News and Developments 2008: Life Without Parole

Oklahoma Governor Commutes Death Sentence at Juror's and Parole Board's Request

Posted: July 29, 2008
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Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry commuted the death sentence of Kevin Young to life in prison without parole on July 24. Henry stated, "This was a very difficult decision and one that I did not take lightly." He explained that, "after reviewing all of the evidence and hearing from both prosecutors and defense attorneys, I decided the Pardon and Parole Board made a proper recommendation to provide clemency and commute the death sentence." This is only the second time the Governor has granted clemency since taking office.

Execution Stayed Because Jurors May Have Been Misinformed about Life Sentence

Posted: July 18, 2008
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Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry granted a 30-day stay of execution for Kevin Young who was scheduled to die on July 22. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency for Young a week earlier after hearing tape recorded statements from jurors stating that they hadn’t wanted to give Young the death sentence but didn’t receive clarification when they asked whether he would be eligible for parole if he was sentenced to life without parole. One juror explained, “We felt that the crime did not warrant the death penalty.

STUDIES: Ohio Prosecutors Increasingly Seeking Life Without Parole Instead of Death Penalty

Posted: June 27, 2008
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According to a new study by the Associated Press, there has been a sharp drop in the use of the death penalty in Ohio as prosecutors are taking advantage of a new law allowing them to seek a sentence of life without parole without first pursuing the death penalty. The sentence of life without parole used to be only an option for jurors weighing an alternative to a death sentence. According to the AP, “Prosecutors around Ohio, citing the ability to pursue harsh punishment without going through the complication and expense of a death penalty case are starting to take advantage of the 2005 law,” and the “number of death penalty indictments sought statewide dropped 32 percent from 2004 to 2007 . . . .[T]he number of life without parole sentences rose by more than two-thirds in the three years since the law took effect compared with the three years before, when 45 inmates entered prison with the permanent life sentence."

STUDIES: Ohio Prosecutors Increasingly Seeking Life Without Parole Instead of Death Penalty

Posted: June 27, 2008
in

According to a new study by the Associated Press, there has been a sharp drop in the use of the death penalty in Ohio as prosecutors are taking advantage of a new law allowing them to seek a sentence of life without parole without first pursuing the death penalty. The sentence of life without parole used to be only an option for jurors weighing an alternative to a death sentence. According to the AP, “Prosecutors around Ohio, citing the ability to pursue harsh punishment without going through the complication and expense of a death penalty case are starting to take advantage of the 2005 law,” and the “number of death penalty indictments sought statewide dropped 32 percent from 2004 to 2007 . . . .[T]he number of life without parole sentences rose by more than two-thirds in the three years since the law took effect compared with the three years before, when 45 inmates entered prison with the permanent life sentence."

Ohio Prosecutors Seeking Life Without Parole Instead of Death Penalty

Posted: June 26, 2008
in

Ohio prosecutors are taking advantage  of their new option of life without parole, seeking it much more often than the death penalty.  The life sentence without the possibility of parole used to only be an option for jurors weighing an alternative to a death sentence.  “Prosecutors around Ohio, citing the ability to pursue harsh punishment without going through the complication and expense of a death penalty case are starting to take advantage of the 2005 law,” and the “number of death penalty indictments sought statewide dropped 32 percent from 2004 to 2007

Police Chief Given Life after Victim's Family Speaks Against Death Sentence

Posted: June 23, 2008
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A former Pennsylvania police chief was sentenced to life without parole on June 20, 2008, for the murder of his 31-year old ex-wife after the victim's family spoke against a death sentence at the penalty hearing. The district attorney had planned to seek the death penalty against Richard Curran, just as he had for every murder case in the last 13 years. However, Bonnie Smith, the victim’s mother, testified at the penalty phase that her family wanted him to be given life in prison.