Kentucky Coalition to abolish

the Death PENALTY

P.O. Box 3092 § Louisville, Kentucky  §  40201-3092

Phone: (502) 636-1330 § Email: kcadp@earthlink.net

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On this page KCADP lists news articles that are Kentucky specific, primarily related to the work of the Coalition or to specific cases of those on Kentucky's death row. KCADP publishes a newsletter when appropriate and you can find copies on the newsletters pages. 

Most of these files are in the PDF format. Click here to download a free version of  Adobe PDF viewer.

To identify source of articles, here are common abbreviations:

    AP - Associated Press

    CJ - Louisville Courier-Journal

    HL - Lexington Herald-Leader

    NYT - New York Times

    News Items 

2008        2008

2007        2007

Senator Robert Stivers and Representative Gross Lindsay, who chair the Senate and House Judiciary Committees respectively,  have scheduled an October 16, 2001 meeting of the Interim Joint Judiciary Committee. The only agenda item for that day is the death penalty. KCADP has begun preparations for this meeting and is encouraging all members to plan a trip to Frankfort on that day, and bring a carload of supporters. More information will be forthcoming when the time is known, as well as the room number for the meeting.

On August 30, 2000, Circuit Judge Mary Noble, after months of evidentiary hearings and filings of briefs from the prosecution and the defense, ruled that Frank Tamme is entitled to a new trial. The Judge found in her ruling that Frank Tamme’s lawyer in his second trial was guilty of inexcusable ineffectiveness. She also ruled that newly discovered evidence of Tamme’s innocence should be considered by a jury.

Attorney General Ben Chandler filed an appeal to prevent this new trial and the 7 justices of the Kentucky Supreme Court will now hear arguments about why Judge Noble is correct and Frank should get his real day in court.

Please, join us in the courtroom on the second floor of the Capitol building. Arrive between 10:30 am and 10:45 am. and sit on the left hand side of the room. Death penalty supporters will be on the right.

August 15, 2001: In Harlan County Circuit Court Judge Maricle has granted Hugh Marlowe a new capital sentencing trial due to a 6th amendment violation of ineffective assistance of counsel.

Hugh was sentenced to death July 29, 1982 in Harlan County for the murder and robbery of Henry Hamblin in Harlan County, Kentucky.

KCADP congratulates his attorney, Gail Robinson, and all those who helped her prepare for this hearing.

The margin of error is + 3% at the 95% confidence level.

February 6, 2001: The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals won't reconsider its decision to overturn the conviction and death penalty of Eugene Gall. Gall faces a life sentence in Ohio or Kentucky could have him involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. Attorney Chandler Ben Chandler could appeal this decision to the U. S. Supreme Court.

January 21, 2001: Kaye returns to help us part-time through the General Assembly session. We are glad to have her back. Both her experience and enthusiasm will help KCADP achieve its goals.

Juan Garza is the first Federal prisoner scheduled to die in 40 years. Background information and action information here. Use Back Button to return to this page.

Eugene Gall has been on Kentucky's death row longer than any other person.

From the opinion: "There can be little doubt that the fact that Gall committed a heinous crime drove the prosecution to secure a conviction at the expense of Gall's constitutional rights. We must remember, as Judge Cranch so eloquently stated almost two centuries ago, that the "constitution was made for times of commotion." United States v. Bollman, 24 F.Cas. 1189, 1192 (C. D.C. 1807) (Cranch, J., dissenting). In these times, "[w]e ought to be upon our guard lest our zeal for the public interest lead us to overstep the bounds of the law and the constitution; for although we may thereby bring one criminal to punishment, we may furnish the means by which an hundred innocent persons may suffer." Id. Unfortunately, the cumbersome circumstances of this trial and the Commonwealth's zeal in securing a murder conviction and death sentence overwhelmed the strictures of the Constitution. By failing to bind the Commonwealth to constitutional requirements, and by allowing constitutional error to infect the trial in ways that altered its outcome, the trial and appellate courts failed in their duty to "administer justice [ ] according to the laws and constitution of the United States." Id. Specifically, Gall's trial, conviction and appeal contravened the fundamental elements discussed above. We are therefore compelled to REVERSE the district court's denial of habeas relief and REMAND for proceedings consistent with this opinion."

For full opinion type the following address into your web browser:  http://pacer.ca6.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/getopn.pl?OPINION=00a0379p.06