Mark your 2008 SCOTUS calenders

This post at SCOTUSblog notes that the Supreme Court “will open its January sitting with the argument on constitutional issues surrounding the lethal injection method of execution.  The Court on Friday released the calendar for the session beginning Jan. 7, with Baze v. Rees (07-5439) scheduled at 10 a.m. that first day.  That is the Kentucky case raising three issues about the three-drug protocol for execution, now used in 36 states.”

The post also highlights that on Tuesday, January 15, the Court will be hearing two ACCA cases:

• U.S. v. Rodriguez (06-1646) — crimes that qualify for enhanced sentence under armed career criminal law; specific issue involves state drug crime conviction
• Begay v. U.S. (06-11543) — whether felony drunk-driving is a violent felony for purposes of enhanced sentencing under armed career criminal law