Death is different: premature execution warrants deny due process

The Death Penalty Information Center has reported that death-sen­tenced pris­on­ers in Louisiana recent­ly argued that the state issued exe­cu­tion war­rants before they had exhaust­ed their appeals, and the state high court agreed to recall the war­rants. 

In a recent article, it is reported that when a state pur­sues exe­cu­tions before pris­on­ers receive the full mea­sure of due process to which they are enti­tled, the fair­ness, accu­ra­cy, con­sis­ten­cy, and trans­paren­cy of the death penal­ty are called into ques­tion — imper­a­tives that the appeal process is intend­ed to ensure. 

As such, the Supreme Court recalled death warrants for Darrell Draughn and Marcus Reed, agree­ing with the two men that a judge must con­sid­er their state post-con­vic­tion claims before set­ting exe­cu­tion dates.

The United States Supreme Court has held that death is different, because that sentence, once imposed cannot be rectified.

You can read the full article here.