Execution in Georgia

Georgia carried out the first execution of 2008, this evening.  It marks the first execution in America since September 25, 2007 when the Supreme Court agreed to consider the constitutionality of lethal injection executions through the Kentucky case, Baze v. Rees.

AP has this report, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on the execution of William Earl Lynd. It was the 1,100th execution in America since 1977.

Last month, in a narrow, splintered opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that Kentucky's lethal injection procedure was constitutional -- and by extension, those in states with substantially similar protocols.  This evening, the Supreme Court refused to issue a stay of execution in the Lynd case.

Following the Baze ruling a handful of states quickly began setting execution dates.  Capital Defense Weekly lists 17 scheduled executions in seven states over the coming months.  Seven of those scheduled executions are in Texas. 

Continued litigation is expected in some states to determine if protocols in those states meet the standards articulated in the Baze ruling.

The last person executed before the de facto moratorium began was Michael Richard, executed by Texas on the same day that the Supreme Court agreed to consider the Baze case.  In 2007, Texas carried out 26 of the nation's 42 executions.  No other state carried out more than three executions during 2007.

The lethal injection index, with full coverage of Baze v. Rees, is here.