Texas Republicans Aim to Kill Federal Criminal Appeals Law
Watch out for Texas!
If a contingent of congressional Republicans have their way, federal law governing all criminal appeals will be gutted – opening up an express lane to the Texas death chamber and making it inevitable that an innocent person will be executed. The proposed legislation, the Streamlined Procedures Act of 2005 (HR 3035 and S 1088), would eliminate federal court jurisdiction over the vast majority of habeas corpus appeals – through which defendants challenge the constitutionality of their convictions, a process that is at the heart of the growing number of exonerations nationwide – leaving state courts of appeal as the final arbiters of justice.
Read the full article from the Austin Chronicle.
Posted by beth at 10:39 AM
Comments
...And? What is so wrong about sending criminals to death as they have done throughout all their lives?? Why should tax payers PAY for a THRIVING and STATUS MAKING prison culture?? Robert Lake, Chink Eng, Cooey....They're free (or would be) because they MAY be innocent...Please...don't make me laugh...Our justice system is a failure because these lovers of death just MAY be innocent.
Posted by: Christian Walker at September 2, 2006 03:15 PM
