May 2015 Death Penalty News

ELIMINATING BLACK JURORS IN A GEORGIA MURDER TRIAL ~ "The rare grant of certiorari means the high court will examine in its next term a 1987 Floyd County murder trial. Timothy Tyrone Foster, a black man who was 18 years old when he was charged, was convicted of the murder of Queen White, an elderly, white, retired schoolteacher . . . The prosecution used its peremptory strikes against all four of the qualified prospective jurors who were black ..."
http://www.dailyreportonline.com/id=1202727421866/US-Supreme-Court-Agrees-to-Take-Up-Ga-Death-Penalty-Case#ixzz3bH7z0O1R

JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS SPEAKS AGAINST DEATH PENALTY ~ In a discussion at the George Washington University School of Law, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said the death penalty creates a higher risk of error than other criminal cases and is unfair, unnecessary, and a "terrible waste" of resources. Using the Boston marathon bomber trial as an example, Justice Stevens said jury selection procedures in capital cases produce juries who are "not representative of the community." He said that, under these procedures, "most of the 75%" of Bostonians who opposed the death penalty "could be challenged for cause and do not make it" onto the jury.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/6150

EXECUTING THE MENTALLY ILL

LONG BEFORE HE COMMITTED a vicious triple murder in Houston at the age of 19, Derrick Charles had shown signs of serious mental problems. Raised amid crippling poverty, domestic abuse, alcoholism and neglect, he watched his schizophrenic mother stab his abusive stepfather. He suffered from tactile and auditory hallucinations, and by the time he was 13, had been hospitalized twice for mental illness. While in juvenile prison for nonviolent offenses, he said he was hearing voices and asked for medication. The request was denied.
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/05/20/mentally-ill-executed/

******

Excerpts from recent news articles were published in the Davis/MacPhail Truth Committee blog for our anti-dp organization. Please share anti-DP news with your online networks. 

"Continue to fight this fight" ~Troy Anthony Davis

Anti-DP message by Mary Neal, director of

~Davis/MacPhail Truth Committee

~Dog Justice for Mentally Ill

~Human Rights for Prisoners March

~Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill ("AIMI")

MaryLovesJustice@gmail.com phone (678)531.0262 or (571)335-1741

Court Upholds Atkins Decision (Hall v. Florida)

A divided court doubled down on its 2002 Atkins decision, ruling that Florida cannot kill Freddie Lee Hall just because his IQ has sometimes passed an arbitrary mark. ~ Hall vs. Florida, The Atlantic, May 2014

From the National Coalition to Abolish Death Penalty:

Dear Mary,   Incredible news: This week the  U.S. Supreme Court dealt another blow to the death penalty in the United States with a landmark decision on capital punishment and intellectual disabilities.    In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court decided that a Florida death penalty statute, which had been interpreted to permit some people with intellectual disabilities to be executed, violates “our Nation’s commitment to dignity and its duty to teach human decency as the mark of a civilized world.”    “The Eighth Amendment’s protection of dignity reflects the Nation we have been, the Nation we are, and the Nation we aspire to be,” said Justice Kennedy. In their decision this week, the Court reaffirmed its ruling in Atkins v. Virginia, which held that the eighth amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment prohibited people with intellectual disabilities from being punished with death.   This is a powerful step towards ending capital punishment, during a critical moment for abolition. Death penalty states have attempted to continue their lethal injection experimentation on inmates, including inmates with harrowing medical issues, to no avail.    Spread the word: We want to share this news far and wide. The more voices speaking out against the death penalty, the more powerful our message.    Here's how you can help: Share on Twitter: More Push Back on Capital Punishment; Supreme Court Rules Against Florida: ow.ly/xmuLI  #HaltAllExecutions #90mStrong PLS RT Share on Facebook: WOW! More Push Back on Capital Punishment; Supreme Court Rules Against Florida---great news, and next steps, for death penalty abolition: ow.ly/xmuLI  Share your story: Why do you oppose the death penalty? Share your thoughts at ncadp.tumblr.com (Already shared your story? Get your friends involved! Share the link on Twitter and Facebook, and raise up more voices from the 90 million strong.)  The 90 million people who oppose the death penalty are online, on the ground, nationwide, fighting for change.    The world is watching.    The time is now.     Together, we can end capital punishment.    Sam Cooper Director of National Programs National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty http://www.ncadp.org/ SUPPORT THE