DEATH PENALTY AND ABU-ALI ABDUR'RAHMAN

Early day motion 1344, tabled 4 June 2003 by Kevin McNamara (Labour). Signed by 85 members.

That this House notes the plight of Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman, a person on death row in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, and expresses its concern that he is to be executed on 18th June; notes that the only evidence implicating him as the assailant was the testimony of his co-defendant who got a six-year deal in exchange for his testimony; further notes that there is blood evidence, that was never presented to the jury, indicating that he was not the assailant; that his defence lawyer failed to conduct any investigation and prepared no defence, that the prosecution lied to and manipulated the jurors and eight of them have signed affidavits expressing doubts about their verdict, and that there are serious concerns that he may not have received a fair trial that accords with the due process clause of the United States Constitution or with the standards of international human rights law; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to plead for the life of Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman and ask that his execution be stayed and clemency granted.

Signatures by party: Labour 63, Liberal Democrat 13, Conservative 2, Labour/Co-operative 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, UUP 1.