Today's The Irish Times publishes the editorial, "A death in Texas."
A DECADE AGO the US supreme court ruled that the mentally impaired “should be categorically excluded from execution” because of “their disabilities in areas of reasoning, judgment and control of their impulses.” On Tuesday the state of Texas decided for the tenth time to exercise the discretion allowed by the Atkins v Virginia ruling to examine claims of mental impairment to determine for itself a death row inmate’s degree of capacity, and it executed Marvin Wilson. The supreme court declined to intervene.
And:
He was executed under a new state procedure using a single dose of the sedative pentobarbital following shortages arising from the refusal of a European supplier under pressure from death penalty opponents to supply another drug, sodium thiopental, that had previously been used as part of a three-drug cocktail. Danish suppliers of pentobarbital now say they will not supply the drug for execution use, a refusal which the EU, strongly opposed to the death penalty, should enshrine in community law as an export ban.
Unfortunately, Texas has enough in stock for another 22 executions. Four other states – Arizona, Idaho, Ohio and Washington – have also used a single drug to carry out executions, but death penalty opponents claim single-drug executions may be less humane. They point to an April execution in Arizona, where an inmate shook for several seconds after receiving a lethal dose of pentobarbital. Europe should act quickly to cut off the executioners’ supply of the drug.
The government of France has issued the statement, "United States - Execution of Marvin Wilson."
France condemns yesterday’s execution, in Texas, of Marvin Wilson, who was mentally impaired.
His execution runs counter to internationally established guarantees protecting the rights of people who are eligible for the death penalty, including the principle of not executing individuals who are mentally impaired.
France reaffirms its opposition to the death penalty throughout the world and in all circumstances. Abolishing the death penalty is crucial to the protection of human dignity.
France continues to strive for the universal abolition of capital punishment by seeking a worldwide moratorium on executions, the first step toward accomplishing this objective.
"The Parliament posts, "EU's Ashton voices concern over Texan execution," by Martin Banks.
EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton has voiced concern at the execution in Texas of a disabled man.
A spokesman for Ashton, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and a commission vice president, said she "deeply regrets the execution" of Marvin Wilson.
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In a statement, Ashton's spokesman said, "The high representative recognises the serious nature of the crime involved and expresses her sincere sympathy to the surviving family and friends of the victim.
"However, she does not believe that their loss has been mitigated by Wilson's death.
"The EU opposes the use of capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances and calls for a global moratorium as a first step towards its universal abolition. With capital punishment any miscarriage of justice, from which no legal system is immune, represents an irreversible loss of human life.''
"Texas Execution Prompts EU To Call For Moratorium On Death Penalty," is from RTT News.
European Union Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton has expressed deep regret at the execution of a US citizen who has significant intellectual disabilities, and called for a global moratorium on capital punishment.
The US state of Texas on Tuesday executed Marvin Lee Wilson, a man who has significant intellectual disabilities, ignoring calls by human rights organizations.
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A statement issued by the spokesperson of Catherine Ashton on Wednesday said "The High Representative recognizes the serious nature of the crime involved and expresses her sincere sympathy to the surviving family and friends of the victim. However, she does not believe that their loss has been mitigated by Wilson's death."
Ashton said "The EU opposes the use of capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances," and called for "a global moratorium as a first step towards its universal abolition.
"With capital punishment any miscarriage of justice, from which no legal system is immune, represents an irreversible loss of human life,'' she added.
"The law of executions," is at Al Jazeera English. There is video at the link.
To discuss this Inside Story Americas, with presenter Shihab Rattansi, speaks to: Jim Ellis, a lawyer who argued the 2002 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that executing intellectually disabled individuals is cruel and unusual punishment; Laura Moye, the Death Penalty Abolition Campaign director at Amnesty International USA; and Margaret Nygren, the executive director of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Earlier coverage of the execution of Marvin Wilson begins with the preceding post.
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