Word: backgrounders
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Should the state execute people who have committed brutal acts but have the mentality of children? "While no one minimizes the severity of the crime," Penry's attorney, Robert Smith, wrote in his appeal to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, "because of his mental retardation and family background, it is not possible that Johnny Paul Penry is among the most culpable offenders for whom the ultimate punishment is reserved...
...allow the death penalty, 13 bar the execution of the mentally retarded, as does the U.S. government for federal inmates. In 1989 the Supreme Court ruled that while executing those with diminished mental capabilities does not violate the ban on cruel and unusual punishment, a defendant's IQ and background are mitigating factors that should be considered by a jury when deciding punishment. It was, in fact, Penry's first scheduled execution that precipitated the landmark decision. The high court concluded that the jury in Penry's original 1980 conviction had not been asked to consider his mental capabilities when...
...director, Shyamalan feels his multicultural background gives him an advantage: "Decisions I make in my filmmaking are for a global audience. The domestic box office is an important thing, but it's just as important for me that the worldwide audience is enjoying the movie, as in The Sixth Sense. I picture my uncles and aunts and people abroad watching my movies...
...background: On Tuesday, Nov. 21, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the recounts were to continue, and the results were to be included in the final state tally. The Bush legal team immediately filed an appeal to the United States Supreme Court, which agreed to hear opening arguments from both campaigns. And while everyone involved in the case was duly awestruck by the prospect of an audience with the U.S. Supreme Court, the Justices' ultimate decision may end up meaning little, especially when compared to the more immediate and pressing decisions facing Florida's state courts. After all, even through...
Breyer, a graduate of Harvard Law School, said that because none of the nine current Supreme Court justices have any background in the natural sciences, lawyers and scientists have to prepare extensive briefs to educate them about complex scientific issues...