By Alicia Victoria Lozano •
Updated on September 27, 2019 at 3:34 pm
What to Know
More than 80% of Philadelphia death row inmates are black men and 91% are non-white minorities, according to the Philly DA s office
72% of all capital punishment convictions involving Philadelphia inmates were later overturned during post-conviction appeals, the DAO says
Opponents of capital punishment say these numbers show the death penalty is arbitrarily applied and should be abolished
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court rejected a petition on behalf of two death row inmates to declare capital punishment unconstitutional in the commonwealth.
The one-page ruling, which came down Thursday but was made public Friday morning, squashed what some hoped would mark the formal end to capital cases in Pennsylvania because of what critics call the cruel and arbitrary way it s applied to poor and black defendants.
Suspected serial killer Keith Gibson charged with murder of own mother Christine Gibson
krdo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from krdo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Keith Gibson, Suspected in Multiple Murders, Now Charged With Killing His Own Mother – NBC10 Philadelphia
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Krasner also praised efforts to find a designated place for riders to use their vehicles.
Anticipating arrests, Krasner’s office is working on a program that takes cues from programs in other cities, including Baltimore, and could open doors to new career options and education, assistant DA Mike Lee said. The programs, he said, include education about vehicles and their maintenance, the science behind doing tricks and the competition of sport.
Krasner’s office on Monday also announced charges against an ATV rider from an incident in May. Willliam Cropper, 41, was stopped by two plainclothes officers who were monitoring the illegal use of ATVs on residential streets in West Philadelphia, officials said.