Tag: Death penalty

The Death Penalty Debate: Kamala Harris and Executions


Five executed in one week. Kamala Harris silent

September 2024

After spending one and a half hours unsuccessfully trying to find a vein, sticking the needle into various parts of his body including arms, neck and feet, they suspended the prisoner upside down for 20 minutes in the hope of finding one but failed to execute him and returned him to his cell. Two years later they used nitrogen hypoxia after which he shook for 2 minutes and after six minutes of gulping, he died. Thus ended the life of Allan Eugene Miller on Thursday last week (26th September).

This is not a description of an execution from some barely civilised country but in USA in the state of Alabama. It was one of 5 executions last week the others being Emmanuel Littlejohn; Travis Mullis; Marcel Williams and Freddie Owens.

The case of Marcel Williams, 55, is particularly troubling since he was almost certainly innocent. Despite copious blood at the scene, none matched his DNA. Key evidence was either lost or destroyed. Witnesses had an incentive to give false evidence to receive a $10,000 reward.

Republican prosecutors seemed to have become more aggressive in pushing for the ultimate penalty. This may be linked to current politics and ‘Make America Great Again‘ rhetoric from Donald Trump. During his time as president, he altered the composition of the Supreme Court which now has an ultra-right super-majority.

Anyone who has followed Clive Stafford-Smith or read his books will know the process is far from perfect in many states in the Union. Poor trial procedures, withheld evidence, packed juries and defendants represented by inexperienced lawyers are not at all unusual. Many states have abandoned the death penalty but a number still keep it of which Alabama is one. It is no accident that despite only representing 13% of the population, 34% of black people are on death row.

There are many who believe the penalty is a deterrent. The problem of course is that mistakes cannot be put right. As the Death Penalty Information Center points out, since 1973, 200 former death row prisoners have been found innocent of all charges.

The issue has become a political one. It has been noted that Kamala Harris, the deputy president standing for election to become the president this November, makes no mention of abolition in her speeches or literature. She opposed the penalty in 2019. However, the promise to do so has not survived. This shift partly results from a change of mood following some high profile police murders. Trump is solidly in favour as part of his ‘tough on crime’ policy. There is a lot of discussion in the American press and there are suggestions that such a principled stand was not popular even with fellow Democrats.

Sources: Death Penalty Information Center; Washington Post; The Guardian; NBC; Amnesty International; Mother Jones.

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Celebration – of sorts


Hakamada Iwao acquitted after 56 years in prison

September 2024

We tend to think of Japan as a modern democracy and a sophisticated society having cast off the problems of its warlike past. It is a G7 nation and enjoyed a post war boom leading to considerable commercial success. But there are elements of the society which have not changed one of which is the legal system.

Japan still has the death penalty a particular cruel feature of which is that prisoners do not know of their execution until a few hours before it takes place.

The news that the Appeal court in Japan has declared Hakamada Iwao as innocent has been a long time in coming – 56 years in fact. Hakamada was convicted of murdering his boss in 1966. He spent a staggering 46 years on death row. Much of it was in solitary. The only problem was that he is almost certainly innocent. Key evidence was fabricated. He was forced to sign a confession after 20 days of intense interrogation and beatings by the police. He was not allowed a lawyer.

Bloodstained clothing – a key element in the prosecution’s case – turned out not to be Hakamada’s blood. It may have been planted. There are many things wrong with the whole process and further details can be found on the background provided by Amnesty. The role of the police was a key part of the miscarriage of justice. This led to probably the longest death sentence ever. Historically, this was a familiar story in the UK with forced confessions after long hours of interrogation. It led to the introduction of PACE which has led to improvements in police practice here.

One of the problems is the attitude of the Japanese public. It is reported that 80% of the Japanese are in support of the penalty. It is unlikely therefore that change will happen quickly.

Although it is encouraging to see Hakamada exonerated from this crime, the case raises several concerns. The use of the death penalty which, had he been executed, would have resulted in the state killing an innocent man. As in all these cases of police coercion, the real killer(s) have never been found or prosecuted. It also reveals a legal system which seems amazingly slow both to act and ultimately acquit. It also seems reluctant to admit mistakes. Finally, his treatment in prison with years spent in solitary confinement are unreasonably cruel. Altogether, this does not reflect well on the Japanese state.

The local group has campaigned for many years and it is gratifying to see some kind of justice at last for this man.

Sources: Amnesty, Guardian, BBC

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Group minutes: September


September 2024

We are pleased to attach the minutes of our group meeting in September 2024 – thanks to group member Lesley for preparing them. The minutes contain a lot of interest including future group actions (see the last page). We are celebrating our formation 50 years ago and we shall be holding a brief photo op in Salisbury market square on 3 October near the Guildhall. All supporters and those with an interest in human rights are welcome to come.

We are 50 this year!

