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Holder calls for increased use of DNA evidence
US Attorney General Eric Holder instructed federal prosecutors on Thursday to use DNA evidence as much as possible , in a reversal of Bush administration policy. Among the changes, defendants who plead guilty will no longer have to waive their righ (More) |
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Abolishing the death penalty affirms American beliefs
Richard C. Dieter [Executive Director, Death Penalty Information Center]: "A high delegation of U.S. officials recently traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to report to the recently-formed United Nations Human Rights Council concerning our observance of (More) |
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Supreme Court hears arbitration, death penalty cases
The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF; merit briefs] Tuesday in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion [oral arguments transcript, PDF; JURIST report] on whether the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) , (More) |
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UN rights council makes recommendations for US to improve record
The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) issued recommendations Tuesday for the US to align its human rights policies and practices with international standards. The recommendations stem from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) [official website; JURIST (More) |
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Supreme Court vacates habeas petition on state law claim
The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Monday unanimously ruled that lower federal courts may not issue writs of habeas corpus to state prisoners unless their confinement violates federal law. The court overturned a ruling (More) |
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Federal appeals court rules death row inmate must appeal directly to Supreme Court
The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit rejected a petition from Troy Anthony Davis [advocacy website; JURIST news archive] on Friday for a certificate of appealability (COA), ruling that Davis must appeal his case directly to the US Supr (More) |
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DC Circuit orders further review of Guantanamo detainee release order
A three-judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Friday ordered further review of a lower court decision to release Guantanamo Bay detainee Mohamedou Olud Slahi , allegedly linked to the 9/11 terrorist attac (More) |
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US defends rights record at first ever UN review
The US government's human rights record came under criticism Friday during the country's first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) . Among the criticisms leveled at the US were the treatment of detainees at Guanta (More) |
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Guatemala president vetoes legislation reinstating capital punishment
Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom vetoed legislation Thursday that would have reinstated the death penalty. Colom has stated that his government does not believe capital punishment improves a nation's security and has called on the Guatemalan Cong (More) |
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Yemen court sentences Somali pirates to 5 years in prison
A penal court in the Aden province of Yemen on Sunday sentenced a group of 10 Somali pirates to five years in prison. The men were convicted on charges of committing acts of piracy against Yemeni fishing boats. Three other individuals were also tri (More) |
RFK assassin sentenced to death
On April 23, 1969, Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
Review a 1998 statement by Sirhan attorney Larry Teeter claiming Sirhan did not commit the crime. Sirhan was denied parole for the 12th time in March 2003.
