Archive for

July, 2012



Too Much Pain

In the wake of the Aurora, Colorado, tragedy last week, the public’s attention has been focused on the senseless loss of life, the devastation of the victims’ families, and the ongoing recovery of those injured. Our hearts break as we listen to grieving family members share wonderful stories about their loved ones, murdered while enjoying a night at the movies. We cannot imagine the pain, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with these families.

In a recent NBC News article, JoNel Aleccia reminds us that there are other people involved in these tragedies who are hurting too, though the attention they often get is quite different from the experience of the victims and their families.  These are the families of the killers, who are often the targets of blame and who are ostracized by their communities.

Renny Cushing, founder and executive director of Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights (MVFHR), explains in the article how families of murderers suffer in a different way than those who lose loved ones to violence. “I became really painfully aware of the ostracism that takes place,” said Cushing, whose father was murdered in 1988 and whose brother-in-law was murdered in 2011. “Immediately, there’s this thought that families must have done something to cause this, that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“Families of murderers are grief-stricken after such a tragedy, but, unlike the families of the victims, they may feel they have no right to their feelings,” said Bud Welch, whose 23-year-old daughter, Julie, was killed in the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995. Welch reached out to Bill McVeigh, the father of Timothy McVeigh who was executed in 2001 for the bombings. “Bill McVeigh can never say anything publicly about anything Tim did that was nice.”

Welch is a member of MVFHR and also personally offers support for the families of those who murder. He has met with the parents of Eric Harris, one of the Columbine shooters, and is thinking of reaching out to the victims of the Aurora shootings- both the injured and the families of those killed, as well as the family of James Holmes. “These family members in Aurora, they’re going through so much grief. They need so much help,” he said. “The family of shooter? God only knows they’re going through hell, too.”

This article is an important reminder to all of us that the families of these individuals who destroy so many lives are also affected and devastated by the actions of their loved ones. Though they do not commit the crimes, they are sometimes treated as if they did.  We are grateful for this article and for the members of  MVFHR, who don’t let themselves forget all those who are suffering in the wake of these tragedies and ask us not to forget either.

(Photo by UPI/Trevor Brown, Jr )

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual claim among men is the erectile malfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Albeit the erectile dysfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile disfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying soundness conditions that can be much dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile dysfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

Southern Baptist Leader Speaks Out Against the Death Penalty

Fisher Humphreys, Professor Emeritus of Divinity at Samford University, a Southern Baptist college in Birmingham, Alabama, recently voiced his opposition to the death penalty in a blog on the Associated Baptist Press website.

While Humphreys contends that there are thoughtful people and ideas on both sides of the issue, he remains unconvinced of the arguments of death penalty supporters. He cites research that disproves capital punishment acts as an effective deterrent and argues that life imprisonment can prevent dangerous people from committing further crimes. He disputes the notion that the Bible instructs society to kill those who they feel deserve to die, saying that “it is all right for society to treat people better than they deserve. God does that with us all. It’s called grace.”

He also acknowledges that while certain victims find comfort in the death penalty, many others do not and actually oppose the death penalty. He voices his concern about the real risk of innocence, the unfair application of death sentences, the enormous cost of the system, as well as his distrust of the government to administer the death penalty.

Increasingly around the country, more conservative religious leaders like Humphreys are demonstrating that the death penalty system is so riddled with problems that people of all political and religious backgrounds should be concerned. TADP applauds his willingness to highlight these concerns and his call for repeal.

(Photo courtesy of mupress.org)

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual complaint among men is the erectile malfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong soundness problem such as core trouble. Albeit the erectile disfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile dysfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying health conditions that can be very dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile dysfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

Executions of Inmates with Mental Impairments Continue

Although Ford v. Wainwright and Atkins v. Virginia made it unconstitutional to execute the insane or those who suffer an intellectual disability, it is clear that states continue to do so. Yesterday, Texas executed Yokamon Hearn, despite the fact that he had brain damage since childhood and suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome- mitigating evidence that trial attorneys failed to investigate and present in court.

Hearn was the first inmate to be put to death in Texas via a single dose of the sedative pentobarbital. Texas followed other states such as Ohio, Arizona, Idaho, and Washington in using this single-drug procedure. Execution states have been having a tough time acquiring the necessary drugs to maintain the traditional three-drug lethal injection as European drug manufacturers have banned their products from being used for execution and the FDA has been ordered to crack down on importation of unapproved drugs.

Georgia is the latest state to announce that they will also switch to the one-drug protocol starting with Warren Hill, who is now scheduled to be executed on Monday, July 23. Hill’s appeals have been denied and it looks as though the state will put him to death, even though a lower court judge ruled him to be intellectually disabled and many jurors have spoken out that they would not have sentenced him to death had they known of the history of his abuse and intellectual disability.

