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Court grants Texas prisoner execution reprieve
Legal Blog News |
2014/12/05 15:44
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A federal appeals court halted Wednesday's scheduled execution of a Texas killer whose attempt to subpoena Jesus Christ as a trial witness and other behavior led his attorneys to argue he is too mentally ill for capital punishment.
Scott Panetti, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia some 14 years before fatally shooting his estranged wife's parents in 1992, was granted the reprieve less than eight hours before he was set to receive a lethal injection. In stopping the execution, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged the legal complexity of putting a mentally ill inmate to death.
In a two-sentence ruling, the court said it needs time to "fully consider the late arriving and complex legal questions at issue in this matter" and that it will schedule briefings and hearings to consider arguments.
The Texas attorney general's office said it has no immediate plans to appeal and that state attorneys will present arguments to the 5th Circuit once the court sets a date for them.
Panetti's lawyers described him as delusional and argued that he was too mentally ill to qualify for capital punishment and they sought the delay so Panetti could undergo new competency examinations.
Panetti, who acted as his own trial lawyer, testified as an alternate personality he called "Sarge" to describe the slayings of Joe and Amanda Alvarado. He wore a purple cowboy outfit, including a big cowboy hat, during trial and largely ignored a standby attorney the judge appointed to assist him.
Appeals also were before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has said mentally ill people cannot be executed if they don't have a factual and rational understanding of why they're being punished. The high court took no action once the lower court stopped the punishment. |
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Former Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor
Law Firm Press Release |
2014/12/05 15:43
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No matter the situation, an attorney from the Plymouth Canton Law Office of Rita O. White is available to assist. For everything from questions only a lawyer could answer, to a specific legal issue you may have, we are here to lend a helping hand.
You can expect convenient office hours, along with knowledgeable lawyers and reasonable attorney fees from us. Legal problems can loom large and become stressful, so our Plymouth Canton lawyers give all our clients the personal attention and caring respect they deserve.
Your legal situation may be negatively impacted if you try to deal with it on your own. Instead of risking the outcome, why not call our committed attorneys for guidance? When you need it most, contact us at the Law Office of Rita O. White today to learn more and set up an appointment.
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Egyptian court sentences 188 people to death
Top Court Watch |
2014/12/04 16:14
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An Egyptian court sentenced 188 people to death Tuesday pending the opinion of the country's top religious authority, the latest mass death sentence handed down by the country's judicial system despite widespread international criticism.
The 188 were charged over the killing of 11 policemen last year in Kerdasa, a restive town west of Cairo considered a militant stronghold. The attack, which saw the policemen's bodies mutilated, is considered one of the country's grisliest assaults on security forces.
The defendants also were accused of attempting to kill 10 more policemen, damaging a police station, setting police cars on fire and possessing heavy weapons.
The attack happened on the same day that security forces brutally cleared two protest camps of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi's supporters, killing hundreds. Protesters were demanding the reinstatement of Morsi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood group.
Some 22,000 people have been arrested since Morsi's ouster, including most of the Brotherhood's top leaders, as well as large numbers of others swept up by police during pro-Morsi protests. |
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Michigan Defense Lawyer
Law Firm Press Release |
2014/12/04 16:14
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The attorneys at the Davis Law Group, PLLC are former prosecutors who have dealt with a wide variety of cases, from minor traffic stops to homicide. As a criminal defense firm, we work in the Metro Detroit area, including Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb County.
We are entirely dedicated to achieving the best scenario for your case. With extensive trial experience in the Metro Detroit courtrooms, we are familiar with their practices. This gives our clients a huge boost in fighting their charges, altering their ultimate legal fate.
Our attorneys are solely concentrated on defending the constitutional rights of our clients no matter where they are. If you or someone you love has been charged with a crime, you understand what is at stake. We are the experienced firm that can create favorable results.
Call us any time for no-cost consultation, as we always have at least one attorney on call. We are here 24/7 to assist you, even to attend a consultation in jail. All major credit cards are accepted.
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EX-UPS driver's pregnancy bias claim at high court
Law Firm Press Release |
2014/12/02 14:15
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Peggy Young only has to look at her younger daughter to be reminded how long she has fought United Parcel Service over its treatment of pregnant employees, and why.
Young was pregnant with Triniti, who's now 7 years old, when UPS told Young that she could not have a temporary assignment to avoid lifting heavy packages, as her doctor had ordered.
"They told me basically to go home and come back when I was no longer pregnant," Young said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I couldn't believe it."
She sued the Atlanta-based package-delivery company for discriminating against pregnant women. She lost two rounds in lower courts, but the Supreme Court will hear her case Wednesday.
The 42-year-old Young, who lives in Lorton, Virginia, said her persistence is not only for herself. "I am fighting for my two daughters and I'm fighting for women who want to start a family and provide for the family at the same time," she said.
UPS spokeswoman Kara Gerhardt Ross said the law is on the company's side. "UPS did not intentionally discriminate," Ross said.
The outcome could have wide-ranging effects.
Three-quarters of women entering the workforce today will become pregnant at least once while employed, and many will work throughout their pregnancies, employment discrimination expert Katherine Kimpel wrote in a court brief. Some will experience complications or physical effects that cause them to ask their employers for a change of duties or other modifications, Kimpel said. |
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