London lawyers secure stay of execution

UK lawyers have secured a last-minute stay of execution for the longest serving prisoner on death row in the US.

Lawyers from the London, New York and Washington offices of Clifford Chance LLP worked on a pro bono basis with the Georgia Resource Centre to secure the stay of execution for Jack Alderman, who was convicted 33 years ago for killing his wife. They challenged the execution by lethal injection on the grounds that it was unconstitutional as a method by which a capital sentence should be carried out.

Clifford Chance partner Jeremy Sandelson says the stay of execution had been a “huge tribute” to the many lawyers and supporters of Alderman.
“It would have been a travesty of justice if Jack had been executed after 33 years on death row in circumstances where there is real doubt as to the original verdict,” he adds.

The stay of execution will stand until February 2008 when the US Supreme Court will decide if the use of a lethal injection is a “cruel or inhumane” punishment.

The three Clifford Chance teams are to continue to press for a new trial based on evidence they claim to have uncovered.