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A few Justices discussing time on death row again

By Douglas A. Berman

As noted in this effective post at SCOTUSblog by Lyle Denniston, a few Justices took the time to discuss the time that Cecil Johnson spent on death row before he was executed early Wednesday in Tennessee.   Here are the highlights of Lyle's effective reporting: ?This case deserves our full attention,? wrote Justice John Paul Stevens in an opinion joined by Justice Stephen G. Breyer as the full Court refused to hear a final plea on Johnson?s behalf.  The Stevens opinion added that ?this is as compelling a case as I have encountered for addressing the constitutional concerns? over holding an inmate for many years, awaiting execution.... But, as has happened before, the Stevens complaint was met with a sharply worded retort from a colleague, Justice Clarence Thomas...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on December 02, 2009 (boomark / email).