Death Penalty News

Former US governor praised for death penalty moratorium is ... International Herald Tribune - France

CHICAGO Former Illinois governor George Ryan, who was acclaimed by capital punishment foes for suspending executions in the state of Illinois and emptying out death row, has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years behind bars in a corruption scandal that ruined his political career.

"When they elected me as the governor of this state, they expected better, and I let 'em down and for that I apologize," the 72-year-old Republican said in court Wednesday before hearing his sentence.

Federal prosecutors had asked for eight to 10 years in prison. Defense attorneys argued that even 2 1/2 years would deprive Ryan of the last healthy years of his life.

Thank God I haven't got the death penalty
Sydney Morning Herald - Sydney,New South Wales,Australia
... "I am quite lucky. It would have been nice to get 20, the same as Renae, but I just thank God that I haven't got the death penalty. ...


Death penalty faces referendum in Wisconsin
Duluth News Tribune - Duluth,MN,USA
... Other states are fine-tuning their death penalty laws. ... In Hudson, Jose Vega is joining a campaign that death penalty foes started last week. ...

China will not abolish death penalty, for now -Wen in Helsinki
Newsroom Finland - Helsinki,Finland
... in Helsinki after the EU-China summit on Saturday that China did not for the time being consider possible the abolition of the country's death penalty. ...


DEATH PENALTY: Jordan Reduces Crimes Eligible for Execution
Inter Press Service (subscription) - Rome,Italy
AMMAN, Sep 8 (IPS) - In lowering the number of crimes for which the death penalty would be eligible, the Jordanian government says it has moved one step closer ...

Minister Says Kyrgyzstan To Abolish Death Penalty Soon
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty - Prague,Czech Republic
September 8, 2006 -- Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Justice Minister says his country will soon abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment. ...

Why idealize death penalty? It's unnecessary to dwell on whether a ...
Pioneer Press - St. Paul,MN,USA
It's unnecessary to dwell on whether a sex offender gets the death penalty or not. ... Why idealize the death penalty? It's barbaric and ineffective. ...