Continued death penalty news on many fronts

Yet again, like yesterday, today was another eventful day in the arena of the death penalty.  Here are some quick highlights with links for more:

• With thanks again to TalkLeft for its continuing coverage here, from Texas we hear this news that Governor Rick Perry followed his Board of Pardons and Paroles recommendation to grant a 120-day reprieve for Frances Newton, who had been scheduled today to become the first African-American woman to be executed in modern Texas history.

• Following up on a topic discussed at length here, the defense had its turn in the penalty phase of Scott Peterson’s death penalty trial.  Details can be found in news accounts here and here.  Also, the Peterson case prompted this thoughtful USA Today article about the dynamics and uneven application of capital punishment throughout the US.

• And the media have covered the startling Ohio death penalty reversal detailed here with extended articles here and here.