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Holder calls for halt to US executions
The Hill ^ | February 17, 2015 | Lydia Wheeler

Posted on 02/17/2015 1:02:47 PM PST by jazusamo

Attorney General Eric Holder called Tuesday for a national moratorium on the death penalty until the Supreme Court weighs in on the issue later this year.

“Our system of justice is the best in the world. It is comprised of men and women who do the best they can, get it right more often than not, substantially more right than wrong. But there's always the possibility that mistakes will be made,” he said.

“It is one thing to put somebody in jail for an extended period of time, have some new test that you can do and determine that person was, in fact, innocent. There is no ability to correct a mistake where somebody has, in fact, been executed. And that is from my perspective the ultimate nightmare.”

Holder went on to say he disagrees with Justice Antonin Scalia, who has said the U.S. has never executed an innocent person.

“It’s inevitable,” he said during a luncheon at the National Press Club.

Late last month, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal the from death row inmates in Oklahoma who are challenging the state’s procedures for lethal injections.

"I think a moratorium until the Supreme Court makes that decision would be appropriate," Holder said.

They case follows the execution of Oklahoma inmate Clayton Lockett, 38, who died of a heart attack after receiving the first part of the three-drug cocktail.

According to media reports, he writhed in pain and clenched his teeth before ultimately succumbing to cardiac failure. Lockett was convicted of shooting a 19-year-old woman in 1999 and watching as accomplices buried her alive.

President Obama called the botched execution “deeply troubling” and ordered a federal review of the country’s use of the death penalty, including state protocols for administering capital punishment.

Holder said the review is still underway.

“I don’t think it will be completed during my time as attorney general,” he said.

The Justice Department previously said Holder hoped to complete the review before he left office.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bhodoj; deathpenalty; deathrow; holder; obama; ruling; scotus; statesrights
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To: Mouton

He should but knows he would never face anything due to the cowardly GOP. Though I do think the likes of Cruz, Palin, Lee and a couple of others if in the white house would go after him and the cover ups they have been doing.


21 posted on 02/17/2015 1:14:34 PM PST by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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To: jazusamo
he writhed in pain and clenched his teeth

So does every SOB that visits the dentist.

No sympathy. At all.

22 posted on 02/17/2015 1:14:37 PM PST by relictele (Principiis obsta & Finem respice - Resist The Beginnings & Consider The Ends)
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To: jazusamo

OK Holder, but we need just ONE more execution......


23 posted on 02/17/2015 1:14:52 PM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: Lurkinanloomin
I'm for that, it's quick and sure.

From yesterday:

Utah lawmakers approve bill allowing execution by firing squad

24 posted on 02/17/2015 1:16:48 PM PST by jazusamo (0bama to go 'full-Mussolini' after elections: Mark Levin....and the turkey has.)
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To: jazusamo

Holder and Bathhouse Barry are getting worried.


25 posted on 02/17/2015 1:17:14 PM PST by HomerBohn (God is just, but his justice cannot sleep forever!)
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To: jazusamo

The Constitution doesn’t guarantee painless executions.


26 posted on 02/17/2015 1:19:13 PM PST by Politicalkiddo ("Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." -George Washington)
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To: jazusamo

The death penalty should be in cases of “no doubt”, not reasonable doubt...life term for that. If new evidence arises there’s always the possibility of releasing innocent people, too late if they’re dead. I believe there’s many innocent people behind bars.


27 posted on 02/17/2015 1:21:30 PM PST by fuzzylogic (welfare state = sharing consequences of poor moral choices among everybody)
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To: jazusamo

Well then, why does he not halt ISIS executions? Do you think he see’s the tragic irony in all this?


28 posted on 02/17/2015 1:22:08 PM PST by firebasecody (Orthodoxy, proclaiming the Truth since AD 33)
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To: Mouton
Ha!!....

That's the last thing Holder and Odinga..are worried about.

29 posted on 02/17/2015 1:22:13 PM PST by Osage Orange (I have strong feelings about gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to be controlling it.)
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To: jazusamo

DNA testing has exonerated some people wrongly convicted, some on death row. Hopefully with the advancements made in forensic science the number of people wrongfully convicted will go down.

There is still a problem with overzealous detectives and prosecutors that withhold evidence and pay witnesses to lie because they only care about keeping their job.

I am for capital punishment for the truly guilty, and I don’t really care how cruel it is.


30 posted on 02/17/2015 1:23:16 PM PST by Rusty0604
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To: manc
He's doing what Lefty politicians do: Using flighty rhetoric to cater to the Left and front-off to the Right.

They just do what they want to do because it FEEEEEEEEELLLLLS good.

The releasees will murder someone else later, but at least it won't be me, and I'll feeeellll good for letting someone "have another chance" out of jail.

They have no idea what kind of ogres we've got locked up under death sentences..... Lefties go all auto-symp over Death Row inmates as if they were all poets and romantics. They have no idea. They think Silence of the Lambs was just a movie, people like that don't exist.

31 posted on 02/17/2015 1:24:41 PM PST by lentulusgracchus ("If America was a house, the Left would root for the termites." - Greg Gutfeld)
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To: DonaldC

I wonder if the 19 year old girl they buried alive writhed in pain?


32 posted on 02/17/2015 1:24:51 PM PST by Beach333
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To: jazusamo

This is satire, right? For the love of God, somebody please tell me this is satire!


33 posted on 02/17/2015 1:25:20 PM PST by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: jazusamo

Sez da man who BURNED DOWN A CHURCH..???


34 posted on 02/17/2015 1:26:18 PM PST by gaijin
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To: jazusamo

How many on death row across the US are Negros?
Not sure but that figure may/may not shine light on this bigots statement


35 posted on 02/17/2015 1:26:48 PM PST by CGASMIA68
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To: stephenjohnbanker

Media reports? Do they have any credible witnesses?


36 posted on 02/17/2015 1:27:05 PM PST by Ingtar (Is this the Ebola and rumors of Ebola mentioned in the Bible?)
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To: mikelets456

I used to work with a liberal that vehemently opposed capital punishment but was “pro-choice”. He also claimed to be Christian. I asked him to explain to me how it is OK to kill an innocent child but not OK to kill a convicted murderer.

He never did come up with a good answer, especially because he was Christian the claim that the fetus isn’t a child didn’t fly.


37 posted on 02/17/2015 1:28:47 PM PST by Rusty0604
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To: EQAndyBuzz

Of course he did. Does he feel that same way about illegal immigration? I mean we should hold off on it until the Supreme Court weighs in?
_________________________________________________________

...and what about Fast and Furious???? Holder has ALOT to answer to whether he is in or out of Office.....


38 posted on 02/17/2015 1:28:49 PM PST by HarleyLady27 (Get the USA out of the UN then get the UN out of the USA; send bamaboy back to Kenya ASAP!!!!)
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To: jazusamo
Isn't just like the Dems to be generous with other people's money and in this case, generous to the murderer at the expense of the victim.

They come across looking generous and loving, just like Santa Clause, and it is always at the expense of someone else.

39 posted on 02/17/2015 1:31:05 PM PST by dhs12345
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To: relictele
he writhed in pain and clenched his teeth

So does every SOB that visits the dentist.

For me, the pain starts when I first make the appointment......LOL!

40 posted on 02/17/2015 1:31:42 PM PST by Hot Tabasco (Uncle Sy: "Beavers are like Ninjas, they only come out at night and they're hard to find")
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