On March 5, Alabama executed 44-year-old African American Nathaniel Woods by painful lethal injection, taking 23 minutes to kill him, despite no credible evidence of guilt. than those dealt with by the International Military Tribunal. If it is inhumane to use the death penalty, than crimes against humanity should get an eye for an eye. According to attorney Lauren Faraino who handled Woods’ clemency petition, “(a)t literally every step of the way, Nate’s counsel has let him down,” adding: “Alabama executed an innocent man, and I think everyone involved—the governor, the attorney general, the DOC commissioner—everyone knew it.” Yet they killed him anyway. . Capital Punishment: A Crime Against Humanity, by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman). His sister Pamela Woods said Alabama’s governor and attorney general “ignore(d) the facts…to murder Nathaniel.”. of 8 August 1945, and the Charter issued pursuant thereto and Ahead of his execution last Thursday, sister of one of the killed police officers Kimberly Chisholm Simmons attempted to reach Governor Ivey. Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. in order to establish a uniform legal basis in Germany for the HOLOCAUSTS: up to 6 million dead. The Crimes Against Humanity Initiative is a rule of law research and advocacy project of the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute. After working seven years as a marketing research analyst, he joined the Lendman Group family business in 1967. of the domestic laws of the country where perpetrated. The Holocaust, also referred to as the Shoah, falls under the … Crimes against humanity Verdicts: 11 sentenced to death, 7 given life prison sentences, 3 acquitted Procedure for the trial: o Judges followed Rule of Law o Verdicts were based on evidence o Accused had legal counsel o Accused could address the court o Accused could call witnesses in their defense o Verdicts: 11 sentenced to death, 7 given life prison Distinguished guests are featured. The court provides a list of crimes that fall under this, including murder, … Nor was he involved with what happened. Listen live or archived. It’s permitted under the US criminal justice system. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, was charged, convicted, sentenced, and executed for being Black in a racist state, in a racist nation with a racist system, by a racist judge, jury, prosecutor and governor. Please do not move forward with the hasty decision to execute Nathaniel. Marshall at the time said the following:Â, “The death penalty is an excessive and unnecessary punishment that violates the Eighth Amendment…(It’s) morally (and legally) unacceptable.”, “(T)he burden of capital punishment falls upon the poor, the ignorant, and the underprivileged members of society.”, “We achieve ‘a major milestone in the long road up from barbarism’ and join the approximately 70 other jurisdictions in the world which celebrate their regard for civilization and humanity by shunning capital punishment.”. In Nathaniel Woods v. State of Alabama, overwhelming doubt existed, no doubt whatever of his innocence.Â. war, including but not limited to, murder, ill treatment or deportation Marginal note:Short title 1 This Act may be cited as the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. Genocide is one of the horrific crimes against humankind. The first prosecution for crimes against humanity took place at the Nuremberg trials. This is the result of a global effort originating in the trial of 24 Nazi criminals on charges of crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Tribunal. They became part of international law in the mid-1940s, after the end of World War II, … Capital punishment is unjustifiably legal in 29 US states. The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty calls itself “the nation’s oldest organization dedicated exclusively to the abolition of” capital punishment, adding: “We are families of murder victims, persons from all points on the political and religious spectrums, past and present law enforcement officials and prominent civil and racial justice organizations, who are working to repeal the death penalty state by state.”, In Furman v. Georgia (1972), the Supreme Court held that imposition of the death penalty was unconstitutional for breaching the 8th Amendment’s prohibition against “cruel and unusual punishments.”. . Crimes against humanity are certain acts that are purposely committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack, directed against any civilians, in time of war or peace. The notion of “crimes against humanity” has a long history, but its definition has evolved over the years. . A handful of reasons make this a disputed entry as the biggest genocide in recorded history, but if you believe the… Time and again in the US, innocent victims of judicial unfairness are imprisoned or executed for offenses they didn’t commit. It’s permitted under the US criminal justice system. other countries and wars of aggression in violation of international By written statement to the governor sent to attorney Faraino, she said the following: “I do not think that Nathaniel is guilty of murder. In contrast to genocide and crimes against humanity, war crimes can be committed against a diversity of victims, either combatants or non-combatants, depending on the type of crime. . Crimes against humanity may usefully be thought of as a cognate of gross and systematic violations of human rights. The statute of the international criminal court is crystal clear, that they have jurisdiction over matters of the sort, of any governmental decision or activity that leads to mass dying in a particular country. To date, the Initiative has held several experts' meetings a initiation or waging a war of aggression, or a war in violation of war or persons on the seas, killing of hostages, plunder of "Crimes against humanity" is a category of