4WardEverUK

Voices of Faith: What is your faith’s view of capital punishment?

Graveyard & Deathoriginally published by: The Modesto Bee
14th April 2010

The Rev. Pat Rush, pastor, Visitation Catholic Church: Catholic teaching has consistently acknowledged the right of the state to both take the life of a person guilty of an extremely serious crime and take appropriate action to protect its citizens from grave harm.

However, the question for today is whether capital punishment is justifiable under present circumstances. In recent years, our leaders have answered that question in the negative.

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4WardEverUK

Policeman tampered with Stephen Lawrence evidence

Stephen Lawrence
Stephen Lawrence

originally published by: BBC News
1st April 2010

A police officer has been demoted for trying to sabotage evidence connected with the Stephen Lawrence inquiry. Met detective Paul Steed, 49, tampered with key times and dates on an evidence log, it was confirmed.

A Met spokesman said a misconduct board demoted a detective from the rank of sergeant to constable and fined him.

Stephen, 18, was stabbed to death by a racist gang at a bus stop in Eltham, south-east London, in 1993. The investigation is ongoing. Five men – Neil Acourt, his brother Jamie, David Norris, Gary Dobson and Luke Knight – were the the prime suspects in the Lawrence case.

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Strangeways riot led to prison reform, ex-inmate says

originally published by: The BBC
1st April 2010

The riot at Strangeways was a catalyst for prison reform, an ex-inmate said on the 20th anniversary of the uprising. Paul Taylor, who helped to spark the riot on 1 April 1990, said the 25-day struggle persuaded the government to improve conditions for all prisoners.

He claimed inmates resentment at “decades” of brutality turned a planned peaceful sit-in into a full-scale riot. Governor at the time Brendan O’Friel said major improvements had been made in the three years before the riot.

Prisoner David White, 46, died as a result of injuries sustained during the rioting. Prison officer Walter Scott died after suffering a heart attack.

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