Executions Begin Again, Georgia First in Line

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Executions Begin Again, Georgia First in Line

LETHAL INJECTION: The state of Georgia executed William Earl Lynd at 7 p.m. yesterday. The Supreme Court temporarily banned capital punishment while hearing a case brought by a Kentucky inmate. Lynd is the first to be executed in the United States in seven months, since the ban lifted three weeks ago.

In 1988, a Georgia jury convicted Lynd of shooting his girlfriend three times in the face while intoxicated with valium, marijuana and alcohol. Georgia executed him using a lethal injection of three drugs, which the Supreme Court recently ruled is constitutional.

by Laura Major
Informify Staff Writer
May 7, 2008

Court Lifts Execution Ban

Seven months ago, Kentucky inmate Ralph Baze argued that lethal injection is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court disagreed—opening the way for more executions.

May 6—Georgia executed Lynd.
May 21—Mississippi will execute a man his lawyer claims is mentally retarded.
August 5—Texas plans to execute a Mexican-born prisoner.

The United States has executed 1,100 people since the Supreme Court lifted the last temporary ban on capital punishment in 1976. Texas leads the count with 405 executions.

Vigils across Georgia

Groups opposed to the death penalty held vigils and demonstrated in five Georgia cities. The death penalty sparks strong emotions on both sides of the argument. Only an amendment to the Constitution can prevent capital punishment nationwide. Until then, individual states can prohibit it.

Laura Moye, chair of Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said, “In light of the many well-documented problems with our death penalty system, it is disturbing that Georgia is rushing to lead the country in resuming the death penalty machinery." (AP, 5/6/08)

Sources

Death Row Inmates Plead for Humanity (ABC News)

Executions Resume Today, Death Penalty Still Cruel and Unusual (AlterNet)

U.S. set for first execution since end of moratorium (Reuters)

To ensure humane capital punishment (Star-Telegram)

Question for Readers:

Do you think a person should be executed for how they act when stoned and drunk?

How the Court Voted

Three weeks ago the Supreme Court ruled that lethal injection is not cruel and unusual. The vote was 7–2. Justices Ginsburg and Souter dissented. In its April 16 decision, the Court said:

Capital punishment is not unconstitutional.
As a society, we are continually moving to less painful methods of execution.
This case will not resolve the issue of the legality of the death penalty.
The evidence of the case under consideration does not show that the method of execution is painful.

Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."