United States of America: To err is human; to abolish is demanded

Index Number: AMR 51/110/2002
Date Published: 2 July 2002
Categories: Americas, USA

A recent ruling from US District Court Judge Jed Rakoff included the statement that the death penalty "is tantamount to foreseeable, state-sponsored murder of innocent human beings". This judicial opinion, along with the current moratorium on executions in Illinois, highlights the need and urgency for President Bush to lead the individual US states by example by declaring a moratorium on federal executions.