[Deathpenalty]death penalty news --- IOWA, CONN.

[Joerg Sommer]

death penalty news

April 8, 2005


IOWA:

Senate Considers Adding Limited Death Penalty To Sex Offender Measure - 
Members Propose Penalties Against Repeat Offenders

Senators considering sex offender legislation that was passed by the House 
said they want to consider adding a limited death penalty element.

The limited death penalty would apply to people who are convicted of 
kidnapping, raping and killing a child. The addition is one of several 
changes that the Senate Judiciary Committee is considering before moving 
the sex offender bill to the Senate for debate.

Other additions being considered include adding a life sentence to those 
sex offenders who commit such acts for a second time, and lifetime 
supervision for any sex offender.

"It will no longer be an experience where you sit in prison for 2½ years 
and then you walk out the door free. They'll be sitting there for 10 years, 
and then hopefully be under lifetime supervision and [then] second offense, 
life," Sen. Chuck Larson, of Linn County.

Senators expect the sex offender bill will go to the Senate floor for 
debate in a few weeks.

(source: TheIowaChannel.com)





CONNECTICUT:

Doctor: Serial Killer Mentally Competent
Psychiatrist Says Connecticut Serial Killer Who Wants to Be Executed Is 
Mentally Competent

A state psychiatrist Thursday stood by his earlier finding that serial 
killer Michael Ross is mentally competent in deciding to forgo further 
appeals and volunteer to be executed.

Dr. Michael Norko was the first witness to testify in new competency 
hearings for Ross, who is scheduled to die by injection May 11 in what 
would be the first execution in New England in nearly 45 years. He has 
admitted killing eight young women in Connecticut and New York in the 1980s.

"He clearly understands what's at stake," Norko said. "The evidence is this 
is his decision, which he makes in contrast to what his friends, supporters 
and lawyers have advised him to do."

Norko also testified that he's seen no evidence that Ross' decision was 
made out of despair and depression wrought by years of close confinement on 
death row.

"He's been able to cope OK on death row," Norko said. "Overall he has been 
able to utilize his strengths to adapt to his circumstances to the extent 
that it's possible to adapt to the circumstances."

Norko found Ross competent in December, but later questioned that finding 
after reading letters Ross wrote from prison. However, under questioning 
from prosecutor Kevin Kane, Norko didn't waver from his earlier findings 
based on a re-evaluation.

Ross' attorney T.R. Paulding and court-appointed lawyer Thomas Groark were 
expected to cross-examine Norko later in the day.

After hearing Norko's original findings, a judge ruled that Ross was 
competent, and that ruling was upheld by the state Supreme Court.

Ross came within hours of being put to death on Jan. 28, but the execution 
was delayed when Paulding announced a potential conflict of interest.

It was later disclosed that Chief U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny 
had threatened to go after Paulding's law license if he found that 
Paulding, in pressing for a prompt execution, had neglected or ignored 
evidence that his client was incompetent.

(source: AP / ABCNews)