Bush acknowledges death penalty problems

[Kadie]

Bush acknowledges death penalty problems

By GINA HOLLAND
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- President Bush is calling for more training for lawyers who represent accused killers, tacit recognition that not all suspects receive an adequate defense.

"People on trial for their lives must have competent lawyers by their side," Bush said in his State of the Union address Wednesday. As governor of Texas, a state that executes more inmates than any other, Bush commuted one death sentence but allowed 152 executions.

Rob Warden, executive director of Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions, said the president's acknowledgment of problems was significant.

"Even referring to wrongful convictions is rather amazing," Warden said. "He had every opportunity to deal with this issue as governor of Texas. He failed to do so."


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1151&slug=Bush%20Death%20Penalty

[BayCityProgressive]

1. Pathetic

that he is more liberal on death penalty issues than Clinton was. No wonder he is peeling away the Dem base.

[TheWraith]

6. Not true in the least.

Like every other issue he ever makes a gesture on, Bush pays it lip-service while lining up the next firing squad. He's never been 'more liberal' than anything.

[tkmorris]

7. You might want to research a bit

Go have a look at Bush's record as Governor of Texas. He was about as liberal on death penalty issues as Attila the Hun.

[Cronus Protagonist]

13. So he's "peeling away the Dem base"?

What are you smoking? He's ENERGIZING the Dem base against his fascist ass. What is your agenda here?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. He failed to do so."< Had nothing to gain from doing so at that time eom

[Spinzonner]

3. He should be asked

when he was 'Born Again' on this issue

[abandon_ship]

4. offered to bring in falwell for a laying of the hands

[RC]

5. I think he may be thinking about when he is brought to Justice for

his war crimes.

[thecai]

8. Unbelievable

Bush refused DNA testing for inmates, in spite of all the proven wrongful convictions of innocent suspects, (as Govwernor of Texas, one of America's WORST States for inmate abuse/neglect/murder). I was appalled at Bush, when the Abu Ghraib inmate abuse was exposed, for saying "We didn't know anything about it", and "that is not the American way", while American jails and prisons make Abu Ghraib look like Disneyland. Bush is not being truthful, nor does he possess any genuine concern for justice.

[thecai]

9. From The Justice Project...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 3, 2005

STATEMENT FROM THE JUSTICE PROJECT
On President Bush’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, February 3 – “The Justice Project is encouraged by President
George W. Bush’s announcement in his State of the Union address that he
will support funding for important death penalty reforms that would help
prevent wrongful convictions and improve the quality of representation in
capital cases.

However, the Innocence Protection Act, a part of the Justice For All Act
that garnered broad bipartisan support in Congress and that the President
signed into law, authorizes $375 million over five years – not the $50
million over three years that the President is proposing.

Moreover, the Innocence Protection Act includes carefully crafted
provisions that allow federal funding to states that provide an “effective
system” of capital representation – states that are actively working to
ensure standards for defense lawyers in capital cases.

We urge Congress to work towards fully funding the programs authorized by
the Innocence Protection Act as the bill was originally intended.”

-- John Terzano, Director of the Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform

# # #

For details on the Justice For All Act and the Innocence Protection Act,
please visit www.CJReform.org.

The Justice Project < http://www.thejusticeproject.org > (TJP) is a
nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that addresses issues of social justice
here and abroad. TJP's Campaign for Criminal Justice Reform <[br />http://www.cjreform.org ] is a national initiative focused on addressing
flaws in the American justice system. The Justice Project is affiliated
with the Criminal Justice Reform Education Fund < http://www.cjedfund.org[br />].

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

10. Two points*...

...

Rob Warden, executive director of Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions, said the president's acknowledgment of problems was significant.

"Even referring to wrongful convictions is rather amazing," Warden said. "He had every opportunity to deal with this issue as governor of Texas. He failed to do so."

1) Rob Warden, executive director of Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions nailed the issue perfectly.

2) Northwestern University has a Center on Wrongful Convictions? How big a problem must this be to have a University define a fucking Center for it?

3) Bush is a hypocritical sack o' crap.

*OK, technically that's three points, but the last one is more of a "given".

[thecai]

11. Over 20,000 Americans...

...are wrongfully convicted each year, in the United States, (quote Innocence Project NW). That is only the confirmed number of cases, many innocent cannot afford DNA testing, many lack biological evidence to prove innocence, most appeals are never even reviewed, then most appeals are denied. It is easy to wrongfully convict an innocent person, yet extremely difficult to free them.

[DemoTex]

12. Bu$h + Gonzolez = 152 dead in Texas.

Funny. That is what my B/P is now .. 152/105. Bad night.

[TahitiNut]

15. Take your Toprol XL, brother.

Hypertension is nothing to screw around with ... and we want you around for a loooong time. :hi:

[DemoTex]

16. Thanks Bro TN!

I popped another 25-mg atenolol and all is well. B/P's back down to 130/80 and the pulse is down from 95 to 78.

[driver8]

14. Bush said, "Not enough current on that electric chair..." n/t

[DemoTex]

18. When? Where?

Back that up, please.

[driver8]

19. DemoTex -- I wasn't serious...

I'm sorry if you thought that was a real quote. I didn't mean for it to be taken that way.

[VegasWolf]

17. bush wants higher quality videos of the executions for masturbation

material.