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'RAT Heads Explode as Florida legislators approve measure to speed up executions
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patriotgames@democrathallofshame.com http://www.democrathallofshame.com
Apr 30, 2013, 8:14:37 AM4/30/13
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/29/us-usa-florida-deathpenalty-idUSBRE93S0UT20130429
Florida legislators approve measure to speed up executions
TALLAHASSEE, Florida | Mon Apr 29, 2013
(Reuters) - The Florida Senate sent Governor Rick Scott a package of
capital-punishment reforms on Monday designed to prevent condemned
killers from spending decades on Death Row, despite warnings that
speeding up the legal appeals process could lead to innocent prisoners
being executed.
The "Timely Justice Act" sets deadlines for condemned killers to file
appeals, and for the state to proceed with issuing warrants after the
Florida Supreme Court upholds death sentences.
It also sets competency standards for lawyers handling cases. To
reduce the number of appeals alleging incompetent counsel, any
attorney twice found to have provided "constitutionally deficient
representation" will be suspended from handling death appeals for five
years.
"Is swift justice fair justice?" asked Democratic party Senator
Arthenia Joyner, a Tampa attorney who voted against the bill. "We have
seen cases where, years later, convicted people were exonerated," she
said.
"I don't see the reason for the swiftness, especially with DNA
evidence that can exonerate," said Senator Maria Sachs, who is also an
attorney and a Democrat.
But Republican Senator Rob Bradley said, "this is not about guilt or
innocence, it's about timely justice." Frivolous appeals designed only
for delay are not fair to victims and their families, he said.
The act also requires the state Supreme Court to make annual reports
to the Legislature on how many capital appeals have been pending more
than three years. Attorneys found to have provided incompetent counsel
would also be reported to the Florida Bar.
"Only God can judge," Matt Gaetz, a Republican who sponsored the bill
in the House of Representatives, said last week during House debate.
"But we sure can set up the meeting."
The House passed Gaetz's bill 84-34 last week. Governor Scott, a
conservative Republican, is expected to sign the changes into law.
Florida has 400 men and five women currently under death sentence,
with the next execution set for May 29. Gaetz and backers of his bill
said 155 have been on Death Row for more than 20 years and 10 have
been there more than 35 years.
Staff analysis of Gaetz's bill said the average time between sentence
and execution, since Florida resumed executions in 1979, has been 13
years. The state has carried out 75 warrants in that time, second only
to Texas, which has executed 496 convicted killers since 1976.
Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington,
D.C., said 33 states currently have capital punishment, but Maryland
is set to abolish it when that state's governor signs a repeal law
this week. Five states have repealed the death penalty in the past six
years, Dieter said.
"There's been a trend away from capital punishment," said Dieter. "The
number of sentences imposed in the country has declined by 75 percent
since 1990 and only nine states carried out an execution last year."
State Senator Darren Soto tried on Friday to raise the required jury
vote from seven to 10 for death penalties. He said Florida is the only
state allowing juries to recommend death by a simple majority of 7 to
5. He said Alabama is the only other state allowing non-unanimous
death recommendations, which he said require 10 votes there.
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Tim Howard, Tom Sr, Tom Wheat
Florida legislators approve measure to speed up executions
TALLAHASSEE, Florida | Mon Apr 29, 2013
(Reuters) - The Florida Senate sent Governor Rick Scott a package of
capital-punishment reforms on Monday designed to prevent condemned
killers from spending decades on Death Row, despite warnings that
speeding up the legal appeals process could lead to innocent prisoners
being executed.
The "Timely Justice Act" sets deadlines for condemned killers to file
appeals, and for the state to proceed with issuing warrants after the
Florida Supreme Court upholds death sentences.
It also sets competency standards for lawyers handling cases. To
reduce the number of appeals alleging incompetent counsel, any
attorney twice found to have provided "constitutionally deficient
representation" will be suspended from handling death appeals for five
years.
"Is swift justice fair justice?" asked Democratic party Senator
Arthenia Joyner, a Tampa attorney who voted against the bill. "We have
seen cases where, years later, convicted people were exonerated," she
said.
"I don't see the reason for the swiftness, especially with DNA
evidence that can exonerate," said Senator Maria Sachs, who is also an
attorney and a Democrat.
But Republican Senator Rob Bradley said, "this is not about guilt or
innocence, it's about timely justice." Frivolous appeals designed only
for delay are not fair to victims and their families, he said.
The act also requires the state Supreme Court to make annual reports
to the Legislature on how many capital appeals have been pending more
than three years. Attorneys found to have provided incompetent counsel
would also be reported to the Florida Bar.
"Only God can judge," Matt Gaetz, a Republican who sponsored the bill
in the House of Representatives, said last week during House debate.
"But we sure can set up the meeting."
The House passed Gaetz's bill 84-34 last week. Governor Scott, a
conservative Republican, is expected to sign the changes into law.
Florida has 400 men and five women currently under death sentence,
with the next execution set for May 29. Gaetz and backers of his bill
said 155 have been on Death Row for more than 20 years and 10 have
been there more than 35 years.
Staff analysis of Gaetz's bill said the average time between sentence
and execution, since Florida resumed executions in 1979, has been 13
years. The state has carried out 75 warrants in that time, second only
to Texas, which has executed 496 convicted killers since 1976.
Richard Dieter of the Death Penalty Information Center in Washington,
D.C., said 33 states currently have capital punishment, but Maryland
is set to abolish it when that state's governor signs a repeal law
this week. Five states have repealed the death penalty in the past six
years, Dieter said.
"There's been a trend away from capital punishment," said Dieter. "The
number of sentences imposed in the country has declined by 75 percent
since 1990 and only nine states carried out an execution last year."
State Senator Darren Soto tried on Friday to raise the required jury
vote from seven to 10 for death penalties. He said Florida is the only
state allowing juries to recommend death by a simple majority of 7 to
5. He said Alabama is the only other state allowing non-unanimous
death recommendations, which he said require 10 votes there.
--
The DemocRATs Hall of Shame©!
http://www.democrathallofshame.com/
12,000+ Buckwheat & DemocRAT Pics!
Over 17 Million Hits Since 2/10!
4/17/13: Galleries Updated!
Nearly 500 New OBAMA & 'RAT Cartoons Added!
FREE Windows® Gadgets!
Learn the TRUTH about: Bradley K Sherman, Bret Cahill, Dakota, David Johnston, Kevin Cunningham,
Kurt Lochner, Jay Herblock, Lamont Cranston, Lee Curtis, LiberalHere, Lookout, Lickin Ass' and
Fakin' Military Service, Lubow, Mitchel Holman, Ramon Herrera, Ray Fischer, Rightardia, RobW,
Roneal, Sanders Kaufman, ShittingDuck, Sid9, SilentOtto, Sir Gay, Tater Gumfries, Tim Crowley,
Tim Howard, Tom Sr, Tom Wheat
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