New Jersey legislature suspends executions, sets up death penalty study News
New Jersey legislature suspends executions, sets up death penalty study

[JURIST] The New Jersey Legislature [official website] passed a bill [draft text] Monday to suspend executions and create a New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission [statement, PDF] to examine all aspects of the death penalty [JURIST news archive], including its fairness and costs. The 13-member commission will report back to the legislature in November on whether the death penalty is consistent with evolving standards of decency, whether the selection of defendants for capital murder is arbitrary and unfair, and whether alternatives exist that would promote public safety and address the needs of victims' families. The legislation received bipartisan support and Governor Richard J. Codey [official website] has indicated he will approve it. New Jersey reinstated the death penalty in 1982, although the last execution there took place in 1963; there are currently 10 prisoners on death row. Although New Jersey is the first state to suspend executions through formal legislation, other states like Illinois and Maryland have passed similar suspensions by executive order. Twelve other states have ordered similar study commissions. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.