Texas has also set an execution date of August 1 for Marcus Druery even though lawyers and prison officials question his sanity. Texas Defender Service Kate Black explained that Druery is not competent and his execution would be unconstitutional. “The state’s own experts have diagnosed him as having paranoid and disorganized schizophrenia. He’s been housed in the psychiatric unit. So, they’re well aware of his irrationality, and yet have still sought an execution date in this case.” A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 24 where a court will decide whether a full competency investigation is needed.

(Photo courtesy of Lethalinjection.org)

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual claim among men is the erectile dysfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as heart trouble. Albeit the erectile disfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile dysfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying health conditions that can be much dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile dysfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

Recent Calls for Clemency Highlight Arbitrariness of Death Penalty

Last week, Ohio Governor John Kasich granted clemency to John Eley, an inmate that was scheduled to be executed on July 26 for the 1986 killing of Ihsan Aydah, a store owner in Youngstown. In addition to thousands of petition signers urging the governor to spare Eley’s life, the lead detective who investigated the murder, the prosecutor who sought the death penalty in his case, and a judge who handed down the sentence all called for an alternative sentence for Eley.

In addition to Eley’s limited mental capacity, prosecutors had used the death penalty as a way to threaten Eley into testifying against the mastermind of the crime, Melvin Green, but he refused to do so. Governor Kasich took these factors into consideration and reduced Eley’s sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.  This overruled the Ohio Parole Board, which recommended against clemency in a 5-3 ruling in June. The three members who supported Eley’s clemency said that he is not the “worst of the worst” killers, and pointed to other cases of convenience store robbers who committed more serious crimes but did not receive death sentences. They believed the crime would not have happened without Green, who was acquitted in a separate trial.

Last week we wrote about the case of Warren Hill, a Georgia inmate who is scheduled to be executed on July 18th despite the fact that a lower court judge found him to be intellectually disabled by a “preponderance of the evidence.” However, Georgia is the only state requiring defendants prove their mental disability “beyond a reasonable doubt.”  The Georgia Supreme Court and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Hill’s death sentence, arguing that Hill failed to reach this high standard of proof, and that executing him will not violate the landmark Atkins v. Virgina decision because that law left the authority to determine one’s intellectual capacity up to the state legislatures.

Several jurors who sat on Hill’s original jury have since spoken out and said that they would have sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole had they been given a choice at the time, especially after learning of the evidence of his intellectual disability and history of childhood abuse.  Sadly, if Hill would have been a defendant in another state, he would not be facing execution. The last plea was to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. Unfortunately, TADP just learned that Hill’s clemency request was denied today.

Yokamon Hearn is a Texas inmate also scheduled to be executed on July 18, even though there is evidence that he has had brain damage since he was a young child, and suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Hearn’s trial attorneys failed to investigate and present his mental health issues which likely would have provided enough mitigating evidence that jurors would have decided on a different sentence.

These cases are just a few examples out of many around our country that demonstrate the arbitrariness of the death penalty system. They show that all too often, those with mental illness and intellectual disability are the ones who end up on death row, while others who commit similar crimes receive vastly different sentences.  How is this justice?

(photo courtesy of storagesanity)

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual complaint among men is the erectile malfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Albeit the erectile disfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile disfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying health conditions that can be very dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile dysfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

Conservative Group Launches Death Penalty Repeal Website

new site launched by “Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty” demonstrates that capital punishment is no longer a partisan issue. Numerous Republicans around Montana recognize that the death penalty is a broken system that cannot be repaired and advocate for alternative sentencing.

On their website, you will find issues surrounding the death penalty that trouble these conservatives including: the extreme cost of maintaining the system, the chance for redemption, their pro-life stance, the risk of innocence, as well as concern about murder victims’ family members being dragged through a long, painful process.

They also include a list of notable conservatives, both in and outside of Montana, that are concerned about the death penalty. We applaud this organization for acknowledging and highlighting the many flaws in the death penalty system and their call for reform.

(Photo courtesy of zuzeeko.com)

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual complaint among men is the erectile dysfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile malfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as soul trouble. Albeit the erectile malfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile dysfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying health conditions that can be very dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile dysfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

Georgia to Execute “More Likely Than Not” Inmate with Intellectual Disability

Georgia officials have scheduled a one-week window, beginning July 18 at noon, for the execution of intellectually disabled inmate Warren Hill for the murder of fellow inmate, Joseph Handspike, in 1990. Despite a state judge’s ruling that, under lower standards of proof, Hill indeed was intellectually disabled, the Georgia Supreme Court overruled the decision in 2003, which was upheld by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.

