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Baze & Medellin

By Karl R. Keys, Esq.

The two big capital cases of the term, Baze (lethal injection) and Medellin (Presidential  powers, foreign relations, and federalism), weren’t decided again this week. The SCOTUS heard oral arguments in Medellin in October.  The Court heard Baze over two months ago.  A decision in either case is unlikely until at least March 17 and, more likely, March 18, but could come literally at any time. In other action, the Court asked for the Solicitor General’s view in Harbison v. Bell (07-8521.)  The question in Harbison case involves whether 18 U.S.C. §3599(a)(2) and (e) (recoddying verbatim former 21 U.S.C. §848(q)(4)(B)and (q)(8)), permit federally-funded habeas counsel to represent a state inmate in state clemency proceedings. The lower federal courts are divided on the issue...continue to full post

Full post as published by Capital Defense Weekly on March 03, 2008 (boomark / email).