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Federal unconstitutional { September 24 2002 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61028-2002Sep24.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61028-2002Sep24.html Death Penalty Ruled Unconstitutional The Associated Press Tuesday, September 24, 2002; 3:41 PM MONTPELIER, Vt. –– A federal judge declared the federal death penalty unconstitutional Tuesday in the second such ruling in less than three months. U.S. District Judge William Sessions said the law does not adequately protect defendants' rights. "If the death penalty is to be part of our system of justice, due process of law and the fair trial guarantees of the Sixth Amendment require that standards and safeguards governing the kinds of evidence juries may consider must be rigorous, and constitutional rights and liberties scrupulously protected," he said. On July, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in New York City became the first federal judge to declare the 1994 Death Penalty Act unconstitutional. He cited evidence indicating that innocent people have been put to death. The rulings will not affect individual states' death penalty statutes. Thirty-eight states allow capital punishment, though some have not executed anyone for many years. The governors of Illinois and Maryland have placed moratoriums on executions in their states. Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and drug killer Juan Garza have been executed under the federal death penalty law. Tuesday's ruling came in the case of Donald Fell, 22, who is facing the death penalty for allegedly kidnapping and killing a woman in 2000. © 2002 The Associated Press

1000th execution is white while black spared 8th ncarolina death row inmate freed { May 6 2008 } Ashcroft pursues death { July 1 2002 } California and florida suspend executions after botch Court overturns 100 death sentences { September 2 2003 } Death penalty flawed { June 12 2000 } Death penalty suspended in new york Death row evidence deliberately falsified by police { May 6 2006 } Dna clears death row inmate { April 22 2003 } Dna evidence destroyed in death penalty case { November 30 2005 } Doctors refusal cause execution postponed indefinitely Fed penalty unconstitutional { July 2 2002 } Federal unconstitutional { September 24 2002 } Governor orders innocence test of executed man { January 6 2006 } Halt executions { May 16 2002 } Innocent individuals are executed { August 11 2003 } Jury only { June 25 2002 } Justice stevens cites serious flaws in use of death penalty { August 8 2005 } Lethal injections cause agonizingly painful deaths { April 15 2005 } Md death penalty { May 10 2002 } Md death racial { January 8 2003 } Md study disparities Mentally retarded { June 21 2002 } Mounting evidence innocent people death penalty North carolina executions on hold { February 20 2007 } Us accuses germany undermining death penalty { November 14 2000 } Us courts overturns 100 death sentences { September 2 2003 } Us violated mexicans rights on death row Witness clears man executed in texas in 1993 { November 22 2005 } Files Listed: 29

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