Ohio Death Penalty Information

Some questions for Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann: 

What was the point of making all of that effort to become Ohio's attorney general if - now that you are in office - you're going to "just do your job" and engage in behavior you previously found morally repugnant? 

There are already numerous serious, well-documented problems with the Ohio death penalty system.  Why not study them NOW instead of later? 

How about further discussion of your recent embrace of the Ohio death penalty as it is now operating with certain members of your staff?

How about leading instead of following?

(Audio of Ohio AG Marc Dann stating need for a study of the Ohio death penalty during last year's election campaign is here (17:09 - death-penalty statement begins at 0:49).)  (Used w/ permission.) (See earlier post here.)

P.S.  How's the new SUV?

Kerry Max Cook interview on Diane Rehm show:  Ex-Texas death row inmate Kerry Max Cook was interviewed yesterday on NPR's Diane Rehm show (with guest interviewer Susan Page of USA Today).  Audio is here (51:20 16kbps).  Information on Max's new book, "Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself After Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn't Commit," is on the HarperCollins website here. 

More on Timothy Hancock resentencing:  The Cincinnati Enquirer has this article, entitled "Judge affirms life sentence."

Timothy Hancock resentenced to life without possiblity of parole

There hasn't been any media coverage yet, but a Warren County Common Pleas Court jury last night recommended a sentence of life without the possibility of parole in the resentencing case of former Ohio death row inmate Timothy Hancock.  (Hat-tip: Kelly Culshaw at the Office of the Ohio Public Defender)

The Cincinnati Enquirer had this report on its website yesterday afternoon noting that the case had been sent to the jury.  The Lebanon (OH) Western Star had this.

(Earlier coverage here.)

Update:  Tiffany Latta has this afternoon coverage posted to the Dayton Daily News website.

Akron Beacon Journal on Guantanamo detainees ruling:  The Akron Beacon Journal has this editorial, entitled "Strategy of liberty: The Supreme Court now must state for a third time why Guantanamo detainees deserve their day in federal court," on last week's D.C. District Ct. of Appeals ruling denying habeas appeals to Guantanamo detainees.

Federal judge defers consideration of new Maryland lethal-injection protocol:  AP notes here that the US District Ct judge considering whether a new lethal-injection protocol (intended to resolve the issue of how doctors will participate) was adopted in proper accordance with the MD Administrative Procedures Act has deferred a ruling on the matter until the state legislature finishes consideration of the two death-penalty repeal bills currently before it, and another bill that would exempt any new procedure from requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act.

Excerpt:
...U.S. District Judge Benson Legg's court order underscores the impact of the death penalty debate currently under way in Annapolis. He issued the order in response to requests from both sides of the federal civil case involving death-row inmate Vernon Evans Jr.

"Given the recent and rapid changes in Maryland death penalty law and state administration, and, in light of the bills introduced during the legislative session, the defendants request that their compliance with the court's order be suspended ..." lawyers for the attorney general's office wrote. ...

• The ACLU of Maryland issued this press release today lauding Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's testimony before the MD legislature last week urging repeal of the death penalty.

New DPIC web page devoted to "Religion and the Death Penalty":  The Death Penalty Information Center has a new Religion and the Death Penalty web page with numerous links to policy statements by religious denominations, polling date, articles, commentary, etc.  (An introductory statement is here.)

Adam Cohen column on recent firings of federal prosecutors by US Dept. of Justice:  Adam Cohen has this commentary in the New York Times, entitled "Why Have So Many U.S. Attorneys Been Fired? It Looks a Lot Like Politics."

Excerpt:
...The Congressional Research Service has confirmed how unprecedented these firings are. It found that of 486 U.S. attorneys confirmed since 1981, perhaps no more than three were forced out in similar ways — three in 25 years, compared with seven in recent months.

...The Bush administration cleared the way for these personnel changes by slipping a little-noticed provision into the Patriot Act last year that allows the president to appoint interim U.S. attorneys for an indefinite period without Senate confirmation.

Three theories are emerging for why these well-qualified U.S. attorney were fired — all political, and all disturbing. ...

Alfonso Rodriguez trial costs top $1.2 million:  Steven Wagner has this article in the South Dakota Forum tallying the costs of the Alphonso Rodriquez federal death penalty trial.  (May require free registration to view.  This AP coverage provides the same statistics.)

Editorial calls for suspension of executions in Indiana:  The South Bend Tribune has this editorial, entitled "Suspend the death penalty," calling for a moratorium on executions in Indiana in response the ABA Indiana death penalty assessment report released on Tuesday.  (Earlier post here.)