ad info

 
CNN.comTranscripts
 
Editions | myCNN | Video | Audio | Headline News Brief | Feedback  

 

  Search
 
 

 

TOP STORIES

Bush signs order opening 'faith-based' charity office for business

Rescues continue 4 days after devastating India earthquake

DaimlerChrysler employees join rapidly swelling ranks of laid-off U.S. workers

Disney's GO.com is a goner

(MORE)

MARKETS
4:30pm ET, 4/16
144.70
8257.60
3.71
1394.72
10.90
879.91
 


WORLD

U.S.

POLITICS

LAW

TECHNOLOGY

ENTERTAINMENT

 
TRAVEL

ARTS & STYLE



(MORE HEADLINES)
 
CNN Websites
Networks image


Morning News

Finality of Death Penalty Creates Controversy

Aired June 23, 2000 - 9:18 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Convicted killer Gary Graham said he was innocent to the very end, but all appeals failed over a 19-year period. Last night he was executed in Huntsville, Texas. But Graham's death has brought new life to the death penalty debate.

Roger Cossack, legal analyst, host of "BURDEN OF PROOF," live in Washington.

Roger, good morning to you.

ROGER COSSACK, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: Here is one perplexing thing, Gary Graham was executed last night, we all know that, however, there is a civil case filed.

What happens here?

COSSACK: Well, I think it becomes moot, obviously at this time. What the issue was was a last ditch attempt, if you will, by his lawyers, to stop the execution. What they did was they filed a civil rights lawsuit, claiming that the Texas parole board activity was unconstitutional. They went to the district court which dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction, they went to the circuit court.

What really would have happened was, if somehow they could have got a stay which postponed the execution past 12:00, he would have been entitled to an immediate 30-day extension in his execution. So that's really what they were trying to do is somehow drag it out past 12:00, and obviously they were unsuccessful.

HEMMER: The Supreme Court voted five-four, one vote shy of getting a stay or, you know, a further amount of time to consider that case. But when we look at this case, it's been in the news and the headlines for about 10 days now. What's the lingering effect, do you believe, in the legal world, coming off this Gary Graham case?

COSSACK: Bill, what this case does is highlight the difficulty of capital punishment in this country, as in any country. The problem with capital punishment is it's the final punishment, there are no reprieves, there are no ways to overturn it. The justice system is well-meaning but obviously it's done where people can make mistakes, where issues can be mistakes.

Here we have a situation in which a man got a trial, where there are apparently were two other people who were willing to come in and testify, that would have perhaps exonerated him or at least caused doubt in the jury's mind. The jury never got to hear that testimony.

That's the issue, the problem is now: The punishment is so final, and the issues are so -- such that they can never be put in final way. And I think it just highlights the difficulty with capital punishment. Once you do it, it can never -- you can never go back.

HEMMER: Highlighted again by your conversation yesterday with your partner Greta on "TALKBACK LIVE," quite heated.

Roger...

COSSACK: And well-meaning. You know, Greta and I both felt the same way about it but just came at it in different places.

HEMMER: Roger, thanks, we'll talk soon. Roger Cossack in Washington.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

 Search   


Back to the top  © 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.