The Troy Davis execution reminds us that capital punishment in the US has an intimate relationship with race, and while plenty of US liberals are against the death penalty, three times as many Americans say they strongly favour executions.
Capital punishment
Troy Davis executed in Georgia
Crikey live blog: Despite a last minute delay by the US Supreme Court this morning, the execution of Troy Davis, who his supporters argue was wrongly convicted of murder, went ahead this afternoon.
Birmingham: Carl Williams didn’t deserve to die
Carl Williams may have been a ruthless killer, but we don’t execute criminals in this country, so his murder was still wrong — even if it feels a little bit right, argues John Birmingham.
No use killing over spoiled milk, China
China has executed two people for their role in the production and sale of tainted milk powder that killed six babies and left about 300,000 people sick.
Reporting from Death Row
Reporter Michael Graczyk may have the worst — or at least the most difficult — beat in the world: he covers capital punishment cases in Texas, and has so far watched over 300 people be put to death by the state.
Texas Governor Rick Perry stalls investigation into an innocent man’s execution
In 2004, prison guards carried Todd Willingham into the death chamber, strapped him onto a gurney and injected him with sodium thiopental to paralyse him, pancuronium bromide to collapse his lungs, and potassium chloride to stop his heart. One problem: Willingham was probably innocent.
A bad month on death row
It’s been a bad time for executioners in America in the last month with revelations of a botched execution in Ohio and innocent men dying. But it’s been worse still for inmates.
What the weekend executions mean for the Bali 9
Australia has a leading role to play in regional discussions on the death penalty, writes Greg Barns.
Kevin Rudd and the death penalty
What turns a politician into a statesman is when he or she stands firm in spite of pressure to abandon the moral high ground. The Bali bombers presents Mr. Rudd with such an opportunity, writes Greg Barns.
Senate passes death penalty day rehash WTF?
What a difference three weeks makes, writes Bernard Keane.
Sparrow: Executed in the USA
Since the late nineteenth century, ‘humane execution’ has been the American dream, writes Jeff Sparrow.
