To those American states which retain the death penalty -- 34 of them which have executed 1'268 people since 1977 and hold 3'251 inmates on death row. The latest case, of Troy Davis who was executed this week in Virginia, was particulary distressing since the sentence for murder of a security guard in 1989 was carried out despite the availability of seven witnesses who were ready to give evidence that his conviction was wrong. The State of Virginia has the second highest number of executions in the USA -- 108 since 1977. Alabama has the highest number.
A BIG BOO