State high court won’t hear inmate appeal as execution looms
2 years, 8 months ago

State high court won’t hear inmate appeal as execution looms

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the appeal of an inmate facing execution this week who sought to have his case reopened after an unknown person’s DNA was found on one of the murder weapons. The state Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last week that Smith didn’t provide evidence that he is innocent of the murders. The appeals come after Smith asked the Davidson County Criminal Court to reopen his case earlier this month after a new type of DNA analysis found the DNA of an unknown person on one of the murder weapons. Smith’s attorneys argued in an appellate motion last week that the combination of a fingerprint and DNA from an unknown person on one of the murder weapons should be considered together as strong proof of his innocence.

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History of this topic

Mississippi high court rejects the latest appeal by a man on death row since 1994
3 months, 1 week ago

Mississippi high court rejects the latest appeal by a man on death row since 1994

Associated Press  

— The Mississippi Supreme Court has denied the latest appeal by a man who has been on death row for 30 years after he was convicted of killing two college students. Manning’s attorneys have filed multiple appeals since he was convicted in 1994 on two counts of capital murder in the December 1992 killings of Mississippi State University students Jon …

South Carolina justices refuse to stop state’s first execution in 13 years
3 months, 1 week ago

South Carolina justices refuse to stop state’s first execution in 13 years

Associated Press  

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday refused to stop the execution of Freddie Owens who is set to die by lethal injection next week in the state’s first execution in 13 years. That evidence, plus an argument that Owens’ death sentence was too harsh because a jury never conclusively determined he pulled the trigger on the …

Inmate asks to delay execution, says co-defendant who blamed him for killing had secret deal
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Inmate asks to delay execution, says co-defendant who blamed him for killing had secret deal

Associated Press  

COLUMBIA, S.C. — An inmate set to be executed in South Carolina in three weeks wants the state Supreme Court to delay the execution so his lawyers can argue his co-defendant who testified against him lied about having no plea deal in exchange for his testimony. Also on Friday, the South Carolina’s Supreme Court promised it would wait at least …

Utah Supreme Court overturns death sentence for man convicted of murder
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Utah Supreme Court overturns death sentence for man convicted of murder

Hindustan Times  

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s Supreme Court overturned a death sentence Thursday for a man convicted of murdering a woman to stop her from testifying against him in a rape case. Utah Supreme Court overturns death sentence for man convicted of murder Justices said Douglas Lovell had ineffective attorneys at his sentencing hearing, but upheld his conviction and sent the …

The Astonishing Lengths Samuel Alito Will Go to Execute Death Row Inmates
6 months, 2 weeks ago

The Astonishing Lengths Samuel Alito Will Go to Execute Death Row Inmates

Slate  

This is part of Opinionpalooza, Slate’s coverage of the major decisions from the Supreme Court this June. During oral argument, Justice Samuel Alito, who would end up writing the majority opinion, likened the defendant to “Hannibal Lecter.” Related From Slate This Should Be a Wake-Up Call to the Biden Administration on the Death Penalty Justice Neil Gorsuch, notoriously impatient with …

Georgia death row inmate to be executed after last-ditch appeal
9 months ago

Georgia death row inmate to be executed after last-ditch appeal

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Willie James Pye, 59, has been on death …

Supreme Court takes up appeal of Oklahoma death row inmate after state attorney general admitted mistakes
11 months ago

Supreme Court takes up appeal of Oklahoma death row inmate after state attorney general admitted mistakes

CNN  

CNN — The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to take up the extraordinary appeal of an Oklahoma death row inmate named Richard Glossip, a man who even the state attorney general said should not be executed. “We are grateful that the court is providing Richard Glossip the opportunity to argue that Oklahoma should not be permitted to kill him,” Glossip’s …

Lawyers ask federal appeals court to block the nation’s first execution by nitrogen hypoxia
11 months, 1 week ago

Lawyers ask federal appeals court to block the nation’s first execution by nitrogen hypoxia

