TN DEATH PENALTY BLOG
We are traveling through Tennessee's heartland and highways, meeting folks and starting conversations about our death penalty.
Previous Posts
- Death Penalty Repeal in the Land of Enchantment
- What About the Evidence?
- New Mexico Repeals Death Penalty
- New Mexico on the Brink of Repeal
- TCASK Represented in NY
- Cover Article on Steve Henley in the Nashville Scene
- Eyewitness Testimony Lacks Reliability
- Nashville Write-a-Thon
- Cost of the Death Penalty
- Abolitionist Legacy
Links
- Abolish the Death Penalty Blog
- Amnesty International Death Penalty Blog
- Asia Death Penalty Blog
- For Victims, Against the Death Penalty
- The Real Cost of Prisons Blog
- Uncommon Sense on the Death Penalty
- National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
- Death Penalty Information Center
- Citizens United Against the Death Penalty
- Murder Victims Families for Human Rights
- Google News: TN death penalty
Contributors
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
High Court Says Federal Public Defenders Can Work on State Clemency Proceedings
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Tennessee inmate E.J. Harbison who had asked the court to allow his federal public defender to serve as his clemency counsel. Harbison, who is indigent, cannot afford to hire an attorney to represent him at clemency proceedings and requested that his federal public defender, who has worked on his case for years, continue to represent him.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Harbison saying that the law, "does not authorize federal compensation for legal representation in state matters." The high court disagreed.
Several Governors and former Governors, including Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, joined Harbison in arguing that inmates should be given the best possible legal representation during clemency proceedings.
Tennessee death row inmate, Steve Henley, also raised this issue with the courts, requesting that his federal public defender serve as his clemency counsel. Henley was not given a stay of execution in order for a clemency hearing to proceed. Instead, he was executed on February 4, 2009.
Read more here.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Harbison saying that the law, "does not authorize federal compensation for legal representation in state matters." The high court disagreed.
Several Governors and former Governors, including Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, joined Harbison in arguing that inmates should be given the best possible legal representation during clemency proceedings.
Tennessee death row inmate, Steve Henley, also raised this issue with the courts, requesting that his federal public defender serve as his clemency counsel. Henley was not given a stay of execution in order for a clemency hearing to proceed. Instead, he was executed on February 4, 2009.
Read more here.
