Texas Ruling Signals Halt to Executions Indefinitely

New York Times:

Signaling an indefinite halt to executions in Texas, the state's highest criminal appeals court late Tuesday stayed the lethal injection of a 28-year-old Honduran man who was scheduled to be put to death Wednesday.

The reprieve by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals was granted a week after the United States Supreme Court agreed to consider whether a form of lethal injection constituted cruel and unusual punishment barred under the Eighth Amendment. On Thursday, the Supreme Court stepped in to halt a planned execution in Texas at the last minute, and though many legal experts interpreted that as a signal for all states to wait for a final ruling on lethal injection before any further executions, Texas officials said they planned to move ahead with more.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[totalliberal]

04:04 AM on 10/04/2007

Bottom line. Countries that do not have the death penalty have less crime.

Argue that one.

[baylaw73]

06:23 PM on 10/03/2007

One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

[nowaterboardUSA]

01:25 PM on 10/03/2007

A stop to executions FOR THE LONG TERM in Texas? I'll believe it when I see it! Having been a life long resident I know this sad fact: many Texans look on execution like they look on the cowboy - their sacred right and domain.

[RandyRanson]

11:44 AM on 10/03/2007

This must bring a tear to the eye of George W. Bush.

[unclebucky]

11:30 AM on 10/03/2007

We don't need executions anymore, save one or two more some day at the federal level. After legal trials, convictions and court rulings OF COURSE.

With regard to the ordinary person there are two, maybe three reasons people commit crimes:

1. Lack of a thorough, ethical and enthusiastic personal development plan including school, job and financial security.

2. Mental illness and social dominance disorders many of which cannot be cured.

3. False implication and accusation.

4. Poor social planning and lack of a safety net.

And if execution is the only "fix" we can offer, well then we are no better than the Holy Inquisition or the Roman colonial legal system.

Ugh.

--UB.

[PollM]

09:31 AM on 10/03/2007

The subject is most definitely a hard discussion to engage in, as most individuals do not want to put themselves in the position of being the Judge and the executioner. The issue has always been the effectiveness of the system being a deterrent to heinous crimes. With exploding population in prison, is death by lethal injection the answer or is it cruel and unusual? ------> http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=628.

[hugs4u]

10:52 AM on 10/03/2007

Only a few barbaric country still use the death penalty. It is amazing how the far right christian fanatics who keep preaching how sacred life is, don't rise up against the death penalty. But they seem to enjoy watching it the most.

[unclebucky]

11:36 AM on 10/03/2007

Prisons?

I mean, execution is not a deterrent. Otherwise, crime under Gov W would have plummeted, right?

We need not prisons, but:

* Rehabilitation centers
* Centers for societal protection (some people are dangerous to society because they are SICK)
* Better inner city and rural education (right, the burbs don't need better schools?? Like Columbine, right?)
* National Health Care (To which we ALL contribute and from which we all receive proper care)

This dog eat dog mentality is often at the root of many criminal minds. Where did they get from, anyway? Social darwinists, perhaps?

Ugh.

--UB.

[totalliberal]

04:03 AM on 10/04/2007

Bottom line. Countries that do not have the death penalty have less crime.

Argue that one.