Did VA Execute An Innocent Man?

The governor of the US state of Virginia has ordered a DNA test to establish the guilt or innocence of a man executed for murder in 1992.

Roger Keith Coleman was convicted of raping and murdering his sister-in-law, but always maintained his innocence.

The US is not thought to have used DNA tests to clear someone after execution.

Democrat Governor Mark Warner said new techniques in DNA testing could provide a definitive verdict not available at the time of the trial.

Mr Warner, who has been tipped as a possible presidential candidate for the 2008 election, is due to leave office on 14 January.

"This is an extraordinarily unique circumstance, where technology has advanced significantly and can be applied in the case of someone who consistently maintained his innocence until execution," he said.

"I believe we must always follow the available facts to a more complete picture of guilt or innocence."

...Opponents of the death penalty hope an quashing of the conviction could spur efforts against the US use of executions.

But Tom Scott, a prosecutor who worked on the original trial, said there was overwhelming evidence of Coleman's guilt, and said he was confident the verdict would stand.

Ira Robbins, a criminal law professor at the American University, told the Washington Post that an "innocent" verdict "could be the biggest turning point in death penalty abolition".

Coleman always maintained his innocence, declaring before he was electrocuted in 1992: "An innocent man is going to be murdered tonight.

"When my innocence is proven, I hope America will realise the injustice of the death penalty as all other civilised countries have."

Uh, I guess the injustice and uncivilized ways of this country will have to continue.

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- New DNA tests confirmed the guilt of a man who went to his death in Virginia's electric chair in 1992 proclaiming his innocence, a spokeswoman for the governor said Thursday.

Apparently, Coleman didn't think rape and murder uncivilized.