U.S. Prepares For 1,000th Execution Since 1976

Unread post by **Christina Marie** » November 24th, 2005, 12:51 pm

U.S. Prepares For 1,000th Execution Since 1976

POSTED: 10:16 am EST November 24, 2005
UPDATED: 10:24 am EST November 24, 2005

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WASHINGTON -- Robin Lovitt might make history next week.

If his execution goes as scheduled, he could be the 1,000th person executed in the U.S. since the ban against capital punishment was lifted in 1976.

Lovitt was convicted of stabbing a man to death with scissors during a pool hall robbery in Virginia.

Initial DNA tests of the scissors proved inconclusive. Later the scissors were thrown away, supposedly because of a lack of storage space.

One of his lawyers, Kenneth Starr, told Associated Press Television News he supports the death penalty in principle, but that it shouldn't apply in Lovitt's case, especially since there was "destruction of the DNA evidence."

Opponents of the death penalty said the number of prisoners whose convictions have been reversed should fuel skepticism.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/53 ... etail.html