The American judicial system approves a new method of execution
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Execution chamber in Atmore, Alabama
Source: AP/Dave Martin
Convicted murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith was scheduled to be killed by lethal injection early in 2022. The attempt failed. Now a new method of implementation will be used. This will be the first time it will be used in the United States.
DrThe American judicial system agreed to execute a criminal in the state of Alabama with nitrogen. Kenneth Eugene Smith, on death row for a 1988 murder-for-hire, failed Wednesday in both the U.S. Supreme Court and an appeals court attempt to stop the execution. The 58-year-old man is expected to die on Friday evening, German time, from so-called nitrogen hypoxia. In this type of execution, nitrogen is supplied via a face mask – the result is death from lack of oxygen. No death sentence has been carried out in this way in the United States of America.
Smith's lawyers had argued that the condemned man had become a test candidate for a new method of execution, and that many questions remained unanswered. However, the Court of Appeal rejected the reservations. The ruling said Smith was unable to prove that the use of nitrogen hypoxia as a new and innovative method constituted “cruel and unusual” punishment.
The convict was scheduled to be executed early in 2022
In recent days, demonstrators called on Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to halt the execution of the death sentence. However, they are unlikely to succeed in their application. Human rights experts from the United Nations and Amnesty International warn of the possibility of a horrific death. Therefore, there is no scientific evidence that inhaling pure nitrogen does not cause serious suffering.
Smith was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in 2022. However, prison staff were unable to insert the necessary cannula into his arm. He was returned to his cell after several hours lying strapped to the execution table.
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Smith was sentenced to death in 1996 for first-degree murder committed eight years earlier.
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The Crimean Bridge is a symbol of power for Putin – and a tempting target for Ukraine. But a Ukrainian intelligence expert recommends a different strategy in the war.
Kiev – The Russian regime warned of a „devastating retaliatory strike” if Ukraine attacks the Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula or the Crimean bridgehead again. The reason: There is speculation in Russia that Ukraine may be planning a major attack – on the occasion of “Victory Day,” which Russia marks on May 9 with an exhibition of captured military equipment. A simultaneous attack on the bridge connecting the peninsula to mainland Russia, It would be humiliating Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This was announced by a Ukrainian military intelligence officer in the British newspaper in April Watchman To: “We will destroy the bridge in the first half of 2024” The destruction of the bridge, which has already been attacked twice, is “inevitable.”
Now a Ukrainian intelligence expert is explicitly warning against destroying the Crimean Bridge. This is not out of fear of Putin’s revenge, but because he considers this a waste of Ukraine’s already scarce military resources.
“What will the destruction of the Crimean Bridge bring us?” Warning against wrong tactics in the Ukraine war
“What will the destruction of the Crimean Bridge bring us?” asks Ivan Stupak, a former employee of the Ukrainian Internal Intelligence Service. Interview with Ukrainian News Agency Union. Destroying the Crimean Bridge will be complex and difficult. The bridge was repeatedly damaged in previous attacks, but has since been restored. „It’s not doing well.”
Stupak believes that future attempts to destroy the bridge would be a waste of energy. Especially since Russia has now responded: it is clear that Putin’s army is no longer using the bridge for military purposes.
A Ukrainian open source agency recently found using satellite images that far fewer trains pass through the Kerch Bridge than in the past. Instead, Russia is now increasingly using land routes into the annexed areas of eastern Ukraine to supply the front lines of the Ukrainian war.
The head of Ukrainian domestic intelligence, Wasyl Malik, said in March 2024 that Russia would no longer use the Crimean bridge to deliver weapons. Trains that passed the bridge now transport only people and consumer goods.
In the war against Russia, Ukraine should attack other targets instead of the Crimean bridgehead
Ukrainian military expert Stupak recommends in an interview with Union Therefore, no more missiles and ammunition are wasted on attacks on the Kerch Bridge. Instead, the Ukrainian military should attack Russian targets whose destruction would be of greater benefit. Stupak cites „headquarters and depots” as examples, as well as air defense complexes, aircraft and airfields.
For example, if Ukraine destroyed a Russian S300 anti-aircraft missile complex, this would directly help Ukrainian defense: Russia could then immediately shoot down fewer Ukrainian planes and drop fewer missiles on soldiers, “meaning we don’t lose.” Any military or military forces.” Civilians. This is a great added value. This is also a direct effect.” Because they meant to “destroy Putin’s money.”
Experts recommend launching attacks on Russian fighter planes instead of the Crimean bridge
The Ukrainian expert said that the most important thing for Ukrainian defense in the war against Russia is the destruction of Russian fighter planes carrying high-explosive glide bombs. As a result of Russia’s use of so-called FAB bombs, the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka fell, which could now be repeated in the currently besieged city of Chasiv Yar.
