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'Worst of the worst'? House will consider 'law of parties' in capital cases

Should the death penalty be applied only to the worst of the worst, or also to those who associate with them?That's a question the Texas House will answer today when they take up and consider legislation to eliminate the death penalty for accomplices who didn't kill anyone based on the "law of parties." The issue rose in prominence last year when Governor Rick Perry commuted Kenneth Foster's death sentence under the law of parties and called on the Legislature to reconsider the issue of whether accomplices in capital murder cases should receive separate trials.The bill up today would require an accomplice in a capital murder case to stand trial separately from the actual killer and eliminate the death penalty for people who didn't personally murder anyone...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on May 12, 2009 (boomark / email).