4WardEverUK

US Supreme Court refuses to hear the case of Linda Carty

Linda Carty
Linda Carty

originally published by: Reprieve
3rd May 2010

Reprieve is deeply disappointed by today’s Supreme Court decision not to consider the disastrous case of Linda Carty, a British grandmother facing imminent execution thanks to a flawed trial in Texas.

Linda has always protested her innocence and had hoped for the chance to persuade the highest court that her conviction is dangerously unreliable. Although the Supreme Court accepts only a small minority of cases, Linda’s was widely believed to be crying out for consideration because of critically important issues of fairness and due process.

The British Government had filed a strongly-worded amicus brief to the Court, detailing serious errors by the State of Texas and stating that that had they been allowed to assist Linda, she would likely not be facing execution today.

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4WardEverUK

Blair Peach killed by police at 1979 protest, Met report finds

Blair Peach
Blair Peach

originally published by: The Guardian
27th April 2010

New Zealand-born Blair Peach died after a blow to the head during a demonstration in Southall, London, against the National Front in April 1979. The anti-fascist protester Blair Peach was almost certainly killed by police at a demonstration in 1979, according to a secret report released today.

Documents published on the Metropolitan police’s website shed new light on the death of Peach, a 33-year-old teacher from New Zealand, whose death marked one of the most controversial events in modern policing history. A campaigner against the far right, Peach died from a blow to the head during a demonstration against the National Front in Southall, west London.

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4WardEverUK

Mumia on the death penalty – in conversation with Cornel West

Death Row Graveoriginally published by: San Francisco BayView
23rd April 2010

The anti-death penalty movement is an offshoot of the global human rights movement as expressed by private associations and later by a variety of governments.

It is noteworthy, then, for us to cite the state abolition of the death penalty in Kenya in 2009. We should also note the fact that the rate of juries meting out death sentences has fallen to its lowest in 30 years.

And finally, several months ago, the group that was perhaps most instrumental in fashioning the present death penalty, the American Law Institute, announced it would no longer participate in formulating laws governing the death penalty.

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