Monday, October 31, 2005

Random News

This is a pretty horrible statistic, 16% of Texas homes at risk of going hungry:
A higher percentage of households in Texas were at risk of going hungry over the past three years than in any other state, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Agriculture Department.
What in the world are our state leaders doing about that? In a state of 22 million people that's over 3 million people going hungry. There is no doubt this should not be happening in Texas!

Congressman John Carter Shopping Death, PATRIOT ACT DEVELOPING DECIDEDLY UN-AMERICAN TILT:
Rep. Carter's measure would allow prosecutors to empanel a second jury and argue for death if at least one person on the original jury voted for the death penalty. Thus, an 11-1 vote recommending life in prison instead of death could be rejected in order to empanel another jury to give the prosecutor one more chance to win a death sentence. This measure would do little to actually help fight terrorism. Yet it would undermine a feature that strengthens U.S. jurisprudence and makes our system an international model.

Under U.S. law, prosecutors must prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt; and federal juries must reach unanimous consensus on imposing the death penalty. If some jurors object to imposing death, it means the case for death wasn't demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt. After all, only jurors who support the death penalty are allowed to judge death cases.
And this guy was a judge before he went to Congress? Click here to make sure he's not in Congress anymore either. More on this from the Washington Post, Measure Would Alter Federal Death Penalty System. You have to love this quote:
Carter spokeswoman Gretchen Hamel said the proposals are important because "the congressman believes capital punishment is a deterrent for all kinds of crimes, including terrorism."
I wouldn't steal any office supplies if I worked in that office.

Two on the latest in the Commissioners Court vs. Gary Griffin.

Constable's staff reduced by eight deputies

County mental health future uncertain

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