Criminal Law

Arkansas Parole Board Recommends Life Without Parole for Mentally Disabled Man
In a 4-3 vote, the Arkansas Parole Board recommended that Frank Williams' death sentence be commuted to life without parole. The Board had received petitions for clemency from 13 state, national, and international organizations and developmental disabilities experts raising the prospect that Williams suffers from mental retardation as indicated by a series of IQ tests...

Oklahoma: A recommendation for clemency
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-1 Tuesday to recommend clemency for convicted killer Kevin Young. The board’s recommendation now goes to Gov. Brad Henry, who ultimately will decide whether to grant clemency...

Arkansas Advocacy Group Pleads for Clemency for Mentally Retarded Man
On July 30th, Arkansas leading advocacy organization for people with mental retardation, Arc Arkansas, delivered a letter to Governor Mike Beebe and the Arkansas Parole board urging clemency for Frank Williams, Jr...

Life: a beautiful option Arkansas
In Arkansas: In a 4-3 vote, the Arkansas Parole Board recommended that Frank Williams’ death sentence be commuted to life without parole. The Board had received petitions for clemency from 13 state, national, and international organizations and developmental disabilities experts raising the prospect that Williams suffers from mental retardation as indicated by a series of [...

Oklahoma Governor Commutes Death Sentence at Jurors' and Parole Board's Request
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry commuted the death sentence of Kevin Young to life in prison without parole on July 24th. Henry stated, "This was a very difficult decision and one that I did not take lightly...

The sad state of executive clemency in Ohio
Given that Ohio's current government is a former prison psychologist (background here), I had hoped that Governor Ted Strickland might be a bit more corageous in his use of his executive clemency power than some of his predecessors...

Nationwide
Settles Arkansas Class Action

Arkansas Nucor Plant Guilty of a Racially Hostile Work Environment
Nucor Guilty Of Racially Hostile Work Environment Must Pay $1.2 Million Settlement