The Alabama Senate [official website] approved a bill [SB 237 materials] that would create a commission to review claims of innocence by death row inmates. The legislation was approved [Anniston Star report] by a 20-6 vote and would create a remedy for those inmates who have exhausted their appeals. The commission would review [Montgomery Advertiser report] claims by death row inmates who claim “complete innocence” of any criminal responsibility for the capital crime and bring forth “credible, verifiable” evidence that has not been presented at trial or subsequent hearings. The evidence must prove the person’s innocence and not simply raise doubts. The commission would then send the case to a three-judge panel to unanimously decide whether the person proved that he or she is innocent of the charges in order to then provide any relief. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Dick Brewbaker, was inspired [AP report] by death row inmate Bill Kuenzel’s story who has been unable to bring newly discovered evidence to prove his innocence in a 1987 murder in Sylacauga.

Capital punishment [JURIST op-ed] remains a controversial issue around the world. Last month the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit halted [JURIST report] the execution of a Texas man who was convicted of killing his children while their mother listened on the phone. Also last month the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran expressed [JURIST report] concern regarding Iran’s alarming rate of juvenile executions and other flaws in the justice system. Mississippi lawmakers reintroduced [JURIST report] a bill that would allow for execution by firing squad as an alternative to lethal injection. The Supreme Court of Ohio ruled [JURIST report] earlier last month, that the state could execute a man whose execution was halted in 2009 after a failed attempt to administer lethal injection drugs.