Criminal Law

Joyce House Interview

Posted on June 03, 2008
WBIR, Channel 10 in Knoxville has an extensive 20 minute long interview with Joyce House, mother of Paul House.The link to their general video archive can be found HERE.Once there, go to video search and search "Joyce House." It should be the first one that comes up.

Making Bail

Posted on June 02, 2008
In Sunday's Tennessean, columnist Gail Kerr wrote a great piece concerning Paul House's upcoming bail hearing scheduled for Friday in Union County. The purpose of bail is to assure the appearance of the defendant at trial while assuring the safety of the public...

Media on Paul House Hearing

Posted on May 29, 2008
As expected, there has been a significant amount of media reaction to yesterday's hearing.Kerry Haymaker , a criminal defense attorney, said the court rulings soften the prosecution."Their case becomes very, very weak," he said. "It sounds like the evidence in the case will be under greater attack now than way back then ? especially after the Circuit Court's ruling...

Paul House Remains in State Custody

Posted on May 28, 2008
Today, Judge Harry S. Mattice ordered the state of Tennessee to move forward with the retrial of Paul House by June 17 or House will be released. However, this order only means that the state must show that they are preparing for a retrial by this date and does not mean that a jury must be seated...

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Paul House Hearing Tomorrow

Posted on May 27, 2008
On Wednesday, May 28 at 10:00 a.m. at the Federal Courthouse in Nashville, Courtoom 874 on the 8th floor (located at the corner of Broadway and 9th Avenue South just beside the Frist Center for the Visual Arts), a hearing will be held to determine the conditions of Paul House?s release after serving 22 years on Tennessee?s death row for a crime new evidence indicates he did not commit...

Six Days and Counting

Posted on May 22, 2008
As most of you know, on May 28th, Judge Harry Mattice will set the conditions for the release of Paul House to his mother Joyce's care. After over 22 years of life on death row and wheelchair bound because of multiple sclerosis, Paul House is set to go home...

At the Death House Door

Posted on May 15, 2008
On Thursday, May 8, the Memphis TCASK chapter hosted an advanced screening of the new documentary ?At the Death House Door,? directed by Steven James and Peter Gilbert. The film, produced by the Independent Film Channel, focuses on two individuals, Carroll Pickett and Carlos De Luna...

Death Penalty Cost Op-Eds

Posted on May 13, 2008
Tennessee's State Funding Board has heard from experts that there will be a revenue shortfall between $271 and $380 million dollars. "State officials have been told to expect to cut up to $380 million more in spending before the fiscal year ends in June...

Resistance and Remembrance: Philip Workman Anniversary

Posted on May 12, 2008
(Portions of this reflection written by Stacy Rector are taken from ?Pizza Resistance in Tennessee? in Hospitality (August 2007), a publication of the Open Door Community in Atlanta, Georgia) One year ago?May 9, 2007?the state of Tennessee executed Philip Workman for the death of Memphis police officer, Lt...

As Executions Set to Resume in U.S.: Another Death Row Inmate Exonerated

Posted on May 02, 2008
May 2, 2008 -- Diann Rust Tierney, executive director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, issued the following statement today in response to today?s announced exoneration out of North Carolina:?It?s been more than seven months since an execution occurred in the U...

6th Circuit Panel Hears Appeal in Case of Paul House

Posted on May 02, 2008
A three judge panel in the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday in the appeal in the case of Paul House. Paul House remains on Tennessee's death row though new evidence indicating his innocence (including DNA) has been uncovered. He has been on death row for over 22 years...

Curtis McCarty Speaks in Knoxville

Posted on April 30, 2008
On Thursday, April 24, I picked up Curtis McCarty from the Knoxville airport. We locked eyes as he passed through the security checkpoint and he flashed me a peace sign. As we shook hands, I tensed up--Curtis McCarty spent nearly 19 years on Oklahoma's death row for a crime he didn't commit...

Thanks to the Tennessean

Posted on April 29, 2008
In Sunday's Tennessean in the Opinion section, the paper explored the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning the constitutionality of the current lethal injection protocols. Opinions by Attorney David Raybin and Wally Kirby, director of the District Attorneys General Conference, also appeared...

Channel 5 Story on Paul House

Posted on April 22, 2008
Last night, Channel 5 News in Nashville featured a story on Paul House and his upcoming release to the care of his mother, Joyce, while the courts continue to wrangle over his case after 22 years. The story includes an interview with Paul who is battling multiple sclerosis...

Amended Bill Passes Senate Judiciary

Posted on April 18, 2008
Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee passed an amended version of the death penalty study extension bill, extending the life of the Committee to Study the Administration of the Death Penalty for two months through the end of 2008. The original extension bill would have extended the Committee?s life for a full year until October 2009...

