Ohio death penalty stay ruling [6th Circuit] News
Ohio death penalty stay ruling [6th Circuit]

Biros, et al. v. Strickland, et al., US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, November 25, 2009 [holding that the execution of Kenneth Biros could proceed as scheduled, thus overturning a stay of execution issued by the district court on the basis of the introduction of a new, more humane method of lethal injection].

Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. Latest commentary available here. JURIST has more on the death penalty.

THIS DAY @ LAW

President Lincoln offered amnesty to Confederates

On December 8, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation offering amnesty to all citizens of the Confederacy who swore an oath to uphold the US Constitution. Because of confusion over who was to administer the oath, Lincoln issued another proclamation on March 26, 1864, empowering "any commissioned officer, civil, military, or naval in the service of the United States", as well as those persons in the territories which were "not in insurrection who were by the laws therefore qualified for administering oaths." Both Proclamations specified that military prisoners and others held for crimes against the United States were ineligible for amnesty, although Confederate deserters could volunteer to take the oath.

South American Union formed by Cusco Declaration

On December 8, 2004, the leaders of all 12 countries in South America signed the Cusco Declaration, creating the Union of South American Nations. The organization is intended to evolve into a union similar to the European Union with a Presidency, Parliament, Central Bank and eventual single currency.