Note that we are no longer on X due to its recent history but we do have a presence on Mastodon with the handle @SalisburyAmnesty

Amnesty Minutes – September 2024Download

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Death penalty report


September 2024

We are pleased to attach the latest death penalty report covering the period mid-August to mid-September thanks to group member Lesley for the work in preparing it. Note as ever that China does not appear in the report despite being the world’s largest executioner as details of executions are a state secret.

Report August – September (Word)Download
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Death penalty report


Latest death penalty report for mid July – August

August 2024

We are pleased to attach the latest monthly report on the state of the death penalty around the world thanks to group member Lesley for her work in compiling it. Note as ever that China does not feature where the use of the penalty is a state secret and who are believed to execute more of their citizens than the rest of the world combined.

Report: July – August (Word)Download
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Death penalty report


Death penalty report for June – July

July 2024

We are pleased to attach the latest report on this topic thanks to group member Lesley for the work involved in its preparation. Although China is mentioned in the report, details of the numbers executed are a state secret. It is believed they execute more of its citizens than the rest of the world combined.

Report, June – July (mid) WordDownload
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Alabama’s third execution this year


Many troubling aspects to this case. Urgent action with full details available here

July 2024

Keith Gavin is scheduled to be executed in Alabama next week on 18 July 2024. He was convicted in 1999 of a murder committed in 1998 and sentenced to death on a jury vote of 10-2 for the death penalty. In 2020, a federal judge found that his legal representation at the sentencing phase had been constitutionally inadequate, but in 2022 the Court of Appeals reversed this decision. International legal standards require that anyone facing the death penalty be provided effective legal assistance at all stages of the case. This standard was not met. We urge the Governor to commute this death sentence.

There are a number of troubling aspects to this case not least the poor and ill-prepared defence (defense) he received. After the trial, appeal lawyers discovered much mitigation evidence not heard by the jury, including multiple psychological risk factors from Keith Gavin’s childhood and adolescence, including his exposure to violence at home and in the community. He was one of 12 siblings growing up in a dilapidated apartment in Chicago’s notorious public housing projects; his closest siblings all had histories of incarceration and drug dependencies. He was subjected to more paternal beatings than the others because he “accepted responsibilities for things he had not done because he felt he was strong enough to accept the whippings”. Outside the home, the exposure to violence took the form of pervasive gang activity. Seven of the 12 children ultimately joined gangs, and several became victims of gang violence.

The Governor of Alabama said “Although I have no current plans to grant clemency in this case, I retain my authority under the Constitution of the State of Alabama to grant a reprieve or commutation, if necessary, at any time before the execution is carried out,” Ivey said in her letter to Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm. (Source: Montgomery Advertiser)

Full details of this case can be accessed here and we urge those reading this to write to the Governor (model letter available) as soon as you can. The US is the only country in the Americas to retain the death penalty.

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Urgent Action: Missouri


Urgent Action for Marcellus Williams who is scheduled to be executed for a crime he did not commit

June 2024

Marcellus Williams is scheduled to be executed on Sept. 24 for a crime DNA evidence proves he did not commit. The St. Louis County prosecuting attorney in Missouri USA, reviewed these DNA results and filed a motion to vacate Mr. Williams’ conviction because he believed the DNA results proved by clear and convincing evidence that Mr. Williams did not commit this crime. Although the circuit court has not yet scheduled a hearing to address this motion — and no court has ever considered the new exculpatory evidence — the Missouri Supreme Court set an execution date for Mr. Williams.

That same DNA evidence led Governor Eric Greitens to convene a board of inquiry and halt Williams’ scheduled execution just hours before he was slated to die. That inquiry later stalled, and Governor Mike Parson disbanded the board before it issued any findings (which led to a lawsuit by the Innocence Project, which still pending).

We have less than 100 days to stop the execution of an innocent person. Add your name to stop this injustice before it’s too late.

Innocence Project post

Sources: Innocent Project; St Louis Post-Despatch; Riverfront Times (Missouri)

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Iran: death penalty overturned


Toomaj Salehi’s death penalty overturned. Rare good news from Iran

June 2024

The Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been spared the death penalty it was reported by Reuters this morning. A number of celebrities have called for his release including Sting. He is not totally out of the woods however since he will be retried and is likely to be sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. His crime was to sing songs in favour of the many protests which have taken place in the country.

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Death penalty urgent actions


June 2024

We have received the following from Amnesty’s Death Penalty project. One concerns attempts by the Republicans in Texas to seek the death penalty for those offering abortions. A second rather distressing post concerns the botched execution attempt of Thomas Creech, one of 9 bungled attempts in the USA in the last 4 years.

Urgent is the case of Ramiro Gonzales who is due to be executed in 6 days on 26th of June. Finally, Toomaj Salehi in Iran, an Iranian rapper who is on death row.

If you are able to take action on at least one of them that would be appreciated. See full details of the above on the link below.

Urgent actions

https://email.amnestyuk.org.uk/c/12h86yI3jySIshFmwHiOQdFIwbXU

Video link

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