logo English
  • English Français Español العرببية 中文 Русский فارسی
Contact Us
  • Follow us:
  •  
    • News
      • Latest news Special issues Newsletter
    • Get involved
      • Global campaigns Tools Become a member Networks Activists Alerts Jobs Contact Us
    • Facts and figures
      • Worldwide database Library
    • About Us
      • Presentation History How we work Member organizations Legal information
    • Member access
  •  
  •  
  • Homepage Jury Rejects Federal Death Penalty in Puerto Rico
  •  
    • Jury Rejects Federal Death Penalty in Puerto Rico Caribbean

      Jury Rejects Federal Death Penalty in Puerto Rico

      Article by Kevin Miguel Rivera-Medina, President of the Puerto Rico Bar Association Committee on Death Penalty published on October 02nd, 2012

      San Juan, Puerto Rico - On September 27, 2012, a jury declined the United States Government petition to impose capital punishment in a murder trial on the Federal District Court. The Puerto Rico Bar Association and the Puerto Rico Coalition Against the Death Penalty were among the organizations who led a series of vigils, press releases, radio and television appearances, along many other events to raise the voice of abolitionism and justice.

      twitter facebook

    • The Puerto Rico Constitution specifically prohibits the death penalty.  Notwithstanding, the US federal authorities in what has been called “the oldest colony of the World” consistently tries to impose such punishment through the US District Court in San Juan.
      18 capital punishment trials are still pending in Puerto Rico and 2 of them are scheduled to begin in January, 2013. So this last victory over the death penalty is of great importance.
      It is also really encouraging that this recent death penalty case was widely discussed in the local press, radio, television and social media, and the abolitionist movement militancy drove political leaders from all ideologies to express their opposition to capital punishment.  Many of those leaders were present in several of the daily vigils, held in front of the Federal District Court (photo).

      Crime rate up

      Puerto Rico has seen crime rates go up in recent years. 
      Early in 2010, the local government signed a memorandum of understanding with the US federal justice department to cede jurisdiction over some violent crimes.  One of the side effects of that agreement has been a significant amount of death penalty cases certified or awaiting be certified by the United States Department of Justice.
      That 2010 agreement has failed to halt the growing violent crime rate in the Caribbean archipelago of Puerto Rico; neither did the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994.  The possibility of capital punishment has not proved to have a dissuasive effect and is undeniably against our principles as a People.

      Solidarity

      The abolitionist movement in Puerto Rico has expressed the solidarity to both the victim’s and the defendant’s families. 
      While the US Government keeps trying to siege a life using the federal court in San Juan, we will not cease to claim respect for life as a human right in our homeland. 

    • Related

      • Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Puerto Rico Contact from Puerto Rico
      • Puerto Rican Coalition Against Death Penalty Puerto Rican Coalition Against Death Penalty Contact from Puerto Rico
      • Juan Matos, Puerto Rico Bar Association Juan Matos, Puerto Rico Bar Association Video published on February 06th, 2011
      • Caribbean Abolitionist Network Caribbean Abolitionist Network Video published on June 30th, 2008
      • Video published on January 01st, 1970
    • Keywords
    • Public debate Member organizations Death Penalty
    • Other Articles
    • Pakistan’s Supreme Court Repeals Death Penalty for Mentally-Ill People Good news Pakistan’s Supreme Court Repeals Death Penalty for Mentally-Ill People
    • Calling for an Official Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty in Bahrain ahead of the Meeting of the Council of ParisStatement Calling for an Official Moratorium on the Use of the Death Penalty in Bahrain ahead of the Meeting of the Council of Paris
    • 246 People Removed from Death Rows in ZambiaGood news 246 People Removed from Death Rows in Zambia
  • logo footer
  • Legal information
    Contrat Creative Commons
  • World Coalition Against The Death Penalty
    Contact Us
  • 69 rue Michelet
    93100 Montreuil
    France