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Prosecutor may seek death penalty in Cleveland kidnapping case
A US prosecutor warned Thursday that he will seek to press charges that carry the death penalty against a man accused of kidnapping three women, raping them and forcibly ending their pregnancies. Ariel Castro, a 52-year-old unemployed bus driver, has already been charged with kidnapping and raping the women over…
Syrian president’s new amnesty offer waives death penalty for war crimes
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has issued a general amnesty for crimes committed in the war-torn country prior to Tuesday, state news agency SANA reported. “President Assad has issued decree number 23, granting a general amnesty for crimes committed before April 16, 2013,” said the agency. Under the decree, “the death…
Colorado theater shooter may plead guilty to avoid death penalty
James Holmes, the suspected gunman in America’s Aurora theater massacre, could plead guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty, lawyers cited by local media said Wednesday. The 25-year-old is due in court Monday for a hearing at which prosecutors are expected to say whether they will seek the death…
India’s President approves death penalty in some rape cases
India’s president on Sunday approved harsher punishments for rapists, including the death penalty, after a brutal gang-rape in New Delhi sparked national outrage and triggered demands for tougher laws. President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the new rape law two days after cabinet ministers recommended changes to improve safety…
Fort Hood shooter loses bid to avoid death penalty
An army psychiatrist accused of massacring 13 people at Fort Hood has once again lost a bid to have the death penalty taken off the table, a military judge ruled Wednesday. Colonel Tara Osborn denied the request in a hearing on the sprawling Texas army base where Major Nidal Hasan…
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…
Army to seek death penalty for U.S. soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan villagers
Military prosecutors will seek the death penalty for a US soldier accused of killing 16 villagers in southern Afghanistan in March, an army spokesman said Wednesday. Staff Sergeant Robert Bales is to face a full court martial authorized to sentence him to a maximum penalty of death, the military decided…
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…
Californians continue to call for end of death penalty despite failure of Prop 34
Fifty-three percent called this week for capital punishment to continue in the state, but opposition appears to be growing A renewed battle to repeal the death penalty in California has begun, days after residents voted to keep capital punishment in the state. Proposition 34 – which would have seen capital…
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