Court declines to halt execution of Alabama man whose jury voted against death penalty

Court declines to halt execution of Alabama man whose jury voted against death penalty

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In a brief order with no recorded dissents, the Supreme Court refused to block the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith, a 57-year-old inmate who is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday in Alabama. Smith was convicted for the 1988 murder of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett, whom he was hired to kill by her husband, Rev. Charles Sennett.

By a vote of 11 to 1, the jury in Smith’s 1996 capital trial recommended that he … Read the rest

Divided court authorizes Alabama execution, but state is unable to carry it out before midnight deadline

Divided court authorizes Alabama execution, but state is unable to carry it out before midnight deadline

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The Supreme Court on Thursday night cleared the way for Alabama to carry out a lethal injection of an inmate who argued that he had the right to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia, a method that supporters say is more humane. In an unsigned order that divided the justices 5-4, the court lifted an order by a federal judge that would have required the state to use nitrogen hypoxia to execute Alan Eugene Miller. But the state called off … Read the rest

In 5-4 vote, justices reinstate Alabama voting map despite lower court’s ruling that it dilutes Black votes

In 5-4 vote, justices reinstate Alabama voting map despite lower court’s ruling that it dilutes Black votes

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The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Alabama to implement a redistricting plan that is being challenged as illegal racial gerrymandering. A lower court ruled last month that the state’s new congressional map likely violates the Voting Rights Act, and it ordered the state to draw a new map. But the Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision put the lower court’s ruling on hold, effectively allowing Alabama to proceed with its preferred map as it prepares for primary elections in … Read the rest