Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (338730)	1/6/2003 4:51:11 PM
From: Baldur Fjvlnisson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Texas 'sleeping lawyer' verdict overturned news.bbc.co.uk Calvin Burdine came within minutes of execution A US appeals court has ruled that a man on death row should have a new trial because his lawyer fell asleep during the original murder trial. Jurors and court officials agreed that lawyer Joe Cannon dozed off up to 10 times for as long as 10 minutes each during Calvin Burdine's 1984 trial in Texas. A sleeping attorney is the same as no attorney Lawyer Robert McGlasson Burdine, 48, was found guilty of murdering his gay lover and sentenced to death. In October 2000, a lower court had ruled that although Mr Cannon had fallen asleep, it had not been during important bits of the trial and therefore the murder conviction and death sentence were upheld. He originally confessed to police but now denies the murder. Reprieve In 1987, Burdine came within minutes of being executed before a court ordered a reprieve. His new lawyer, Robert McGlasson, welcomed the 9-5 majority ruling, saying: "Today, finally, common sense has prevailed." "The full court has affirmed what we have said all along - namely that a sleeping attorney is the same as no attorney and that a death penalty trial conducted under these circumstances violates basic notions of fairness and decency," he said. US death penalty 38 states have the death penalty More then 3,700 inmates are on death row Execution can be by hanging, electrocution, gassing, firing squad or lethal injection Four states still use the electric chair This is the third appeal in this case. In 1999, a new trial was ordered but the Texas Attorney General, John Cornyn, appealed and the original verdict was upheld. Mr Cornyn has not yet said whether he will appeal again to the US Supreme Court. If there is no further appeal, Texas prosecutors must decide whether to hold a new trial or set Burdine free. Flawed convictions Since reinstating the death penalty in 1976, Texas has executed 218 people - more than any other state and about a third of the country's total. Critics say that this is because of the poor standard of lawyers appointed to those who cannot afford to pay for their own defence. George W Bush has full confidence in the death penalty However, US President George W Bush, former Governor of Texas, says he is "absolutely confident" that the process works fairly in his home state. A Columbia University study recently found that two-thirds of convictions which led to the death penalty in the US were overturned on appeal because of "flaws" in the original trials. Following a spate of such cases, in January 2000 the Governor of Illinois, George Ryan, suspended all executions.

To: Neocon who wrote (338730)	1/6/2003 4:52:04 PM
From: American Spirit	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Is it OK for congress to investigate a Prez's sex life? If it had been then perhaps many presidents before would have been forced to deny it and could have been impeached, including, JFK, Johnson, Bush Sr, Roosevelt and others who were rumored to have extra-marital affairs. I'm sure the real list is longer than that.