In its next look at the death penalty, the Supreme Court is faced with the case of Timothy Tyrone Foster, to be argued on November 2. Foster is a black man who was convicted and sentenced to death by an all-white jury for the murder of a white woman. The jury was composed entirely of… Continue reading Supreme Court looks at exclusion of blacks from jury in Georgia death penalty case
Author: Ursula Bentele
Ursula Bentele has spent her professional life in the area of criminal justice, with particular emphasis on the death penalty and post-conviction advocacy. She served as a criminal defense lawyer for The Legal Aid Society and a clinical professor at Brooklyn Law School, and she continues to volunteer at the Society’s Criminal Appeals Bureau. Ursula is a recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award, which recognizes attorneys who have contributed time and expertise to represent people sentenced to death.
Supreme Court’s next death penalty case looks at roles of judge, jury
Continuing its look at death penalty, the Supreme Court will hear argument on Tuesday in Hurst v. Florida[efn_note]No. 14-7505.[/efn_note] to decide whether Florida’s practices in capital trials are constitutional. At issue in Hurst is whether a judge properly imposed a death sentence without the necessary fact-finding by a jury. Florida is one of the few… Continue reading Supreme Court’s next death penalty case looks at roles of judge, jury
Questions about mitigating factors, in Kansas and beyond – a U.S. Supreme Court preview
In preparation for the new term of the U.S. Supreme Court, starting on October 5, we will feature an occasional guest column by our newest board member, Ursula Bentele. Ursula is a renowned Supreme Court scholar, who will look at some of the Court’s cases with a particular eye towards those with implications for the… Continue reading Questions about mitigating factors, in Kansas and beyond – a U.S. Supreme Court preview