Apr 17 Should states ban the death penalty for people with severe mental illness? By Rebecca Beitsch, Stateline Legislators in at least seven states have proposed bills this year to prohibit the death penalty for people who suffered from a serious mental illness at the time of their crime. Continue reading
Apr 17 Arkansas races against the clock to begin executions By Kelly P. Kissel, Associated Press Lawyers for the state of Arkansas fought on multiple legal fronts Monday to begin a series of double executions before a key sedative used in lethal injections expires at the end of the month. Continue reading
Apr 15 Federal judge blocks executions in Arkansas By Laura Santhanam Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge plans to appeal the federal judge’s decision, according to a statement from her office. Continue reading
Apr 03 5 important stories that don't have anything to do with politics By Erica R. Hendry, Iman Smith, Joshua Barajas, Laura Santhanam before the latest chapter in the Russian investigation threatens to wrestle control of the 24-hour news cycle, here are five important stories that may not have shown up in your Facebook feed. Continue reading
Mar 28 Supreme Court rules in favor of Texas death row inmate who argued intellectual disability By Associated Press "Texas cannot satisfactorily explain why it applies current medical standards for diagnosing intellectual disability," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote. Continue reading
Jan 10 Watch News Wrap: Dylann Roof is first to get death sentence for federal hate crime By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Tuesday, a federal jury sentenced Dylann Roof to death for the racially motivated murder of nine black churchgoers in Charleston, South Carolina. Also, nearly 40 people died in a pair of bombings near the Afghan Parliament… Continue watching
Dec 21 Death sentences decline sharply as public attitudes shift By Sam Hananel, Associated Press Only 30 people were sentenced to death in the United States this year, the lowest number since the early 1970s. Continue reading
Nov 27 Death penalty and mental disability at issue for justices By Michael Graczyk, Associated Press The U.S. Supreme Court is set to examine whether Texas is trying to put to death a convicted killer who's intellectually disabled, which would make him ineligible. Continue reading
Nov 08 Death penalty, gun control, pot among ballot-measure issues By David Crary, Associated Press NEW YORK — Voters in some states weighed in Tuesday on several of most volatile issues facing America — gun control, marijuana legalization, the death penalty and the right of a terminally ill person to get a doctor's help in… Continue reading
Nov 07 Do Americans still support the death penalty? By Laura Santhanam The four ballot initiatives on the death penalty this year -- one apiece in Nebraska and Oklahoma, and two separate measures in California -- are the most we’ve ever seen in a single election. Continue reading