House votes to change death penalty law

The state House voted yesterday to grant judges the ability to impose the death penalty, even if a jury does not unanimously endorse the punishment. Current state law forbids the death penalty if one or more jurors disapprove of the sentence in a case.

The move divided Georgia’s Republican legislators. GOP sponsors of the bill say the change will prevent convicted murders from avoiding the death penalty because of a sole dissenter. GOP opponents warned that putting life-or-death decisions in the hands of one judge jeopardizes fairness and justice.

House members voted 112-55 to pass the measure. It is the chamber's second attempt to change the law in as many years.

Georgia Supreme Court to hear challenge to banishment practice

Judges are forbidden to banish criminals from the state by the Georgia constitution, but some judges skirt this restriction by banishing criminals from all but one county. The intent is to keep the criminals from high populated areas and to protect the victims. This practice is being challenged today in Georgia Supreme Court.

Gregory Mac Terry was restricted to rural Toombs County in southeast Georgia after he pleaded guilty to assault and stalking charges. His lawsuit says the banishment blocked his chance for parole in 2001 because he couldn't complete a work-release program in Fulton County. This set his parole back to 2009.