The execution date comes in the wake of a long legal battle over Georgia’s statute for determining if a defendant is intellectually disabled. Today, Georgia is the only state to require that defendants demonstrate their intellectual disability “beyond a reasonable doubt.” In the 2003 Georgia Supreme Court ruling, the majority justices argued that because Hill failed to clear the state’s highest bar of proof, Hill should not be exempted. The 11th Circuit’s decision concurred with this argument, contending that to be in compliance with Atkins v. Virginia (2002) the federal law “mandates that this federal court leave the Georgia Supreme Court decision alone — even if we believe it incorrect or unwise” because the authority to determine one’s intellectual capacity is given to state legislatures.

The federal abdication to state legislatures and the conflicting rulings on Hill’s intellectual capacity throughout this process demonstrate the arbitrariness in determining who is fit to be executed. While Hill may be determined to be fit for execution in Georgia, in another state, he might be protected from this sentence. This arbitrariness seems to be inconsistent with our Constitutional notions of fairness and equality before the law. Bill Kammer, one of Hill’s lawyers, said that “executing Warren Hill, a 52-year-old man whom a court has found to be more likely than not mentally retarded, would be a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

Hill’s lawyers will present to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles on Friday, July 13 at 9:00am. Please take action by signing this petition. The deadline for signatures is Thursday, July 12.

Photo courtesy of News One

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual complaint among men is the erectile dysfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Albeit the erectile disfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile dysfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying soundness conditions that can be extremely dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile malfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

North Carolina Racial Justice Act Update

We regret to report that on Monday, the North Carolina Legislature voted to override Governor Beverly Perdue’s veto of SB 416, a law that essentially guts the Racial Justice Act (RJA) – legislation that had allowed death row inmates to challenge their sentences by using statistics that proved racial bias played a role in their cases. The House voted 72-48 to reject the governor’s veto less than two hours after the Senate’s 31-11 vote on the bill.

Sarah Preston, Policy Director for the ACLU-North Carolina criticized the override, saying “This is a sad day for justice and for North Carolina. By gutting the Racial Justice Act, our legislature has turned its back on the overwhelming evidence of racial bias in our state’s death penalty system. Politicians have decided they would rather sweep disturbing information under the rug than work to ensure that racial bias plays no role in North Carolina’s death penalty.”

(Photo of NC Capitol courtesy of Ron’s View)

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual complaint among men is the erectile malfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Albeit the erectile disfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile malfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying health conditions that can be highly dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile malfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

NC Governor Vetoes Racial Justice Act Rollback

On Saturday, North Carolina Governor, Beverly Perdue, decided to veto the bill delivered to her by the North Carolina Legislature that would undermine the Racial Justice Act (RJA), a law in North Carolina that allows death row inmates to challenge their sentences based on statewide evidence of racial bias.

This is the second time that Governor Perdue has decided to veto legislation that would diminish the scope of the RJA, her first veto being in December of 2011. However, the political landscape has shifted in North Carolina with the current Legislature passing this most recent bill with enough support to override the Governor’s veto. The Senate is expected to vote on repealing the Governor’s veto today, and the House is expected to either follow or vote on Tuesday.

Despite the possibility of an overriding vote, Governor Perdue stood firmly by her convictions that the RJA was essential to ensure equality and fairness in the North Carolina justice system. In her statement about vetoing the legislation, Perdue said “It is simply unacceptable for racial prejudice to play a role in the imposition of the death penalty in North Carolina.”

Regardless of the outcome, we applaud Governor Perdue and all the advocates of North Carolina who are working to protect the gains of the RJA as a way towards a more equitable justice system for all.

Photo courtesy of the Watauga-Democrat

Fairly, there are numerous aspects you would like to think about medications. All discount medicaments save money, but few online drugstores offer better deals than other online drugstores. There isn’t anything you can’t order online anymore. Remedies like Deltasone ordinarily is used to treat diseases such as eye problems. Glucocorticoids naturally occurring steroids, which are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. There are varied drugs for every conditions. Cialis is a remedy prescribed to treat many illnesses. What do you already know about long term side effects of cialis? What consumers talk about how long does it take for cialis to take effect? A general sexual appeal among men is the erectile malfunction. Sexual problems mostly signal deeper problems: low libido or erectile disfunction can be the symptom a strong health problem such as core trouble. Albeit the erectile malfunction itself isn’t necessarily dangerous, erectile malfunction is sometimes one of the early warning symptoms of other underlying health conditions that can be very much dangerous. Unfortunately nearly all over-the-counter medicines have sometimes dangerous aftereffects, from muscle aches to death. If you buy any erectile disfunction medicaments like Cialis, check with a physician that they are sure to take with your other drugs. Do not take unwanted medications. Take Cialis to your local chemist’s shop which will dispose of them for you.

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