[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----OHIO, NEB.

[Rick Halperin]

May 13



OHIO:

The forgotten execution survivor



In the current media focus on death penalty horrors, Romell Broom in Ohio, who 
survived a gruesome attempted execution in 2009, is still on Ohio's death row, 
seemingly forgotten after his 2-hour ordeal 6 years ago.

After 30 years of protesting his innocence, Broom published his story 'Survivor 
on Death Row' in an attempt to raise public awareness of anomalies in his case.

Ever since the 2-hour execution attempt (which the State deemed 'did not count' 
as 'the execution had not started yet') Broom has requested a DNA re-test. 
Judged at the time a 'near-enough' match to the crime, he has since discovered 
two non-identical DNA reports in his files, both bearing his name - one of 
which he had never seen before.

Requests for a re-test and a retrial have so far gone unheard.

'Survivor on Death Row'----http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/380992

(source: CN)








NEBRASKA:

Religious leaders call for death penalty repeal; 'I hope we will choose to 
value life,' bishop says



Local religious leaders on Wednesday called for repeal of the death penalty in 
Nebraska, saying it destroys the sanctity of human life and is aimed at 
retribution.

"Public safety can be assured through other means," Omaha Archbishop George 
Lucas said during a news conference. 'And justice requires punishment, but does 
not require that those who have committed capital crimes be put to death."

Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty sponsored the news conference 
at the Omaha Press Club downtown.

Speakers emphasized the sacredness of human life and power of redemption.

"Jesus Christ did not lead a life of retribution," said the Rev. Brian Maas, 
bishop of the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "I 
hope we will choose to value life and end the death penalty in Nebraska."

The Very Rev. Craig Loya, dean at Trinity Cathedral in the Episcopal Diocese of 
Nebraska, said taking life "under any circumstance is tragic."

Other religious leaders speaking included Dr. Dan Flanagan, Missouri River 
District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Robert 
Keefer of the Missouri River Valley Presbytery.

Last month, by a 30-13 majority, Nebraska state senators voted to advance 
Legislative Bill 268, which would replace lethal injection with life in prison. 
For an issue that once divided reliably along partisan lines, a proposal to 
repeal capital punishment this time got 17 Republican votes.

Now partisans on each side of the issue are preparing for a tough second round 
of debate, possibly beginning Friday.

The most prominent death-penalty defender to emerge since the vote has been 
Gov. Pete Ricketts, who has said he would veto the legislation. The 30 votes 
the bill received in the 1st round match the number that would be needed to 
override a veto.

In a recent interview on the death penalty, Ricketts targeted arguments that 
have helped sway some conservatives to the side of repeal.

The governor said the death penalty is not significantly more expensive than 
life in prison in Nebraska, despite what studies have shown in other states. He 
said it costs about $50,000 a year to house an inmate, regardless of the 
sentence.

During floor debate, several senators said they've come to oppose capital 
punishment because of their religious objections. The governor, who is 
Catholic, said he has concluded it's morally consistent to be against abortion 
and in favor of capital punishment.

He has said, "We need to recognize there's a difference between innocent life 
and people who committed these heinous crimes."

(source: omaha.com)