Capitalizing on capital funding?

As detailed in this post from last month, I was surprised and intrigued that President Bush’s 2005 State of the Union address included a commitment to fund special training for defense counsel in death penalty cases.  As detailed in this fascinating Legal Times article, I was not the only one surprised and intrigued by this passage in the speech.  Moreover, the Legal Times article is a must-read for persons concerned about the administration of capital punishment: it thoughtfully explores the state of capital defense and also reveals a considerable backstory to the White House’s sudden commitment to capital defense funding.