"A grave miscarriage of justice"

Last week, after 21 years on Pennsylvania’s death row, James Dennis of Philadelphia finally had his moment of justice. Federal district court Judge Anita Brody ruled that the 1992 conviction of Dennis for the murder of Chedell Ray Williams was “a grave miscarriage...

Prosecutorial Misconduct in Philly… Again

District Attorney Seth Williams says he’s “upset and disgusted” at the Judge Anita Brody’s ruling in Jimmy Dennis’s case.  He should be. His solution is to “appeal it to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals or just retry the case.” But he needs to go...

Executing Compassion

 I often hear the usual justifications for ending capital punishment. Deterrence is a fallacy. Innocents and the mentally ill are killed off all the time. Racial inequality is rampant in sentencing. The detrimental impact on the executioners is immeasurable. Closure...