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Attorneys for the first inmate slated to be put to death with nitrogen gas have asked a federal appeals court to block the execution scheduled later this month in Alabama. The question of whether Alabama will ultimately be allowed to attempt the nation’s first execution using nitrogen gas could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. “Because …

Alabama court says state can make second attempt to execute inmate whose lethal injection failed
11 months, 1 week ago

Alabama court says state can make second attempt to execute inmate whose lethal injection failed

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Supreme Court on Friday rejected the appeal of a death row inmate who is scheduled to be the first person put to death with nitrogen gas and had argued that he shouldn’t face execution after a previous attempt at a lethal injection failed. Justices without dissent rejected arguments that a second attempt to execute Kenneth …

Federal appeals court halts Missouri execution, leading state to appeal
1 year, 4 months ago

Federal appeals court halts Missouri execution, leading state to appeal

Associated Press  

A federal appeals court panel has halted next month’s planned execution of a 45-year-old Missouri man convicted of killing a 6-year-old girl, though the state is appealing the ruling. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday voted 2-1 to stop the execution of Johnny Johnson, who is scheduled to receive a lethal injection next Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne …

US Supreme Court sides with Alabama inmate who seeks to die by nitrogen hypoxia
1 year, 7 months ago

US Supreme Court sides with Alabama inmate who seeks to die by nitrogen hypoxia

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sided with an Alabama death row inmate, who had his lethal injection called off at the last minute in November, and argues he should be put to death by nitrogen hypoxia when he is ultimately executed. The state argued the decision disregarded Supreme Court precedent that an inmate challenging an execution …

Supreme Court sides with Alabama inmate who seeks to die by nitrogen gas
1 year, 7 months ago

Supreme Court sides with Alabama inmate who seeks to die by nitrogen gas

CNN  

CNN — The Supreme Court on Monday sided with a death row inmate in Alabama – whose scheduled execution by lethal injection was called off at the last minute by the state – who seeks to die by nitrogen gas when he is ultimately executed. Alabama had asked the high court to intervene – arguing that a lower court that …

Attorneys: ‘Botched’ execution caused pain and torture
2 years ago

Attorneys: ‘Botched’ execution caused pain and torture

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama prison staff strapped an inmate to a death chamber gurney, despite a court order in place at the time blocking the execution from going forward, and later subjected him to numerous needle jabs, including in the neck and collarbone region while an official held his head, attorneys wrote in a court filing. Attorneys for Kenneth Eugene …

When Death Must Wait: Alabama calls off execution after problem with inserting IV
2 years, 1 month ago

When Death Must Wait: Alabama calls off execution after problem with inserting IV

Firstpost  

Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said prison staff tried for about an hour to get the two required intravenous lines connected to Kenneth Eugene Smith, 57 ATMORE: Alabama’s execution of a man convicted in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of a preacher’s wife was called off Thursday just before the midnight deadline because state officials couldn’t find a suitable …

Alabama calls off execution after difficulties inserting IV
2 years, 1 month ago

Alabama calls off execution after difficulties inserting IV

Associated Press  

ATMORE, Ala. — Alabama’s execution of a man convicted in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of a preacher’s wife was called off Thursday just before the midnight deadline because state officials couldn’t find a suitable vein to inject the lethal drugs. Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said prison staff tried for about an hour to get the two required …

After difficulties with injection, Alabama cancels execution greenlighted by Supreme Court
2 years, 1 month ago

After difficulties with injection, Alabama cancels execution greenlighted by Supreme Court

LA Times  

Kenneth Eugene Smith, 57, was sentenced to death in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of a preacher’s wife and was to have been executed Thursday. Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said prison staff tried for about an hour to get the two required intravenous lines connected to Kenneth Eugene Smith, 57. The postponement came after Smith’s final appeals, which …

Man sentenced to death over jury’s wish seeks execution stay
2 years, 1 month ago

Man sentenced to death over jury’s wish seeks execution stay

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala — Lawyers on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the upcoming execution of an Alabama man who was sentenced to death over the jury’s wishes — a punishment he could not receive today since states no longer allow judicial override. Alabama in 2017 became the last state to abolish the practice of letting judges override a …