offense that the ICC handles. from occupied territory, murder or ill treatment of prisoners Atrocities and offences, You have here a crime against humanity, with tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of victims, to the international criminal court. Atrocities or offences against persons committed against any civilian population, or persecutions on He remained there until retiring at year end 1999. First, crimes against humanity and genocide have a different mens rea. For aiding and abetting and planning some of the most heinous and brutal crimes in recorded history [war crimes and crimes against humanity as a result of his involvement in the Sierra Leone civil war, 1991-2002] Charles Taylor, warlord and the 22nd president of Liberia was sentenced by the Hague Court to 50 years. Law Professor/constitutional expert Charles Black (1915 – 2001) denounced the death penalty as fatally flawed, saying: There are “hanging prosecutors, hanging juries, hanging judges, and hanging governors.”Â, “But, overwhelmingly, the trouble is not in the people but…the system – or nonsystem.”, Separately, he said “(t)he possibility of judicial fairness for accused minorities (in the US) is as likely their “learn(ing) to speak decent Japanese by the end of the month.”. Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity, Nov. 26, 1968, 754 U.N.T.S. In early 2007, radio hosting followed. Her plea was ignored. The crime against humanity of persecution, as defined in Article 7(1)(h) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Statute, seems directl… In order to give effect to the terms of the . Four years later, the High Court reinstated the death penalty “under revised laws,” the Death Penalty Information Center explained. political, racial or religious grounds whether or not in violation INDICT, a group of individuals and organizations across the world, was created in 1996 for the purpose of bringing Saddam Hussein and other leading figures in the current regime in Iraq before an international tribunal to face charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against peace and the crime of genocide. Unlike war crimes, however, crimes against humanity were never codified in a specialized convention, although the 1948 Genocide Convention criminalizes one form of crimes against humanity. Proposal for two draft articles: one on prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity and the other on the definition of such crimes. criminal acts that target a group of people based on their religion Initiation of invasions of Website Designed By Automly, US FY NDAA Includes Threat of More Illegal Sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Pipeline, Unacceptable Foreign Occupations by US Forces, Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Venezuela, NATO 2030 and Other Issues, Evidence of Election Fraud in Georgia and Nevada. 1. Started in 2008 by Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, the Initiative has as its goals the study of the need for a comprehensive international convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, the analysis of the necessary elements of such a convention, and the drafting of a proposed treaty. In 2000, former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn officially abolishing it in March, saying it’s impossible “to create a perfect, mistake-free death penalty system.”. It is a crime of more grave in nature than any other crimes against humanity and insinuates toward an intent to completely eradicate a particular category of people. In Article 414, on the incitement to commit crimes against public order, paragraph 4 (which was inserted as an amendment in 2005) states that if the crimes set forth in the other paragraphs of the article are crimes of terrorism or crimes against humanity, the punishment is to be increased by half. Control Council Law No. London Agreement Major world and national issues are discussed. including but not limited to murder, extermination, enslavement, The use of capital punishment for crimes against humanity seems good. By 1946, the United Nations General Assembly had confirmed these “principles of international law”, and began to create resolutions which set forth punishment for persons guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. b) War Crimes. . It is a conspiracy requiring a proper plan of action and specificity arises from the intention to destruct the group. Collective punishments are prohibited under international humanitarian law in all circumstances.249 The prohibition on collective punishments applies to criminal sanctions against persons for actions for which they do not bear individual criminal responsibility, but also to “all sanctions and harassment of any sort, administrative, by police action or otherwise.”250 Belligerent reprisals are acts that would otherwise be unlawful acts of war but, when used as an enforcement measure in reaction to the unlawful acts of an a… Lawmakers won’t repeal it, and I won’t stand for it. Second, the range of underlying offences which may qualify as genocidal is more restricted in scope than those that may qualify as crimes against humanity. of international treaties, agreements, or assurances, or participation Capital Punishment: A Crime Against Humanity by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman) Capital punishment is unjustifiably legal in 29 US states. Each of the following acts is recognized as a crime: a) Crimes against Peace. Opposed were Justices Blackmun, Burger, Powell and Rehnquist. . Although treaties have been concluded for the prevention and punishment in national law of the crime of genocide and war crimes, no such treaty exists with respect to crimes against humanity. Apartheid is a Crime against Humanity The crime of “crimes against humanity” covers various offences including murder, enslavement, rape as well as the crime of apartheid. Building on