Title: Why does it take so long to execute someone on death row? - Quora
Headings: Why does it take so long to execute someone on death row?
Why does it take so long to execute someone on death row?
Jamie Scoverski
Quora User
Ming Chun
Rihan Chowdhury

Content: But it is the only way defendants can get evidence of actual innocence heard by an appeals court. In too many cases, prosecutors (to their great discredit) have fought against post conviction testing of DNA evidence. As the late Justice Scalia wrote, it is perfectly constitutional to execute an innocent man provided there were no procedural errors in the trial which established his guilt. Appeals courts exist to correct errors procedure of the trial court, not to endlessly retry every conviction. The Supreme Court has never ruled it unconstitutional to execute someone who is factually innocent. In the case of Herrera v. Collins (1993), the Supreme Court ruled that in the absence of other constitutional grounds, new evidence of innocence is no reason for federal court to order a new trial. Chief Justice William Rehnquist said for the 6-3 majority a Texas death row inmate "urges us to hold that this showing of innocence entitles him to relief in this federal habeas [constitutional review] proceeding. We hold that it does not." ____________
Herrera source at
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2013/11/17/Locking- away-the-in