(1/9) Despite widespread bipartisan opposition & amid #COVID19 concerns, the fed govt executed #DannyLee on Monday, is pursuing the execution of #WesleyPurkey today, and has scheduled execution for #DustinHonken on 7/17, and #KeithNelson later this summer.
(2/9) Today, a fed court temporarily blocked the execution of #WesleyPurkey, who has #Alzheimers, #schizophrenia and other issues. As @RonHonberg wrote: “The federal courts must step in now to prevent this unconstitutional execution from taking place” newsweek.com/execution-fede…
(3/9) New from @ACLU: The execution of Danny Lee yesterday represented a dangerous miscarriage of justice, but it isn't the last we face this week. This is an important read to understand why federal executions are so broken. cnn.com/2020/07/14/opi…
(4/9) These & other op-eds in this thread highlight the pervasive systemic failings of the federal death penalty system, including case-specific & related issues such as opposition of victims’ family members, impaired mental health, racial bias, and mitigation juries never heard.
(5/9) New research shows that "approximately 75% of federal death-row prisoners have documented histories of childhood trauma and abuse. Approximately 50%... exhibit signs of severe mental illness," among other impairments: @Blaw Insight @RDunhamDPIC: news.bloomberglaw.com/white-collar-a…
(6/9) “Instead of providing a universal standard for death penalty cases, the federal death penalty exhibits all of the flaws of the states’ death penalty systems—under a veneer of Dept. of Justice respectability.” @Gbencohen's powerful op ed in @theappeal theappeal.org/federal-death-…
(7/9) Powerful piece argues this week's scheduled federal executions "open the door to further executions of the mostly Black and Latinx men on the federal death row" from @samspital @NAACP_LDF "Executing four white men won't erase death penalty racism" thehill.com/opinion/civil-…
(8/9) Victims' family opposed federal execution on July 13th: “William Barr Claims This Execution is for Us—But We Don't Want It” – op-ed from @Newsweek newsweek.com/william-barr-w…
(9/9) Epidemiologist warns federal #executions scheduled for this week must be postponed to protect public from #COVID19; bringing dozens of personnel and witnesses together in cramped prison environment may risk health and even lives of many: indystar.com/story/opinion/… @indystar
