“The families of the victims are victimized again and again, this time by the failure of the criminal justice system to carry out the law. If there is to be no death penalty law in Pennsylvania, such decision should come from the legislative body,” Justice Correale F. Stevens
Victim’s sister: “What about our legal right”
Victim’s Family Criticizes Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf for Death Penalty Reprieve
June 5, 2015 – The family of a 16-year-old Pennsylvania girl who was kidnapped, raped and murdered in 1993 is criticizing Gov. Tom Wolf for delaying Friday’s execution of the man who confessed to the crimes.
The sister of Trista Eng told Wolf in an open letter, “You’re the only person standing in between my sister getting justice she so deserves” and “What about our legal right to be heard? To have input?”
Michael has acknowledged kidnapping and raping the Dillsburg woman before driving her to state game lands in York County where he shot her three times.
Paul Muschick: Should Pennsylvania have a death penalty? Yes, despite Gov. Shapiro’s objections
Me Too: Josh Shapiro says he doesn’t agree with Pennsylvania’s death penalty like BLM activist Tom Wolf and will not enforce it.
Pa. murder victims’ families support the death penalty
“The death penalty has not been removed from the law of the Commonwealth. The will of the citizenry is reflected by jurors who, after proper instruction by a court, have unanimously determined that the appropriate sentence under the law is a sentence of death,” District Attorney Ray Tonkin
Gov. Tom Wolf wrong that report backs his death penalty …
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has twice claimed recently that a state Senate report released this summer recommended continuing his moratorium on the death penalty.
NorCo DA Morgnelli: Wolf Has No Power to Suspend Death Penalty
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf nullified the death penalty
On February 13, 2015 Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf nullified the death penalty in Pennsylvania by declaring a moratorium and then not surprisingly Wolf lied claiming a senate report supported his decision.
But the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association President John Adams’ initial reaction to the report suggested it was not an objective look at the issue and fails to give proper consideration of victims of the crimes that result in death sentences as well as supporting data that suggests capital punishment is not disproportionately targeted against minorities.
https://www.pennlive.com/politics/2018/06/long-awaited_death_penalty_rep.html
“This report should not be an advocacy tool reflecting predetermined findings that restate the usual litany of opinions long-held by death penalty opponents and the majority of the commission’s members,” he said in a statement.
“Absent a broad perspective, intellectual honesty or a balanced approach to justice, the report will become nothing more than another political tool used in smear campaigns by those determined to dismantle the criminal justice system.”
“[I]t certainly appears that Friday’s ruling has at least as much to do with judicial hostility to capital punishment as to concerns about the due process implications of intense media coverage.”
The three-judge panel consisted of two Obama appointees, Judges O. Rogeriee Thompson (who wrote the nearly 200-page opinion) and William J. Kayatta Jr., who formed the majority. A Reagan appointee, Juan R. Torruella, concurred in the result and much of the reasoning.
Pennsylvania governor tops state record of pardons granted
MSN|32 days ago
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf made history by issuing more the twice the number of pardons granted by any of his predecessors. Wolf signed a final batch of 369 pardons last week, for a total of 2,540 …
THE LIFE PENALTY
By MAUREEN FAULKNER
December 21, 2007 — TWENTY-SIX years and counting: That’s how long my family, my friends and I have been tormented by Mumia Abu-Jamal – the man who murdered my husband, Police Officer Danny Faulkner, by shooting him in the back as he lay wounded and helpless on the pavement.
He then put a gun to Danny’s forehead and squeezed off a final shot.
PA Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 38 