Florida legislators approve measure to speed up executions

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Bill Cotterell
TALLAHASSEE, Florida | Mon Apr 29, 2013 3:46pm EDT

(Reuters) - The Florida Senate sent Governor Rick Scott a package of capital-punishment reforms on Monday designed to prevent condemned killers from spending decades on Death Row, despite warnings that speeding up the legal appeals process could lead to innocent prisoners being executed.

The "Timely Justice Act" sets deadlines for condemned killers to file appeals, and for the state to proceed with issuing warrants after the Florida Supreme Court upholds death sentences.

It also sets competency standards for lawyers handling cases. To reduce the number of appeals alleging incompetent counsel, any attorney twice found to have provided "constitutionally deficient representation" will be suspended from handling death appeals for five years.

"Is swift justice fair justice?" asked Democratic party Senator Arthenia Joyner, a Tampa attorney who voted against the bill. "We have seen cases where, years later, convicted people were exonerated," she said.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/29/us-usa-florida-deathpenalty-idUSBRE93S0UT20130429

[DFW]

1. Florida Republicans say:

"Innocent, schminnocent. Dead people don't appeal. Texas ain't the only place that knows how to do this. Kill 'em quick."

[dipsydoodle]

2. Appalling biproduct

of having the death penalty.

[Fuddnik]

3. I wish we could find a way to get these assholes out of office quicker.

[Swede Atlanta]

4. We have a huge problem in this country....

We incarcerate, per capita, more people than any other nation in the first world. We rank #1 in violent crimes including homicide, etc.

So the fact we have capital punishment for some crimes and are willing to waste billions on prisons for others has absolutely no deterrent on crime.

We are a stupid people, led by people who think if you repeat something often enough the outcome will be different.

Heaven help us...

[booley]

5. remember, the government can't spend a dime to help the living correctly

.... but that same government is totally ok to decide who should be born and who should die.

[SoapBox]

6. Just plain old creepy...

Amazing how PukeBaggers just want to kill, kill, KILL!

What the fuck is wrong with them?