A prosecutor told the jury during his closing statement that Donald Fell's kidnapping, carjacking and killing of Terry King warranted his becoming the first person put to death in Vermont in nearly 50 years.
This case is interesting for a couple reasons. First, Vermont does not have a death penalty so this case is being tried in federal courts. The kidnapping occurred in Vermont and the murder took place in New York which provides the federal government jurisdiction. With the federal jurisdiction, former Attorney General John Ashcroft rejected a plea bargain of life without parole.
Meanwhile, Florida State's Attorneys will not pursue the death penalty agains two of the four (the two who are 18) teenagers accussed of assaulting and killing a homeless man "for something to do do."
Republican Jon Kyl (a man missing a letter in both his names) introduced a bill that would "streamline" federal review of death penalty cases.
Opponents of a bill to streamline federal review of death penalty cases told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that it fails to adequately guarantee a hearing for individuals with evidence of actual innocence.
Perhaps this would be more useful if we didn't have elected prosecutors who are encouraged to lock up anyone in an event to show the voters they are finding the "killers"?
Cook County will seek the death penalty against the piano player who is alleged to have killed his former girlfriend and her mother.
