New York, Jul 17 2012 2:05PM
An independent United Nations human rights expert has urged United States authorities to stop the execution of two people with psychosocial disabilities who are scheduled to be put to death tomorrow in the states of Georgia and Texas.
“It is a violation of death penalty safeguards to impose capital punishment on individuals suffering from psychosocial disabilities,” said the UN Special Rapporteur on arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns.
“It is also contrary to the United States Supreme Court ruling <i>Atkins v Virginia</i>, which held that such executions are unconstitutional,” added the expert, who reports in an independent and unpaid capacity to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Warren Hill and Yokamon Laneal Hearn were convicted of murder in separate incidents, and the convictions have been the subject of a number of legal appeals based on the defendants’ mental health, according to a <“http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12364&LangID=E“>news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
However, their death sentences were upheld despite claims that the defendants had psychosocial disabilities, and the existence of a federal ban on such executions. On Monday, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected clemency for Mr. Hill.
Mr. Heyns called on the state authorities “to demonstrate the moral and legal leadership expected of the strong democracy that the United States is by commuting the death sentences of Hill and Hearn, and show the importance it gives to the fundamental right to life.”
In respect of Mr. Hill’s case, the Special Rapporteur voiced particular concern that Georgia is now the only US state that requires proof of what it calls ‘mental retardation beyond a reasonable doubt,’ rather than a preponderance of the evidence as in other jurisdictions, although Georgia was the first state in the US to recognize that such defendants should not be executed.
“This higher standard of proof, making it very difficult to demonstrate that one actually suffers from a psychosocial disability may, I fear, mean that Mr. Hill, scheduled for execution tomorrow, would be a fatality in violation of international as well as domestic law,” Mr. Heyns said.
Regarding Mr. Hearn’s scheduled execution in Texas, the expert noted that “there is evidence to suggest that he also suffers from psychosocial disabilities. This includes an expert opinion that he is affected by structural brain dysfunction likely to have been caused by his mother’s alcohol abuse during pregnancy.”
According to the OHCHR news release, information received by the expert raises issues of a lack of a proper investigation, including mitigating factors, arbitrariness and non-compliance with fair trial safeguards that potentially constitute violations of international standards applicable to the death penalty.
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For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news
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8th Deaf History Int’l Conference
http://www.dhiconference2012.ca
CLOWN WHITE FILM CAST, COMEDIANS, HISTORIANS, MCs and other VIPs ready for interviews! ARTS, HISTORY, POLITICS COME TOGETHER!
For immediate release
The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario to address 8th Deaf History International Conference 2012 (July 24-29, Toronto)
Toronto ON July 18 2012 –
The 8th Deaf History International Conference (DHIC) July 24 – 29 2012, hosted by the Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf, celebrates award-winning film Clown White to be screened July 26 at the Airship 37 (Distillery District). Produced in 1981, Clown White was the first captioned film to air in Canada on CBC. Producer Martin Harbury and the 6 starring-Deaf actors will be in attendance. “This event symbolizes the significance of the presence of Deaf people in art and film and our rich longstanding history,” says conference chair and Deaf Historian Clifton Carbin.
The week opens (July 24) with High Tea with President & CEO of Canadian Hearing Society Chris Kenopic and Distinguished Guests including The Honorable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Gary Malkowski, first Deaf MPP of Canada. DHIC welcomes keynote speakers Deaf literary historian Ulla-Bell Thorin (Sweden), Deaf American Civil War historian Harry Lang (U.S) and Britain’s celebrated Deaf historian Peter Jackson.
The theme of the conference, “Telling Deaf Lives: Biographies and Autobiographies” probes the history of Deaf communities around the world — Deaf leaders and innovators in literature, media arts, and history. “Deaf History is a fascinating subject and interest has grown tremendously”, says Peter Jackson, President of Deaf History International (DHI). Over 200 delegates from over 30 countries including Canada, U.S, Australia, Croatia, Cameroon, Lithuania, Ivory Coast, Martinique, Japan, Denmark, and France are scheduled to attend.
DHIC participants will celebrate the night away at a fabulous Gala on July 28 at the Fairmont Royal York featuring performances from Deaf comedians Angela Petrone-Stratiy (“You think Deaf People have Problems?”,1999) and David Burke, and Dancer Yan Liu (“Peacock”, 2012).
Available for Interview: Clown White cast (Kelly Halligan, Vanessa Vaughan, Mark Dillon, John Humphreys, Arleigh Graham, Danielle Turton) and producer Martin Harbury, DHI Conference Chair Clifton Carbin, Keynote Speakers Ulla-Bell Thorin, Peter Jackson, Harry Lang, Gala MC Anselmo DeSousa (Deaf TV), High Tea Walk through Canadian Deaf History – Helen Pizzacalla (CCSD). All bios available on DHIC site
Media Accreditation, Media Kit and High Res Downloadable Images available at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4njlojv7otd3coa/MIYDSCES2M
About Deaf History International (DHI)
Website: http://www.dhiconference2012.ca |Youtube: http://youtu.be/kQoj7MAnn-k |Twitter: @ DHI_Conf_2012
Facebook: DHI-Conference-2012-Congrès-DHI-2012
DHI, founded in 1991 in Washington, D.C., produces conferences globally. DHI supports the research, study, preservation, and communication of Deaf people’s history worldwide. The next conference will be in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2015.
Media Contacts:
Jill Andrew, Media Relations
Catherine MacKinnon, DHI 2012 Media Liaison
Email: andrew5707@rogers.com
Email: catherinedhi2012@gmail.com
Cell: 416-540-6659
Cell: 905-608-3821 (text messaging only)
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