Prosecution witness recants identification of defendant as the assailant The death sentence has been overturned for a former deputy sheriff because of unreliable witness testimony at his penalty trial, the California Supreme Court ruled. The court did uphold his conviction of two murders. David Keith Rogers, 72, was convicted of 1st degree murder in the death of Tracie Clark, and the 2nd degree murder of Janine Benintende some 30 years ago, according to bakersfield.com. The death sentence was overturned July 15 due to the … [Read more...] about Death sentence overturned due to unreliable witness testimony
Death Penalty
CA court upholds death sentence in prison officer murder
The California Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for a man in the death of a prison guard, despite questionable testimony by prosecution witnesses. The case involves Jarvis Masters, one of three Black Guerrilla Family members convicted in 1985 for the killing of Correctional Sgt. Dean Burchfield at San Quentin. Andre Johnson was convicted of stabbing Burchfield to death. Lawrence Woodard was convicted of ordering the killing. And Masters was convicted of helping plan the killing, sharpening the knife used in the attack, and … [Read more...] about CA court upholds death sentence in prison officer murder
Divided opinion in San Quentin News’ Death Row survey
A survey of all Death which resulted in the state about capital punishment, Row prisoners in California withdrawing its lethal injection last August, San Quentin produced a divided opinion protocol and closing News surveyed all 737 prisoners, including the women in Chowchilla. Of the 715 men on Death Row in San Quentin, 68 responded to the survey and of the 22 women on Death Row in Chowchilla, 10 responded. A sample of capital punishment supporters’ comments: “Let’s start carrying out these executions!” said a 49-year-old man with … [Read more...] about Divided opinion in San Quentin News’ Death Row survey
Governor’s moratorium on death penalty has not stop capital sentences
By Alfred King Journalism Guild Writer The governor’s moratorium on executions has not stopped some California district attorneys from seeking the death penalty in new cases they prosecute. District attorneys “across the state have continued to pursue capital charges against defendants,” the Sacramento Bee reported July 17. Lawyers working on behalf of Cleamon Johnson asked the state Supreme Court on July 1 to halt such prosecutions, the newspaper said. Johnson is a Los Angeles manaccusedofkillingfive people. “In light of … [Read more...] about Governor’s moratorium on death penalty has not stop capital sentences
USSC denies stay of execution because of constitutional issues
Over the last three months, six executions in the United States have been stayed or rescheduled because of constitutional issues regarding the method of execution or who can be present in the death chamber, according to Reuters. At the helm of this controversy is the state of Alabama, according to recent articles featured in Reuters and Mother Jones. Christopher Price was scheduled to be executed at the beginning of April. Price filed an appeal when he found out that he was to be lethally injected. He wants to die by lethal gas. The … [Read more...] about USSC denies stay of execution because of constitutional issues
The uplifting experience of Good Friday at San Quentin
Watson Allison, who spent more than 30 years on San Quentin’s Death Row, was one of many in awe of sunset ser- vices for Good Friday — the day Jesus Christ was crucified. Allison stood inside the Protestant Chapel as light filtered through its blue-tinted windows, dusk approached and men-in-blue mingled. Listening to Raul Higgins slapped the congas, Albert Flagg’s fingers danced on the piano while Greg Dixon rang out his piping organ. Dixon switched to a Fender guitar, adding a new dynamic to the drumming of Sincere Carter over Leonard … [Read more...] about The uplifting experience of Good Friday at San Quentin
Two California Supreme Court justices against capital punishment
Two California Supreme Court justices have joined the debate against capital punishment. “California’s death penalty is an expensive and dysfunctional system that does not deliver justice or closure in a timely manner, if at all,” Justice Goodwin Liu wrote in a published opinion. The opinion upheld the death sentence of Thomas Potts, convicted of two murders in 1998. Liu’s opinion was cosigned by Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, the San Francisco Chronicle reported March 28. Liu noted the California execution moratorium imposed … [Read more...] about Two California Supreme Court justices against capital punishment
Gov. Mike DeWine halts executions in Ohio
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has halted capital punishment in his state until a constitutional method is developed for executions. “As long as the status quo remains where we don’t have a protocol that has been found to be OK, we certainly cannot have any executions in Ohio,” DeWine told reporters at an Associated Press forum. “That would not be right, at least in my opinion.” DeWine ordered a review of Ohio’s method of execution in January. He acted after a federal judge ruled that Ohio could execute Warren Henness, because Henness had failed … [Read more...] about Gov. Mike DeWine halts executions in Ohio
Some prisoners suffer another form of death penalty
An alarming number, 80 prisoners, died in Texas jails in a nine month period between Oct. 1, 2017 and July 1, 2018, according to the Bureau of Justice statistics, in an article published by Prison Legal News. The Texas Commission of Jail Standards (TCJS) is an agency that sets the standards for Texas jails to follow. They perform annual inspections of local jails and prisons. TCJS is also responsible for investigating the deaths in the jails and prisons. “We shouldn’t look to the TCJS to do what they were never intended to do. We’re … [Read more...] about Some prisoners suffer another form of death penalty
An interview with former Death Row prisoner Alfred Sandoval, from Pelican Bay’s Newsletter “The Pelican”
SQ_Lethal_Injection_Room K: Thank you for sitting down with me and for agreeing to do this interview. If I remember correctly, you said you’ve been in prison for about two-thirds of your life? That... is a long time. S: Trust me, it’s been very long. From the boy’s home to death row – I came into the system in ’79. K: Has it been hard? S: No. It’s life. It’s survival. Out there, in the streets, you have to deal with everything – bills, jobs, boss, kids. In prison it’s the same. Life. It doesn’t mean it’s easy or hard. It’s just … [Read more...] about An interview with former Death Row prisoner Alfred Sandoval, from Pelican Bay’s Newsletter “The Pelican”