Keith Zon Doolin is on death row despite evidence of his innocence, according to Agnes Buthion, a French journalist who has directed a documentary called “20 Years on Death Row.” Interviewed by The Fresno Bee, Buthion said that she hoped to highlight Doolin’s innocence. In 1996, Doolin was convicted of a crime spree shooting six sex workers in Central California. The result of his conviction was a sentence of death. Doolin is housed in East Block at San Quentin death row. During her filming Buthion interviewed Doolin and visited the crime … [Read more...] about French journalist films San Quentin Death Row inmate
DEATH PENALTY
Pope calls teaching capital punishment inadmissible
When the Vicar of Christ speaks about the death penalty, shouldn’t the world listen? Pope Francis visited the United States two years ago and told Congress and the United Nations that he opposes the death penalty. He even went a step further, calling for a revision of official church teachings that would make capital punishment “inadmissible,” Christopher Lamb wrote in the Religion News Service. During a speech at the Vatican in October 2017, the Pontiff said the death penalty is “contrary to the Gospel, because it entails the willful … [Read more...] about Pope calls teaching capital punishment inadmissible
Alabama considering asphyxia for execution
Alabama is considering use of nitrogen asphyxia as a third option to execute prisoners. “If SB12 is passed, Alabama would become the second state (Oklahoma is the other) to offer nitrogen asphyxiation, also known as nitrogen hypoxia, as a death penalty option,” the Montgomery Advertiser reported. Nitrogen is painless and easier to administer, said Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, the bill’s author. Nitrogen makes up 78 percent of the atmosphere and is harmless when inhaled with oxygen, the newspaper reported April 5. Alabama had also … [Read more...] about Alabama considering asphyxia for execution
Voter Initiatives Monetize the Petition Process
This presidential year has inspired many potential voter initiatives and further monetizes the petition process. In theory, a petition to place an initiative on the ballot is a form of direct democracy, allowing voters to circumvent the legislature to pass a new law. On an average election cycle, five to seven initiatives make the ballot. SIGNATURES For the 2016 election, seven have already qualified, and there are petitions for at least a dozen more seeking to meet the statutory minimum requirement of 365,880 signatures by registered … [Read more...] about Voter Initiatives Monetize the Petition Process
NBC Report Sparks Death Row Debates
The tiers of San Quentin’s Death Row have not been open to the public for more than five years. All of that changed in February. Alecia Reid from NBC’s San Francisco’s affiliate was one of the first reporters to recently see the current living conditions inside one of the world’s most notorious prisons. As she prepared for this unique encounter with the men living in the original Condemned Row, Reid thought: “These inmates would be disrespectful and shout inappropriate things.” It was just the opposite. For a condemned inmate, life on … [Read more...] about NBC Report Sparks Death Row Debates
Initiatives Solicit Voters’ View About Death Penalty
Signatures are being solicited for two November ballot initiatives that would ask California voters to speed up executions or repeal the death penalty. One of the initiatives would require the state Supreme Court to rule on capital cases within five years. It would also limit death penalty appeals, set strict deadlines for filing appeals and seek to expand the pool of death penalty lawyers. Any attorney who now accepts court appointments to represent impoverished defendants in criminal cases would also have to take on capital cases, … [Read more...] about Initiatives Solicit Voters’ View About Death Penalty