Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 17, 2006 23:13:41 GMT -5
Death-penalty system faulted
Florida's death-penalty system is plagued with problems of fairness,
accuracy and racial disparity in sentencing, according to a new report by
a group of Florida lawyers and jurists.
Working under the auspices of the American Bar Association's Death Penalty
Moratorium Implementation Project, the group studied the state's
capital-punishment system for more than 18 months.
The report criticized the state for: the number of innocent inmates sent
to await execution; a racial disparity that shows those convicted of
killing a white victim are far more likely to get a death sentence; the
lack of oversight and funding for attorneys who handle death-row appeals;
and a death-sentencing process that requires majority, not unanimous, jury
agreement.
"Florida has released more people from death row than any other state,
which suggests the system has serious problems," said Christopher
Slobogin, a University of Florida law professor who chaired the
eight-member group.
"It is small comfort that no one recently executed in Florida has been
proven innocent, since some of them were not able to present all the proof
they had and efforts at exoneration usually end once the person is dead."
Funding for the study came from the ABA and the European Union. Team
members included a circuit judge, a state attorney, a former Florida
Supreme Court justice and a former public defender, many of them
death-penalty supporters.
The report identified 11 problem areas in the state system, including the
high number of inmates found innocent and released from death row, 22
since 1973 -- more than any state in the nation. Combined, those
exonerated spent about 150 years in prison before being released.
(source: Orlando Sentinel)
Florida's death-penalty system is plagued with problems of fairness,
accuracy and racial disparity in sentencing, according to a new report by
a group of Florida lawyers and jurists.
Working under the auspices of the American Bar Association's Death Penalty
Moratorium Implementation Project, the group studied the state's
capital-punishment system for more than 18 months.
The report criticized the state for: the number of innocent inmates sent
to await execution; a racial disparity that shows those convicted of
killing a white victim are far more likely to get a death sentence; the
lack of oversight and funding for attorneys who handle death-row appeals;
and a death-sentencing process that requires majority, not unanimous, jury
agreement.
"Florida has released more people from death row than any other state,
which suggests the system has serious problems," said Christopher
Slobogin, a University of Florida law professor who chaired the
eight-member group.
"It is small comfort that no one recently executed in Florida has been
proven innocent, since some of them were not able to present all the proof
they had and efforts at exoneration usually end once the person is dead."
Funding for the study came from the ABA and the European Union. Team
members included a circuit judge, a state attorney, a former Florida
Supreme Court justice and a former public defender, many of them
death-penalty supporters.
The report identified 11 problem areas in the state system, including the
high number of inmates found innocent and released from death row, 22
since 1973 -- more than any state in the nation. Combined, those
exonerated spent about 150 years in prison before being released.
(source: Orlando Sentinel)