Governor removes convicted murderer from death row (Kernan / Indiana)

[struggle4progress]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — With just three days left in his term, Gov. Joe Kernan removed a convicted murderer from death row Friday and called for a review of how fairly Indiana administers the death penalty.

Kernan granted clemency to Michael Daniels, an Indianapolis man convicted of killing an Army chaplain in 1978 in a $1 robbery as the minister shoveled snow from his driveway with his 15-year-old son.

The son now also is a minister who opposes the death penalty. He said he has forgiven Daniels, and was happy with the governor's decision. <snip>

Kernan said that evidence casting doubt on Daniels was never presented in court, and that Daniels' IQ has been measured at 77, just above the level to be considered mentally retarded. <snip>

http://www.saukvalley.com/282334115057478.bsp


Condemned Inmate Denied Relief Sought Through Law Change

(January 8, 2005 - Indianapolis - AP) -- The Indiana Supreme Court won't overturn a death sentence despite a change in state law.

A judge sentenced Eric Holmes to death for the 1989 murders of two restaurant workers in Indianapolis even though the jury recommendation was not unanimous.

Indiana's death penalty statute was amended in 2002 and no longer allows a person to be executed if a jury is unanimous against it.

The state's high court ruled last year that nobody who was condemned contrary to that change in state law should be executed. <snip>

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2783000&nav=0Ra7Uyj9

[darkism]

1. Good

Nice to see a red state doing something progressive, for once.

[tx_dem41]

2. If I'm not mistaken, the Governor...

is a Dem. Hope I have that right.

[melnjones]

3. Yup, he's a Dem...not one of my favorites, but I'm happy about this. nt

[Don Claybrook]

4. Not a favorite? Just wait til "My Man Mitch" is sworn in

Remember, he's the miracle behind the Bush economic machine.

Good luck, Hoosiers.

[Sadie5]

5. 16 years I think

of Democratic leadership. Along comes Mitch and Wham, he's elected. Others have tried to beat first Bayh, then O'Bannon who died last year, then Kernan gets beat. Among those who have unsuccessfully tried to win are Stephen Goldsmith, and another guy that i can't think of his name Was atty. General under Orr. Goldsmith's wife is a cousin to Dan Quayle.

[hippiechick]

6. Kernan lost for a variety of reasons.

When he was sworn in after O'Bannon's death, he said he had no intention of running for 're-election' in 04. Then he changed his mind, and his campaign was poorly run by a small grouop of ole' timers from South Bend.

It was ineffective throughout the rest of the state, and almost without conviction.

Kernan's short tenure in office was marked by the 'coming to roost' of alot of those 16 years of corruption and incompetence, so essentially he was done in by the remnants of Bayh and O'Bannon's 'leadership'. He simply got blindsided by all the dirty laundry and didn't have enough time to get any of it cleaned up before he had to face the voters.

Daniels had a cakewalk. Now let's see how bad he finishes fucking up the state, and how quickly.


:hippie:

[bloom]

7. that is good news....eom