Saturday, July 14, 2007
Bill Clinton Was Wrong!!!
William Jefferson Clinton executed a mentally retarded man as governor of Arkansas on his way to the White House. This was his reasoned contribution to centrist politics. By Job, no softie on crime.
Clinton also signed into law the horrid Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act conjured up by Newtie and his band of GOPers in the Contract with America.
Time has an excellent article on the facts of the Troy Anthony Davis case, an innocent man about to be executed in Georgia. It's definitely worth a read and explains the genesis of AEDPA.
Hell, even former FBI director William S. Sessions thinks executing Davis would be a travesty in justice; and he SUPPORTS the death penalty.
Here is an excerpt from Time:
Clinton also signed into law the horrid Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act conjured up by Newtie and his band of GOPers in the Contract with America.
Time has an excellent article on the facts of the Troy Anthony Davis case, an innocent man about to be executed in Georgia. It's definitely worth a read and explains the genesis of AEDPA.
Facing political pressure one year after the Oklahoma City bombing and seven months before the presidential election, Clinton signed the bill, but inserted a somewhat incongruous signing statement that called for the federal courts to continue their oversight role.The U.S. Supreme Court has totally ignored Willie's signing statement (which was too cute by half). They strictly interpret the act, "further restraining the ability of federal courts to grant new trials" as evidenced by their refusal to "give Davis one last hearing" last month even though six of the nine prosecution witnesses have recanted their trial testimony.
Hell, even former FBI director William S. Sessions thinks executing Davis would be a travesty in justice; and he SUPPORTS the death penalty.
Here is an excerpt from Time:
[T]here are serious questions whether, as Gingrich famously said, justice delayed is justice denied. The system of appeals can still stretch out over decades, but in Davis' case, many of those appeals are now being denied for procedural reasons. In his 2004 petition to the federal district court in Savannah, Davis presented recanted testimony, most of which involves witnesses who say police coercion caused them to wrongly implicate Davis. He also presented nine individuals' affidavits that suggested that the real murderer was actually the former acquaintance who first accused Davis of the crime.No more Southern presidents; give me a progressive Mid-Westerner or a liberal West or East Coaster. In the meantime, get those impeachment papers ready for Gonzo, Bush and Cheney.
// posted by Howling Latina @ 10:07 PM 
