The Web site Todesstrafe.de reports the execution in Connecticut of Michael Ross, 45, by lethal injection. As taz reports, this was the first execution in a New England state in 45 years.
Mit der Hinrichtung eines achtfachen Frauenmörders ist in den
Neu-Englandstaaten in den USA erstmals seit 45 Jahren ein Todesurteil
vollstreckt worden. Der Serienmörder Michael Ross wurde gestern morgen
im US-Bundesstaat Connecticut durch eine Giftspritze hingerichtet, wie
eine Sprecherin des Gefängnisses in Somers sagte. Ross sei um 2.25 Uhr
Ortszeit für tot erklärt worden. Zuvor waren Gnadengesuche abgewiesen
worden. Es war die erste Hinrichtung in einem der als liberal geltenden
Staaten Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island
und Vermont seit der Wiedereinführung der Todesstrafe in den USA 1976.
The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty had earlier requested that the Connecticut governor stay the execution due to serious questions about Michael Ross’s mental state:
May 11, 2005 – The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
today called on Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell to halt Friday’s scheduled
execution of Michael Ross due to concerns about the fairness of his
trial and whether a mentally ill person should ever be subject to
the death penalty."According to the state’s own expert witness, Ross is mentally ill,"
said Diann Rust-Tierney, NCADP executive director. "Clearly this
should never have been a death penalty case. People who are mentally
ill should not be subject to execution."
Amnesty International reports that more than half the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty: 120 have abolished; 76 execute. Meanwhile, the Mormon governor of Massachusetts, which currently prohibits executions, is pushing for legislation to reinstate the death penalty. Why? He plans to run for US president in 2008, and pushing executions will help him gain the support of the Republican Party.
