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Maryland governor seeks to abolish death penalty
The governor of the eastern US state of Maryland said Tuesday he will present a bill to abolish the death penalty. If the legislation passes, Maryland would become the 18th state in America to do away with capital punishment. The bill will be formally presented next week. Governor Martin O’Malley,…
Record 111 countries vote against death penalty at UN
A record 111 countries voted Thursday for a moratorium on capital punishment at a keynote UN General Assembly human rights meeting. Although not legally binding, campaigners say the vote held every two years sends a strong signal to the slowly shrinking number of nations — including China, Iran and the…
Record-breaking support expected for UN anti-death penalty vote
A record number of countries are expected to back a UN General Assembly call for a moratorium on capital punishment on Thursday, diplomats said. The vote held every two years now sees the likes of the United States, Japan, China, Iran and Iraq stuck in a shrinking minority as pressure…
Report: Only 9 states carried out executions in 2012
WASHINGTON — Only nine of the 50 US states carried out executions in 2012, the fewest in 20 years and the latest indication of a decline in the use of capital punishment, a report said Tuesday. The study by the Death Penalty Information Center found that the number of new…
Science ‘lacking’ on whether death penalty deters murder
WASHINGTON — Scientific research to date provides no useful conclusion on whether the death penalty reduces or boosts the murder rate, said a report by the US National Academy of Sciences on Wednesday. A committee of scientists reviewed research done over the past 35 years and found it was “not…
Japan executes first prisoners since 2010
Japan resumed its use of capital punishment after a 20-month break on Thursday, with an unapologetic government minister signing death warrants for three multiple murderers. The convicts went to the gallows on the orders of the justice minister, who said he was acting in line with public opinion, which overwhelmingly supports the death penalty.…
U.S. among worst offenders in annual death penalty report
The United States placed fifth overall on a list of nations that executed the most people in 2011, according to human rights advocacy group Amnesty International. Amnesty, which compiles its report every year, opposes capital punishment in all circumstances, regardless of allegations against those facing the death penalty. It noted…
Study finds death penalty use in decline
(Reuters) – Use of the death penalty has fallen to its lowest level since capital punishment was reinstated in the United States in 1976, according to a report released on Thursday by a nonprofit that tracks death penalty data. The Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center reported a 75 percent drop…
Capital punishment slowly loses ground in U.S.
WASHINGTON — With a new moratorium on the death penalty in Oregon and a drop in the number of death sentences and executions, capital punishment is slowly losing ground in the United States. Oregon governor John Fitzhaber announced on Tuesday that the northwestern state will halt executions at least until…
Oregon becomes latest state to halt executions
LOS ANGELES — The governor of Oregon announced a halt to executions in the northwestern US state, the latest to drop capital punishment as a penal option. Governor John Kitzhaber issued a temporary reprieve for a prisoner due to die next month, and said he would allow no more executions…
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