AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA: Flouting world trends, violating international standards - 700thexecution imminentThe USA is about to carry out its 700th execution since resuming judicialkilling in 1977, Amnesty International warned today, pointing out that morethan 500 of them have occurred since 1993. 9 more prisoners are scheduled tobe executed in the next nine days, including 2 this evening."The USA is engaged in a cruel, brutalizing, unreliable, unnecessary andhugely expensive activity for no measurable gain," Amnesty Internationalsaid. "The fact that it is violating human rights standards in the processonly adds to the deepening shadow being cast on its international reputationby its relentless resort to this outdated punishment."As of this morning, there had been 697 executions in 31 US states since1977. Between this evening and next Friday, 9 more prisoners are scheduledto be put to death in seven states:-- 1 March, Oklahoma: Robert Clayton - his IQ has been assessed at 68. An IQof 70 or under indicates possible mental retardation. Internationalstandards oppose use of the death penalty against such individuals.-- 1 March, Virginia: Thomas Akers - he has borderline mental retardationand a long history of mental illness. He pleaded guilty to the crime, askedto be sentenced to death and has been allowed to drop his appeals.-- 2 March, North Carolina: Ernest McCarver - his IQ has been measured at67. He is facing execution despite the fact that the state legislature isabout to consider proposals to outlaw the use of the death penalty againstthe mentally disabled. Thirteen of the 38 death penalty states have enactedsuch legislation.-- 6 March, Georgia: Ronald Spivey, a 61-year-old is facing death in theelectric chair after more than 2 decades on death row.-- 7 March, Missouri: Antonio Richardson - International law prohibits theuse of the death penalty against those who were under 18 at the time of thecrime. Antonio Richardson was 16. This would be the USA's ninth execution ofa juvenile offender since January 1998, out of a known world total of 12.Richardson's IQ has been assessed at 70.-- 7 March, Texas: Dennis Dowthitt - he has been diagnosed with seriousmental illness. His lawyers are fighting for a reprieve so that they canfurther investigate his long-held claims of innocence.-- 8 March, Oklahoma: Phillip Smith - he has consistently maintained hisinnocence. He was convicted on circumstantial evidence. In 1999, theprosecution's key trial witness, who put Smith at the crime scene, recantedhis testimony.-- 9 March, North Carolina: Willie Fisher - he was defended by a lawyerwhose severe depression and other health problems meant that did notadequately prepare for the trial. He was subsequently disbarred for failingto properly represent clients. International standards require that capitaldefendants be provided with adequate legal representation above and beyondthe protection afforded in non-capital cases.-- 9 March, Delaware: David Dawson - he has been incarcerated for 15 years.He has learned to read and write on death row. He is held in his cell 24hours a day, except for 45 minutes of recreation, alone, followed by 15minutes to shower 3 times a week.Since 1977, there have been about half a million murders in the USA. The 700men and women executed so far have been selected by a system riddled witharbitrariness, discrimination and error. It is a lethal lottery of which theUSA should be ashamed, and which other countries should condemn."The victims of violent crime and their families deserve respect, compassionand justice", Amnesty International said. "Killing a selection of prisonersoffers none of these things. It is an illusory solution to a pressing socialproblem, and merely amounts to a failure of political vision."Among the 700 were those who committed their crimes when they were stillchildren, the mentally impaired, those denied adequate legal representation,foreign nationals denied their consular rights, and defendants whose guiltremained in doubt. Race continues to play a role in who gets a deathsentence. In over 80 % of the 700 cases, the crimes involved white victims."There is no evidence that the US authorities have prevented a single crimewith this policy," Amnesty International continued. "They have divertedcountless millions of dollars away from more constructive efforts to fightcrime. And the macabre absurdity is that it creates more victims - thefamily members of the condemned - often in the name of victims' rights.""The death penalty is a symptom of a culture of violence, not a solution toit. The sooner US politicians begin to find the political courage to educatepublic opinion rather than hide behind it, the better".Since the USA resumed executions in 1977, over 60 countries have abolishedthe death penalty. Currently, 108 countries, are abolitionist in law orpractice.