[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----PENN., USA

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 28




PENNSYLVANIA:

'Death row saved my life' ---- The incredible story of Nick Yarris, the wrongly 
convicted British resident who spent 23 years on death row ... and is now 
having a Netflix series made about him; After spending 8,057 days behind bars, 
Yarris was cleared by DNA evidence and released in 2004


A new Netflix drama will revolve around the incredible true story of a British 
resident who spent decades on death row for a crime he didn't commit.

Nick Yarris, 55, faced death by electric chair after being framed for the rape 
and murder of a woman in Pennsylvania, where he is from.

But the cleared inmate was innocent all along, and knew he had been falsely 
sentenced as he spent an agonising 23 years counting down the days until his 
execution.

After spending 8,057 days behind bars, Yarris was cleared by DNA evidence and 
released in 2004, but his chilling prison experience will stay with him to the 
grave.

Now the father-of-4 is going to be the subject of a new Netflix drama, and has 
spoken out in great depth about his dark and terrifying experiences.

The American, who now lives Yeovil, Somerset, has written a harrowing book 
about his experiences, and recently appeared on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire 
programme to talk about a life spent waiting to die.

And his book, The Fear OF 13: Countdown to Execution: My Fight for Survival on 
Death Row, is going to be made into a Netflix drama as well as a movie, both 
based on his experiences on death row.

Yarris' nightmare ordeal started in 1981, when the then 19-year-old was 
arrested in a stolen car for jumping a red light.

The alcoholic and drug addict ended up in a scuffle with a policeman, whose gun 
was discharged during the brawl - leading to Yarris being charged with 
attempted murder.

Whilst he was in custody, the American teen read about the rape and murder of a 
young mum, and came up with a dishonest plan to bargain his way out of prison.

Yarris made up information about the attack, and accused a man, who he believed 
to be dead, of carrying out the rape and murder of fellow Pennsylvanian Linda 
Craig.

But his lies were quickly rumbled, and Yarris ended up accused of the murder 
himself, before being sentenced to death on flimsy evidence - despite his 
protested innocence.

Whilst in prison, Yarris was beaten by fellow inmates, and spent decades 
surrounded by murderers, rapists and cannibals.

The ordeal nearly drove him to suicide, but Yarris found solace in education, 
claiming he wanted to "make [his] mind beautiful."

Now free from the daily torture he faced behind bars, and given $4million 
(3.2million pounds ) in compensation for his wrongful imprisonment, the falsely 
accused dad has had time to reflect on his experiences.

The Daily Mail reported that he has previously claimed to have a bond with his 
fellow death row inmates.

Yarris said: "For more than 20 years my identity was bonded with those people.

"I cared about them. I believe life imprisonment is far worse than the death 
penalty."

And despite the trauma, the British resident has also previously said: "Prison 
was the best thing that happened to me.

"I have a photograph of the street gang I was in when I was a teenager. There 
were 27 of us, 26 are dead now.

"Death row saved my life.

"It taught me everything is a luxury to be treasured."

(source: thesun.co.uk)






USA:

Jury selection to begin Monday in federal death penalty trial of admitted 
Charleston church shooter


Monday morning jury selection begins in the federal death penalty trial for 
admitted Charleston church shooter, Dylann Roof.

He admitted to killing 9 people at Emanuel AME church in June of 2015.

His trial was supposed to start earlier this month but the judge postponed it 
in order to evaluate his mental state.

On Friday, the judge declared Roof *competent* to stand trial.

Jury selection is set to begin at 9 a.m.

(source: WJBF news)