Lawyers for Arizona inmate facing execution file new appeal
2 years, 1 month ago

Lawyers for Arizona inmate facing execution file new appeal

Associated Press  

PHOENIX — Lawyers for an Arizona death row inmate scheduled to be executed on Nov. 16 have filed a new appeal. Murray Hooper’s attorneys filed another petition for post-conviction relief Monday in Maricopa County Superior Court, saying “newly discovered material facts” have been discovered in the case and the 76-year-old inmate should be entitled to a new trial. Hooper and …

Judge dismisses lawsuit over upcoming lethal injection
2 years, 2 months ago

Judge dismisses lawsuit over upcoming lethal injection

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala — A federal judge dismissed an inmate’s claim seeking to block his upcoming execution in Alabama because of reported problems at a recent lethal injection. But U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. also warned Alabama’s prison commissioner to strictly follow established protocol when officials attempt to put Smith to death next month. Smith’s attorneys pointed to a …

Judge keeps execution for inmate who sought pastor’s touch
2 years, 6 months ago

Judge keeps execution for inmate who sought pastor’s touch

Associated Press  

HOUSTON — A Texas judge on Tuesday denied a request by a district attorney who called capital punishment “unethical” to withdraw the execution date of a death row inmate whose case had raised legal questions about the role of spiritual advisers in the death chamber. In a court motion, Gonzalez said he “has the firm belief that the death penalty …

Tennessee execution pause through 2022 could last longer
2 years, 6 months ago

Tennessee execution pause through 2022 could last longer

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After Tennessee Gov. Many of the problems surfaced as part of challenges of Tennessee’s execution process by two death row inmates in federal court. Those cases are on hold until the investigation ordered by Lee concludes — but in the meantime, the state attorney general’s office acknowledged in a May 6 court filing that there may be …

Oklahoma official seeks execution dates for 25 inmates
2 years, 6 months ago

Oklahoma official seeks execution dates for 25 inmates

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s attorney general has asked the state’s highest appeals court to set execution dates for 25 death row inmates following a federal judge’s rejection of their challenge to the state’s lethal injection method. In 25 similar filings with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Friday, Attorney General John O’Connor wrote that the federal court’s stays of …

Records: 2 people in execution knew drugs hadn’t been tested
2 years, 7 months ago

Records: 2 people in execution knew drugs hadn’t been tested

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At least two people connected to a Tennessee execution that was abruptly put on hold last month knew the night before that the lethal injection drugs the state planned to use hadn’t undergone some required testing, newly released records show. Bill Lee had called off the execution of 72-year-old Oscar Smith barely an hour before the planned …

Appeals court denies Arizona inmate’s bid to avoid execution
2 years, 7 months ago

Appeals court denies Arizona inmate’s bid to avoid execution

Associated Press  

PHOENIX — A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected a request to postpone the planned execution of an Arizona prisoner in what would be the state’s first use of the death penalty in nearly eight years. The Arizona Supreme Court on Monday declined to review a state judge’s decision that rejected Dixon’s arguments, leading his attorneys to introduce similar claims …

Tennessee Pauses Executions, Will Review Lethal Injections
2 years, 7 months ago

Tennessee Pauses Executions, Will Review Lethal Injections

Huff Post  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Gov. Bill Lee paused executions in Tennessee for the rest of the year on Monday to enable a review of its lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die. He’ll also review the clarity of the lethal injection process manual …

Tennessee pauses executions till year’s end to review lethal injection procedures
2 years, 7 months ago

Tennessee pauses executions till year’s end to review lethal injection procedures

LA Times  

Tennessee is pausing executions to enable an independent review of its lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die this month. “However, the death penalty is an extremely serious matter, and I expect the Tennessee Department of Correction to leave no question that …

Attorneys want moratorium, probe after execution halted
2 years, 7 months ago

Attorneys want moratorium, probe after execution halted

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After an undisclosed “oversight” forced Tennessee to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die last week, Smith’s attorneys on Thursday asked for a moratorium on executions and a review of the state’s execution protocols. Bill Lee issued a brief statement on April 21 at 5:42 p.m. saying that “due to …

