Browse Items (60 total)
- Collection: Michael A. Mello Papers, Series 1 News Clippings, Binder 2, 1983-1994
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Girmay Ruling May Affect Use Of Insanity Defense
Haile Selassie Girmay is a man accused of murdering two Dartmouth College students. He may use insanity as a defense, but that defense may be impacted by a ruling from Judge Peter Smith. Smith found that Girmay's taped confession will be permissible…
Porno Ban Is Assailed: Condition Imposed on Alleged Rapist Called Improper
Newspaper article analyzing the legality of a judges ruling to ban an alleged rapist from owning or viewing pornography. Michael Mello and other legal professionals give insight into the case.
Capital-Case Judges' Override Powers Trouble Lawyer
Attorney Jim Green supports a bill filed by Rep. James Burke that would overturn Florida's law which allows judges to issue death sentences against juries' recommendations.
New trial for Martin requested
Newspaper report on the 1985 request for a new trial for Nollie Lee Martin, convicted of murder in 1978. Martin's lawyers, including Michael Mello, cite the defendant's pre-existing brain damage in their request.
Killer escapes execution again 11 years after widow's murder
The 90-pound, 94 year old widow was raped, beaten and stabbed to death in minutes. Nearly eleven years later, her convicted assailant’s battle for life continues as his lawyers keep winning delays in court.
He's a jailhouse lawyer-and a condemned man
With new evidence, a man on death row may be released. He was convicted of the murder and rape of two women, confessed, and has withdrawn his confession to pursue his innocence.
Mistake Nearly Cost A Life
Joseph Green Brown alias "Shabaka," a wrongly convicted rapist and murder on death row for 14 years, released in 1987, now struggles to enjoy his freedom while he lives in a society that he believes is a failed justice system that has prejudice…
Future executions hinge on Supreme Court case
This newspaper clipping is an article detailing how the undecided nature of the Supreme Court case, Lockhart v. McCree, has allowed Mello to successfully appeal for stays of execution for two of his clients on death row.
Big firms offer death row defense
Big law firms offer lawyers to defend people on death row
Wilder Grants Death Sentence Reversal
Governor L. Douglas Wilder commuted Joseph M. Giarratano's death sentence. Giarratano's sentence was reduced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole in 13 years.
Letters: Death penalty law
A letter to the editor of The Washington Lawyer in response to an article titled "The Last Defense" by John Greenya which critiqued the stance of the article in relation to criminal justice, specifically referring death penalty cases.
Panel: Jurors Should Decide the Fate of Killers
An article in support of juries having the final say in death penalty cases. Says that judges should not have the ability to overrule a jury decision.
NACDL Co-Sponsors Death Penalty Conference
The article describes the Annual Capital Punishment Conference and the issues it deals with. It also tells of the Conference's lack of funding and how the NACDL (National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers) stepped in to sponsor the event. The…
Lawyers Argue Over Executing Young Slayers
An article on the execution of juveniles in the state of Florida by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Florida Challenged on Determining Sanity of Condemned Inmates
Determining whether a person is competent to be executed should be left to judges and not governors. Psychiatrists have no real guidelines for examining the competence of a death row inmate.
Graham's gratitude
An article about Florida Gov. Bob Graham's speech at the dedication of the Vietnam memorial and how Graham ignored the last wishes of David Livingston Funchess, a veteran convicted to the electric chair.
Lynch law justice
A magazine article that discusses the United States Supreme Court's decision on attorneys' usage of peremptory challenges for minority jurors when the defendant is also a minority.
'Death court' creates bottleneck of execution appeals, critics say
A newspaper account of the frustration felt by death penalty advocates at the slow appeals process, which they felt played into death row inmates motivation to extend their lives using drawn out appeals. The focus is on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of…
Conditions of Release: Don't Watch Pornographic Movies
After a man views a pornographic movie, he rapes his wife and is charged with sexual assault. A judge rules that he can be released on bail only if he agrees not to possess or watch pornography.