Justice Stevens Renounces Death Penalty

Posted on April 18, 2008
On initial viewing the ruling in Baze v. Rees is simple--7 Justices upholding Kentucky's lethal injection protocols and 2 Justices dissenting that ruling. Underneath that count is a splintered court that produced a separate concurring opinion by Justice John Paul Stevens...

The Supreme Court Rules on Protocols

Posted on April 16, 2008
Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in the Baze v. Rees case upholding Kentucky's lethal injection protocols as constitutional in a 7 to 2 vote. Chief Justice Roberts, joined by Justice Kennedy and Justice Alito, affirmed that "because some risk of pain is inherent in even the most humane execution method, if only from the prospect of error in following the required procedure, the Constitution does not demand the avoidance of all risk of pain...

More Paul House Media Coverage

Posted on April 10, 2008
Media coverage of the pending release of Paul House continues to flow in. Click HERE to watch an interview with Joyce House, Paul's mother. You may have to look below amongst the other video options to find the interview with Joyce.Also, Sarah Kelley of the Nashville Scene has written an article on Paul House...

How Ironic

Posted on April 08, 2008
Yesterday Judge Harry S. Mattice ruled that Paul House should be released to the care of his mother pending a hearing on May 28 to determine the conditions of that release. In his order he stated:The public has a compelling interest in the State not continuing to incarcerate individuals who have not been accorded their constitutional right to a fair trial...

Why All the Fuss?

Posted on April 07, 2008
The Tennessean web site recently posted a story concerning the Tennessee DA's conference's resistance to the extension of the legislative Committee currently studying the death penalty in Tennessee. James "Wally" Kirby, Executive Director of the District Attorney Generals Conference, is charging that the Committee is stacked with death penalty opponents and that the Committee's true intent is to abolish the death penalty...

Justice Day on the Hill

Posted on April 04, 2008
On April 2nd, TCASK members from across the state convened in Nashville at the state capitol to voice their opinions on the death penalty to Tennessee legislators. Last year?s Justice Day on the Hill was critical in the passage of Senate Bill 1911?a bill to create the Committee to Study the Administration of the Death Penalty...

Number 128

Posted on April 03, 2008
Glen Edward Chapman becomes the 128th person nationwide to be exonerated after serving nearly 14 years on North Carolina's death row. Chapman was wrongfully convicted after an investigator withheld evidence and lied in court and because Chapman's defense counsel gave ineffective assistance...

A Tribute

Posted on March 20, 2008
By now, most everyone has already heard about the tragedy at the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill, with the murder of the student body President, Eve Carson. It appears that Eve was the victim of a random act of violence which took her young life and all its potential...

Write-a-Thon Final Tally

Posted on March 17, 2008
Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you're not wearing green, I hope you get pinched.My favorite holiday, International Death Penalty Abolition Day, has passed. This year's commemoration of the day that Michigan abolished the death penalty in 1847 on March 1st was a special one...

A Definitive Cost Study

Posted on March 07, 2008
When the presidential nominees give their speeches after a primary has been completed, they typically begin by thanking the state they are in. "Thank you Ohio." "Thank you Iowa." etc. etc. Today, I would like to say from Nashville, "Thank you Maryland...

More Harm Than Good

Posted on March 05, 2008
There is a murder case in Knoxville that is attracting a lot of news coverage. The case involves the murder of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom aged 21 and 23 respectively. The state is seeking the death penalty for the four individuals that are being charged for the murder...

Another Write-a-thon Success Story

Posted on March 03, 2008
All over the state, citizens of Tennessee gathered to celebrate International Death Penalty Abolition Day on March 1, marking the date in 1847 when the state of Michigan officially became the first English-speaking territory in the world to abolish capital punishment...

Death Row Lotto

Posted on February 29, 2008
Once again, Sarah Kelley of the Nashville Scene has authored another superb/eye-opening/troubling article on Tennessee's death penalty. The article, titled "Death Row Lotto" focuses on the randomness at which this failed public policy is applied, read it HERE...

Paul House Update

Posted on February 28, 2008
Earlier today, Judge Harry Mattice held a hearing on the case of Paul House. What made this hearing unique was that Paul House was asked to be present at the hearing himself. Judge Mattice wanted to view his condition and hear from Paul's physician at Riverbend...

An Evening With Hector Black

Posted on February 26, 2008
How does one forgive the murderer of their loved one? How does one find peace and reconciliation in an act of anger and violence? I have trouble answering these questions, but I am fortunate enough to know someone that can--Hector Black. Last night in Knoxville, TN, just over 30 folks at the University of Tennessee Black Cultural Center convened to hear Hector speak...

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