The military expert warns that FAF glide bombs will penetrate Ukrainian defenses “like can launchers.” Therefore, Ukraine must destroy Russian combat aircraft directly where they are stationed or when they approach Ukraine. Stupak said that would be a „great advantage and opportunity to stop the Russian advance,” unlike the elaborate attacks on the Crimean bridge.
The latter, Stupak sees, are primarily PR campaigns “for Facebook”: “There will then be likes, memes and reposts for two days,” “But what will it bring us and how will it affect the situation at the front?” Decisive. (SMU)
While things are getting more uncomfortable for former US President Trump in court in New York, he is having success in Miami: Proceedings there in the documents case probably won’t begin before the election in November.
The trial of former US President Donald Trump in the case of seizure of secret state documents was supposed to begin on May 20. But as the Florida judge in charge announced in a letter, the start of the proceedings will be postponed. Elaine Cannon explained that this was due to the open legal questions due to the large number of applications. No new date has been set.
For special prosecutor Jack Smith, the decision is a setback. The process is unlikely to begin before the presidential election in November, in which Trump is expected to run again as the Republican Party’s nominee.
Secret documents kept in a private villa
The 77-year-old was charged federally in the documents case last year. In this case, he is accused of illegally storing highly sensitive information from his presidency. In August 2022, FBI federal police searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and seized several sets of documents classified as top secret that he had not turned over to the National Archives as required. It is said to have included military plans and information about nuclear weapons.
Trump is also accused of trying to destroy evidence in the case. On the most serious charges, he faces up to ten years in prison.
Trump pleaded not guilty at the impeachment hearing that took place in Miami last year. His lawyers are still trying to avoid the proceedings. Among other things, they rely on Trump’s immunity as president. They say keeping the documents as personal records was an official act of the president.
Does the judge delay the proceedings?
Judge Cannon, who is in charge of the documents process, was appointed by Trump. Critics accuse it of prolonging the process and processing requests in slow motion. As justification for delaying the start of the trial, Cannon wrote that setting a trial date at this point would be “unwise.” There are a lot of open legal questions that still need to be clarified. It will take proper preparation and time to fully and fairly address this issue in order to present this case to a jury.
A total of four cases are against Trump
For Republicans, the decision is considered a success. He is currently facing charges in a New York court in connection with secret payments to a porn actress. That’s why he regularly spends long hours in the courtroom.
In total, Trump is currently facing four criminal proceedings: In addition to the trial in the documents case and the secret money case in New York, there is also an election fraud trial at the federal level and another in the US state of Georgia.
The official start of the trial of the former US President Donald Trump The case surrounding the taking of secret government documents has been postponed indefinitely. The presiding judge, Eileen Cannon, announced in a letter on Tuesday that the previously scheduled start of the trial on May 20 had been cancelled. The reason for this is the open legal questions. Therefore, the process is unlikely to begin before the presidential elections in November.
Last year, a grand jury agreed to indict Trump. the Indictment Against Trump includes 37 points; 31 of them fall under the Espionage Act, America’s espionage law. The former president is also charged with, among other things, participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements. Trump is the first former (or sitting) president to be indicted at the federal level.
Illegal storage of confidential documents
In this case, Trump was accused of illegally storing highly sensitive information since his presidency (2017 to 2021). In August 2022, FBI federal police searched Trump’s villa in Florida and seized several sets of documents classified as top secret. Trump is also accused of conspiring to obstruct the investigation: he is said to have tried to hide material from surveillance cameras and take boxes of documents with the help of employees.
Trump is also said to have carelessly kept secret documents and opened them on his property in Florida. The Justice Department posted photos of boxes stacked around the toilet, including the marble floor of one of Trump’s bathrooms. They have almost reached the Pleiades. Trump also appears to have shown two documents to other people without proper security clearance; It contained plans for an attack on Iran and a military map.
The responsible judge sees legal issues that still need clarification
Judge Cannon, who is in charge of the documents process, was appointed by Trump. Critics accuse it of prolonging the process and processing requests in slow motion. As justification for delaying the start of the trial, Cannon wrote that setting a trial date at this point would be “unwise.” There are a lot of open legal questions that still need to be clarified. It will take proper preparation and time to fully and fairly address this issue in order to present this case to a jury.
The current decision is considered a success for the Republican Party, as it is trying to delay the start of the trial as much as possible in the context of the presidential election campaign. Trump currently has to answer in a New York court regarding hush money payments to a porn actress.
The official start of the trial of the former US President Donald Trump The case surrounding the taking of secret government documents has been postponed indefinitely. The presiding judge, Eileen Cannon, announced in a letter on Tuesday that the previously scheduled start of the trial on May 20 had been cancelled. The reason for this is the open legal questions. Therefore, the process is unlikely to begin before the presidential elections in November.
Last year, a grand jury agreed to indict Trump. the Indictment Against Trump includes 37 points; 31 of them fall under the Espionage Act, America’s espionage law. The former president is also charged with, among other things, participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements. Trump is the first former (or sitting) president to be indicted at the federal level.
