Death Penalty

Report: Death Sentences At Lowest Level In Decades

David Taintor | December 15, 2011, 2:44PM

The world watched, transfixed, as Georgia man Troy Davis headed for execution by lethal injection in September, with many calling the execution unjust. A Republican debate audience that same month cheered loudly as Texas Gov. Rick Perry defended his state's record of executing more death row inmates than any other governor in modern times. But death penalty opponents might breathe a sigh of relief today.

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Florida

FL GOPer's Bill Would Let Death Row Inmates Choose Death By Firing Squad

Jillian Rayfield | October 12, 2011, 2:03PM

FL State Rep. Brad Drake (R)

Florida State Rep. Brad Drake (R) is pushing a bill that would eliminate execution by lethal injection for death row inmates -- and replace it with execution by firing squad.

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Death Penalty

Texas Abolishes Last Meal Requests For Death Row Inmates

Jillian Rayfield | September 22, 2011, 6:11PM

The Texas prison system ended the tradition of offering death row inmates a last meal request, apparently in response to white supremacist Lawrence Brewer's particularly elaborate request before he was put to death Wednesday -- a meal that he then declined.

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West Memphis Three

West Memphis Three Released From Prison In Plea Deal

Jillian Rayfield | August 19, 2011, 9:21AM

Damien Echols, one of the West Memphis Three

Updated: August 19, 2011, 3:39PM

A judge has ordered that the "West Memphis Three", imprisoned for more than 18 years, be released following a plea agreement reached with prosecutors.

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California

CA Ballot Measure Would Let Voters Abolish The Death Penalty

Jillian Rayfield | July 13, 2011, 4:56PM

Sen. Loni Hancock (D-CA)

The death penalty in California could be on its last legs.

A bill that passed out of committee in California's Assembly last week would create a ballot measure in the next statewide election that asks voters to decide whether to end the death penalty.

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Rick Perry

Perry Appointee In No Rush To Wade Back Into Willingham Case

Zachary Roth | November 10, 2009, 4:23PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

The Texas prosecutor appointed by Governor Rick Perry to chair a state forensics commission won't say when, if ever, his panel will hear from an arson expert who had been scheduled to testify about a flawed arson investigation that may have led to the death of an innocent man.

Asked, during a state Senate hearing, about when the Texas Forensic Science Commission would hear from nationally recognized expert Craig Beyler, John Bradley declined to give a specific answer.

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Cameron Todd Willingham

Perry: Death Penalty's Working Fine!

Zachary Roth | October 21, 2009, 10:01AM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

A little thing like being shown to have probably executed an innocent man isn't going to get in the way of continuing to put people to death, if Texas governor Rick Perry has anything to do with it.

Said Perry yesterday:

Our process works, and I don't see anything out there that would merit calling for a moratorium on the Texas death penalty. It's fair and appropriate, and we will continue with it.

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Rick Perry

Arson Expert: Perry's "Conflict" Hurts Panel's Credibility

Zachary Roth | October 16, 2009, 10:10AM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

A nationally known arson expert who had been scheduled to testify before a Texas panel probing an investigation that may have led to the death of an innocent man has slammed Governor Rick Perry's handling of the case.

In an email to an official for the Texas Forensic Science Commission, Craig Beyler called for the appointment of the panel members ousted by Perry last month, and the resignation of the new members that Perry appointed in their place. And he said that Perry, a Republican, should recuse himself from making appointments to the panel because -- having signed off on the execution despite a last minute bid from the convicted man's lawyer for a postponement -- the governor has a "conflict of interest."

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Rick Perry

Defending Himself, Perry Attacks Executed Man As "Monster"

Zachary Roth | October 15, 2009, 11:03AM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Texas governor Rick Perry has defended his handling of a death penalty case that may have led to the execution of an innocent man -- and launched an extraordinary attack on the dead man himself.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Perry yesterday called Cameron Todd Wilingham a "monster," a "bad man," and "a guy who murdered his three children, who tried to beat his wife into an abortion so that she wouldn't have those kids."

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Cameron Todd Willingham

Evidence Builds That Perry's Office Pressured Panel On Willingham Probe

Zachary Roth | October 14, 2009, 10:11AM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Things are looking worse and worse for Texas governor Rick Perry, accused of stifling a state panel's probe into that flawed arson investigation that may have led to the execution of an innocent man.

Sam Bassett, the former chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, has now told the Houston Chronicle that lawyers for Perry told him the case was inappropriate, and that the hiring of a nationally known fire expert was a "waste of state money."

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Cameron Todd Willingham

Former Panel Chair Says Perry's Office Pressured Him On Death Penalty Probe

Zachary Roth | October 12, 2009, 10:11AM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

It's starting to look more and more like Texas governor Rick Perry orchestrated an effort to thwart a state probe into an arson investigation that may have led to the execution of an innocent man.

Sam Bassett -- the former chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, who Perry declined to reappoint last month -- is now saying that Perry's aides tried to pressure him over the direction of the inquiry his panel was conducting into the steps that led to the 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham for arson. Perry, as governor, signed off on the execution, despite clear evidence that the investigation was flawed.

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Death Penalty

Lawyers Group Urged Perry To Keep Ousted Chair Of Panel Probing Death Penalty Case

Zachary Roth | October 8, 2009, 12:22PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Remember that move by Texas governor Rick Perry to not to reappoint the chair of a panel looking into a flawed arson investigation that may have led to the execution of an innocent man? Well it's looking dodgier than ever.

Last week, Perry announced he would not reappoint Chair Sam Bassett and two other members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, which is looking into the probe that led to the execution of Cameron Willingham -- despite strong evidence that he may have been innocent. The panel members terms had expired.

Perry himself, as governor, had signed off on the 2004 execution, leading critics to charge that the decision on Bassett -- who had appeared to push for an aggressive inquiry into missteps in the original probe -- was an attempt by the governor to short-circuit an effort that could have been politically damaging as he faces a tough re-election campaign.

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Death Penalty

Texas Governor Stymieing Panel Probing Flawed Death Penalty Case?

Zachary Roth | October 2, 2009, 12:35PM

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX)

Even by the standards of Texas's enthusiasm for state-sanctioned killing, this is pretty shocking...

A Texas scientific panel has been looking into possible missteps in a criminal investigation of a 1991 arson case which led to the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham. A recent New Yorker story about the case laid out compelling evidence that Willingham may well have been wrongly put to death.

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