Tenn governor calls off execution, citing oversight in plan
2 years, 8 months ago

Tenn governor calls off execution, citing oversight in plan

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s governor on Thursday called off what would have been the state’s first execution since the pandemic began, granting a temporary reprieve to the oldest inmate on death row for what was called an “oversight” in preparations for the lethal injection. “Due to an oversight in preparation for lethal injection, the scheduled execution of Oscar Smith will …

Tennessee governor declines to intervene as execution looms
2 years, 8 months ago

Tennessee governor declines to intervene as execution looms

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s governor said Tuesday that he will not intervene in the scheduled execution later this week of an inmate convicted of fatally stabbing and shooting his estranged wife and her sons decades ago. “After thorough consideration of Oscar Smith’s request for clemency and an extensive review of the case, the State of Tennessee’s sentence will stand, and …

Oscar Smith: A Tennessee death row inmate is set to be executed after governor denies him clemency
2 years, 8 months ago

Oscar Smith: A Tennessee death row inmate is set to be executed after governor denies him clemency

CNN  

CNN — A man convicted of killing his estranged wife and her sons in 1989 is set to be executed Thursday after Tennessee Gov. The governor declined to intervene in Oscar Smith’s case Tuesday, setting the 72-year-old inmate up to be the first person executed in the state since the Covid-19 pandemic began. New cutting-edge DNA evidence excluding Mr. Smith …

Appeals court denies death row inmate request to reopen case
2 years, 8 months ago

Appeals court denies death row inmate request to reopen case

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An appellate court has denied a Tennessee death row inmate’s request to reopen his case after unknown DNA was found. The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals ruled late Thursday that Oscar Smith, 71, “has not presented new scientific evidence establishing that he is actually innocent of the murders of the victims,” The Tennessean reported. Earlier this month, …

Tennessee death row inmate seeks to halt execution next week over DNA evidence
2 years, 8 months ago

Tennessee death row inmate seeks to halt execution next week over DNA evidence

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors …

Tennessee inmate seeks execution halt over DNA evidence
2 years, 8 months ago

Tennessee inmate seeks execution halt over DNA evidence

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee death row inmate asked the state Supreme Court on Thursday to vacate his execution date so that an appeals court could review new evidence in his case. Earlier this month, Smith asked the Davidson County Criminal Court to reopen his case after a new type of DNA analysis found the DNA of an unknown person …

Inmate reverses request for execution, says he wants appeal
2 years, 8 months ago

Inmate reverses request for execution, says he wants appeal

Associated Press  

— A Mississippi death row inmate has told a judge under oath that he wants to continue appealing his case, months after saying he wanted to give up his appeals and request an execution date. George County Circuit Court Judge Kathy King Jackson issued an order Monday noting the current wishes of the inmate, Blayde Nathaniel Grayson. Grayson’s attorney, David …

Hearing set for Mississippi inmate who sought execution date
2 years, 9 months ago

Hearing set for Mississippi inmate who sought execution date

Associated Press  

— A Mississippi judge will hold a hearing next month to determine if a death row inmate truly wants to request an execution date and if the inmate is mentally competent to waive appeals in the case. In court papers filed Monday, a special assistant state attorney general said the hearing for Blayde Nathaniel Grayson is scheduled for April 7 …

Man executed for 1996 killing after Supreme Court clears way
2 years, 10 months ago

Man executed for 1996 killing after Supreme Court clears way

Associated Press  

ATMORE, Ala. — Alabama executed an inmate by lethal injection for a 1996 murder on Thursday after a divided U.S. Supreme Court sided with the state and rejected defense claims the man had an intellectual disability that cost him a chance to choose a less “torturous,” yet untried, execution method. In 2018, Alabama death row inmates had a chance to …

Appeals court paves the way for 2 more Oklahoma executions
2 years, 10 months ago

