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Communist Vietnam's secret death penalty conveyor belt: How country trails only China and Iran for 'astonishing' number of executions

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Prisoners are dragged from their cells at 4am without warning to be given a lethal injection Vietnam's use of the death penalty has been thrust into the spotlight after a real estate tycoon was on Thursday sentenced to be executed in one of the biggest corruption cases in the country's history. Truong My Lan, a businesswoman who chaired a sprawling company that developed luxury apartments, hotels, offices and shopping malls, was arrested in 2022.

Why Wood's execution should trouble death penalty fans

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Arizona Death Chamber
Whether you agree with the death penalty or not it should bother you that it took the murderer Joseph Wood almost two hours to die, gasping for air during his execution.

Whether you agree with the death penalty or not it should bother you that Gov. Jan Brewer immediately promised a review of the procedure and simultaneously appeared to clear the Department of Corrections of any wrongdoing.

Shortly after Wood was declared dead Brewer's office sent out statement that read in part, "While justice was carried out today, I directed the Department of Corrections to conduct a full review of the process. One thing is certain, however, inmate Wood died in a lawful manner and by eyewitness and medical accounts he did not suffer."

Whether or not you agree with the death penalty it should bother you that the governor directed the DOC to do an investigation of … the DOC.

Whether you agree or not with the governor's conclusion that Wood "did not suffer," it should bother you that she said as much before any investigation was conducted, something noted by Federal Judge Neil Wake when he was asked to stop the execution while it was ongoing.

Whether or not you believe a cold-blooded killer like Wood should suffer it should bother you that some people seem willing to toss out the U.S. Constitution's protection against "cruel and unusual punishment."

Because that applies to everyone who comes in contact with the justice system.


Source: Arizona Central, EJ Montini, July 28, 2014
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