[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----ARK., S.C.

[Rick Halperin]

Oct. 19


ARKANSAS----new execution date

Execution Set For Arkansas Condemned Killer----Federal Panel Rejects
Killer's Appeal


Governor Mike Huckabee has set a November 28 execution date for a man
convicted of killing an 18-year-old Malvern woman. The governor noted
there is no court order pending that would stop the execution of Eric
Randall Nance from going forward.

Nance lost a federal appeal in December of his death sentence for capital
murder and attempted rape convictions in the 1993 death of Julie Heath. A
hunter, about a week after she vanished, found the young womans body. Her
throat had been cut. Nance was 33 at the time of his arrest.

A federal appeals panel rejected claims by Nance that his trial lawyers
were ineffective in the guilt phase of his trial.

(source: KTHV News)






SOUTH CAROLINA----inmate seeks to drop appeals

Death row inmate asking Supreme Court to allow execution to go forward


The state Supreme Court heard arguments Wednedasy on whether a man on
death row for killing a York County sheriff's deputy is competent to waive
his right to further appeals.

The case involves Mar-Reece Hughes who was convicted in 1995 of shooting
Deputy Brent McCants during a traffic stop in 1992.

Hughes says for 6 years he has wanted to waive his right to
post-conviction relief. He wants the Department of Corrections to go
forward with his execution and says he would prefer electrocution rather
than lethal injection.

(source: WIS-TV News)