Appeals court paves the way for 2 more Oklahoma executions

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal appeals court rejected a request from two Oklahoma death row inmates to temporarily halt their upcoming lethal injections. The two have argued that the state’s current three-drug lethal injection protocol that uses midazolam as the first drug will expose them to a constitutionally unacceptable risk of severe pain. The judge also determined that Grant and …

Federal court rejects Oklahoma death row inmates appeal
3 years, 1 month ago

Federal court rejects Oklahoma death row inmates appeal

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal by four Oklahoma inmates to stay their executions scheduled over the next three months, including a planned lethal injection next week that has drawn international attention. Jen Moreno, an attorney for the four death row inmates, called the ruling “inexplicable.” “We’re kind of in the process of figuring out …

Tennessee death row inmate resentenced after racism claim
3 years, 1 month ago

Tennessee death row inmate resentenced after racism claim

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A judge on Tuesday resentenced a Tennessee death row inmate to life in prison for the second time in two years, after finding the man’s trial was marred by racism during jury selection. The 2019 resentencing came after Abdur’Rahman, who is Black, petitioned to reopen his case, presenting evidence that prosecutors at his trial treated Black potential …

Federal appeals court temporarily halts Oklahoma executions
3 years, 1 month ago

Federal appeals court temporarily halts Oklahoma executions

Associated Press  

OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal appeals court granted stays of execution on Wednesday for two Oklahoma inmates who were scheduled to receive lethal injections in the coming weeks. The panel wrote, “We find nothing in the relevant case law that specifically requires a prisoner to designate a method of execution to be used in his case by ‘checking a box’ …

Willie B. Smith III: Alabama death row inmate is executed nearly 30 years after murder conviction
3 years, 2 months ago

Willie B. Smith III: Alabama death row inmate is executed nearly 30 years after murder conviction

CNN  

CNN — Alabama death row inmate Willie B. Smith III was executed Thursday night, the state attorney general’s office announced, after the US Supreme Court declined to hear an 11th-hour appeal. “The family of Sharma Johnson has had to wait 29 years, 11 months, and 25 days to see the sentence of Sharma’s murderer be carried out,” state Attorney General …

Supreme Court allows Dustin Higgs' execution over dissents by Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer.
54 years, 11 months ago

Supreme Court allows Dustin Higgs' execution over dissents by Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer.

Slate  

On Friday night, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority bent a series of bedrock rules to ensure the immediate execution of Dustin Higgs. Several hours later, Higgs became the thirteenth victim of the Trump administration’s quest to revive the federal death penalty after a moratorium of nearly two decades. But Higgs was sentenced by a federal court in Maryland, which abolished …

Tennessee inmate’s execution put on hold due to COVID-19
4 years ago

Tennessee inmate’s execution put on hold due to COVID-19

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Supreme Court on Thursday indefinitely postponed the execution of death row inmate Byron Black. In a brief order issued on Thursday, the court wrote that Black’s execution is stayed pending a further order by the court “because of the multiple issues caused by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.” Black was convicted by a Nashville court of …

Tennessee governor gives death row inmate temporary reprieve
4 years, 1 month ago

Tennessee governor gives death row inmate temporary reprieve

Associated Press  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Gov. Lee granted one in July to Harold Nichols, and the Tennessee Supreme Court issued two earlier reprieves to Oscar Smith and Byron Black. Payne’s attorneys have also said he should not be executed because he is intellectually disabled, and the U.S. Supreme Court has said that executing those with intellectual disabilities violates the U.S. Constitution. …

US appeals to proceed with 1st federal execution in 17 years
4 years, 5 months ago

US appeals to proceed with 1st federal execution in 17 years

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Determined to proceed with the first federal execution in nearly two decades, the Justice Department plans to appeal a judge’s ruling that would halt authorities from carrying it out on Monday. But Chief District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson ruled Friday that the execution would be put on hold because the family’s concern about the pandemic, which has killed more …

Supreme Court refuses to block upcoming federal executions
4 years, 5 months ago

Supreme Court refuses to block upcoming federal executions

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday refused to block the execution of four federal prison inmates who are scheduled to be put to death in July and August. We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes, and to the families left behind, to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system.” The federal government’s initial effort …

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