even when jurors do not unanimously recommend it.

Jan 24, 2020 2:47 PM CST

Use of death penalty remains ‘near historic lows,’ while public support wanes

The federal effort to resume executions stands in stark contrast to a state trend away from capital punishment, according to a year-end report by the Death Penalty Information Center.

Dec 17, 2019 10:07 AM CST

SCOTUS refuses to interfere with temporary halt to federal executions

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Friday to lift a preliminary injunction blocking four federal executions during a review of the lethal injection procedure adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Dec 9, 2019 11:00 AM CST

Meet Paul Skalnik, one of the most prolific jailhouse informants in American history

Paul Skalnik learned about the benefits of being a jailhouse informant when he was in the Harris County Jail in Texas in 1978 for passing bad checks.

Dec 6, 2019 12:15 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: DC Circuit doesn’t disturb blocked executions; polite bank robber entitled to lower sentence

DC Circuit declines to stay or vacate injunction stopping federal executions The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has declined to stay or vacate a judge’s injunction delaying the executions of four federal inmates. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan had ruled that the inmates were likely…

Dec 2, 2019 3:57 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Giuliani considered representing Ukraine prosecutor; US opinion shifts on death penalty

News Roundup

Nov 27, 2019 2:33 PM CST

Judge blocks 4 federal executions, rules DOJ protocol doesn’t follow law

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has halted the Department of Justice’s plans to resume executions after a 16-year hiatus. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday. She ruled on behalf of four federal death-row inmates.

Nov 21, 2019 12:15 PM CST