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Canada will not request reprieve for Canadian death row inmate in Montana
Canada's ruling Conservative Party government said Thursday that it will not ask Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer to commute the death sentence of a Canadian-born man on death row in Montana . The announcement marks a sharp departure in Canad (More) |
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Florida Supreme Court upholds state lethal injection procedure
The Florida Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision Thursday upholding the state's lethal injection procedures and rejecting the assertion that the state's protocol constitutes "cruel and unusual punishment." The US Supreme Cou (More) |
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US sees first month without any executions since 2004: AP
Not a single condemned prisoner was executed in the United States in the month of October, the first such month in nearly three years, AP reported Wednesday. Across the US, many states have declared a moratorium on lethal injection executions, pend (More) |
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Federal appeals court rejects Ryan bail request pending corruption appeal
The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled Wednesday that former Illinois Governor George Ryan [defense website; JURIST news archive] could not remain free on bail while he appeals his sentence of corruption and fraud charges. Judge Dian (More) |
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California judge invalidates revised state lethal injection protocol
A California state judge issued a preliminary ruling Tuesday invalidating May revisions to the state lethal injection protocol . Judge Lynn O'Malley Taylor of the Marin County Superior Court said that the proposed changes qualified as a regulat (More) |
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Supreme Court blocks Mississippi lethal injection execution
The US Supreme Court granted a stay of execution to a convicted murderer on Mississippi's death row Tuesday, pending the Court's decision on whether to grant certiorari in the case. Earl Wesley Berry was scheduled to die by lethal injectio (More) |
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Indonesia high court upholds capital punishment in drug smugglers appeal
The Constitutional Court of Indonesia rejected an appeal by five convicted drug smugglers against the death penalty Tuesday, ruling that capital punishment did not violate the Indonesian constitution . Lawyers representing the five had argued that (More) |
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ABA urges nationwide death penalty moratorium
The American Bar Association (ABA) said Monday that there are serious flaws in the fairness and accuracy of several state death penalty systems , and called for a nationwide moratorium on executions . The ABA task force studied eight sample states (More) |
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Former Illinois governor ordered to prison to start serving corruption sentence
Former Illinois Governor George Ryan [defense website, JURIST news archive] was ordered Friday to begin serving a 6 1/2 prison sentence in less than two weeks. US District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer set November 7 as the surrender date for Ryan to (More) |
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Iraq parliament speaker objects to execution of Saddam-era defense minister
Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani Thursday objected to the execution of former Saddam Hussein-era Defense Minister Sultan Hashim Ahmed al-Tai , joining a group of Iraqi political leaders speaking out against the planned execution. Al-Ma (More) |
First execution by guillotine in France
On April 25, 1792, highwayman Nicolas-Jacques Pelletier became the first person beheaded by the guillotine in France.
Learn more about the history of the guillotine.
