Earlier today, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals
stayed the imminent execution of a convicted murderer named
Scott Panetti. He was set to be killed less than eight hours later
at 6 p.m. local time.
The reasoning given was “to allow us to fully consider the late
arriving and complex legal questions at issue in this matter.” It’s
not clear what new information or “late arriving” developments
sparked the decision, but it seems highly likely that sustained,
vocal opposition from a large number of conservative leaders,
including former Texas Rep. Ron Paul, played a role. A
letter signed by nearly two-dozen such individuals argues that
Panetti is not of sound mind and that, as a result, taking his life
would be immoral.
Said Marc Hyden of the group Conservatives Concerned About the
Death Penalty in a statement after the announcement:
Political conservatives and Evangelicals from Ron Paul to Jay
Sekulow have helped awaken our nation to what many view as a
travesty of justice. Texas was about to cross a line by executing a
severely mentally ill man. A wide array of conservative and faith
leaders have spoken out in record numbers about this case. We have
made it abundantly clear that numerous conservatives and
Evangelicals view executing those who are mentally ill as a
violation of our values as Americans. Conservatives have
demonstrated we are firmly part of what appears to be a national
consensus against executing people who are mentally ill.
See my colleague Lauren Galik’s discussion of the Panetti case
here.
Read my examination of shifting conservative attitudes about
capital punishment here.
Or watch “3
Reasons to Get Rid of the Death Penalty” from Reason TV,
below.
Free Minds and Free Markets aren’t free! Support
Reason’s annual Webathon with a tax-deductible donation
and help change the world in a libetarian direction. For details on
giving levels and swag, go
here now.
from Hit & Run http://ift.tt/1ygsqIY
via IFTTT