the work of the Harris Institute’s Crimes Against Humanity Initiative, a new global treaty on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity is gaining momentum. deportation, imprisonment, torture, rape, or other inhumane acts In 1956, he received a BA from Harvard University. or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity. Lendman now hosts the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network three times weekly. After working seven years as a marketing research analyst, he joined the Lendman Group family business in 1967. The genocide crime The definition of genocide crime is given in Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide . . All Rights Reserved. Crimes against humanity. laws and treaties, including but not limited to planning, preparation, My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”. VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home – Stephen Lendman). George Ryan declared a moratorium on capital punishment after 13 prisoners on death row were found innocent and released. Two years of US Army service followed, then an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960. In 2005, he was wrongfully convicted on four counts of capital murder and attempted murder, unjustifiably sentenced to death, his sentence upheld on appeal. 10, Punishment of Persons Guilty of War Crimes, Crimes Against Peace and Against Humanity, December 20, 1945, 3 Official Gazette Control Council for Germany 50-55 (1946). Initially being considered for legal use, widely in International Law, following the Armenian Genocide. Ignored was Gandhi long ago saying “(a)n eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”, According to Martin Luther King, “(r)eturning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.”. I must act.”, In January 2011, both Houses of Illinois’ legislature voted to end capital punishment, Gov. Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. Though firing no shots, prosecutors falsely claimed he masterminded what happened — a Big Lie, believed by 10 of 12 jurors, enough in Alabama to convict. Genocide is often viewed as the ultimate crime against humanity, but they are in fact legally distinct. in the case of an offense under subsection (a) (1), where death results, by death or imprisonment for life and a fine of not more than $1,000,000, or both; and (2) a fine of not more than $1,000,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both, in any other case. Convinced that the effective punishment of war crimes and crimes against humanity is an important element in the prevention of such crimes, the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the encouragement of confidence, the furtherance of co-operation among peoples and the promotion of international peace and security, Writing on major world and national issues began in summer 2005. to slave labour or for any other purpose of civilian population He was falsely charged with killing three police officers in 2004, convicted the following year.Â. In 1956, he received a BA from Harvard University. in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any Four elements distinguish war crimes from crimes against humanity. Woods strongly contested charges against him, stressing that he never plotted to kill the police or anyone else. prosecution of war criminals and other similar offenders, other of the foregoing. There was plenty of evidence of police misconduct and deeply flawed legal representation. In US criminal cases,  prosecutors are required to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. No evidence proved it. Furthermore, a crime against humanity may be committed against nationals of any state, including that state’s own nationals, if the state takes part in the attack. I beg you to have mercy on him.”. My conscience will not let me live with this if he dies. Today, most war crimes are now punishable in two ways: death or long term imprisonment. c) Crimes against Humanity. or property, constituting violations of the laws or customs of First Report of the Special Rapporteur, Mr. Sean D. Murphy (67th session of the ILC (2015)) A/CN.4/680 + Corr.1; … Crimes against humanity consist of various acts—murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, forcible transfers of populations, imprisonment, rape, persecution, enforced disappearance, and apartheid, among others—when, according to the ICC, those are “committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population.” Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. Crimes against humanity and genocide are two distinct concepts. Crimes against humanity have not yet been codified in a certain law, unlike genocide and war crimes, although there are efforts to do so. Crimes against humanity have not yet been codified in a dedicated treaty of international law, unlike genocide and war crimes, although there are efforts to do so. Lendman is a 2008 Project Censored winner and 2011 Mexican Journalists Club international journalism award recipient. Capital punishment is state-sponsored barbarism — multiplied infinite-fold when state-sponsored by one nation against another preemptively — how the US and its imperial partners operate. Despite two jurors opposed to capital punishment, he was sentenced to death and executed — Alabama the only state permitting this injustice. Many of the definitional developments in crimes against humanity since they were first codified in the Charter of the International Military Tribunal, such as the addition of apartheid, torture, and enforced disappearance, reflect developments in human rights law. The 5 – 4 ruling was supported by Justices Brennan, Douglas, Marshall, Stewart and White. 63 views View 1 Upvoter © 2017 Stephen Lendman. Brennan and Marshall alone believed that capital punishment is unconstitutional no matter the circumstances. 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