Well next, we’re going to turn to a major and much-anticipated decision from the Supreme Court. On a 7-2 vote, the court has upheld the use of lethal injection for executing criminals. The majority decision says the form of injection used by 35 states is the most humane available, and the decision lifts an unofficial nationwide moratorium on executions. ABC’s Jan Crawford Greenburg is at the Supreme Court tonight. Jan.
Charlie, at issue here was a basic question: Is the method of lethal injection so painful it violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment? The answer from the court today: a resounding no. For seven months, death chambers have been empty, executions blocked while the Supreme Court struggled to decide. Dozens of convicted killers had last-minute reprieves, including Haliburto Chi of Texas.
Today’s ruling means Chi and others could soon be put to death. Seven of the nine justices said lethal injection, if done correctly, was the most humane form of capital punishment. Chief Justice John Roberts, writing the main opinion said, “Some risk of pain is inherent in any method of execution, no matter how humane.”
Justice Clarence Thomas, “Lethal injection is designed toeliminate pain rather than to inflict it.” “This decision will eliminate the roadblock to carrying out the sentences that were justly entered by juries and to finally providing some relief to the family of the victims.” The dissenters were Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and David Souter. They said states should consider other methods that could be safer and less painful.
Justice John Paul Stevens, the Court’s most senior member, took an unusual position. He approved the method of lethal injection, but made a sweeping attack on the entire system of capital punishment. He called it a pointless and needless extinction of life with only marginal contributions to any discernible social or public purposes.
Now within hours of today’s decision, states moved to restart executions - Virginia immediately lifted its ban. Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi all said they soon would reschedule executions, giving these condemned killers new dates with death, Charlie. John Crawford Greenburg tonight at the Supreme Court.
※ sweep * sweeping : 대대적인, 전면적인 ex. a sweeping victory 대승, 압승 * sweep the board 판돈을 쓸다, 대승하다, to win nearly everything ex. Spain swept the board in boys' team competitions. * sweep sth under the carpet (or rug): <거북한 일>~ 을 감추다, 비밀로 하다 ex. For a long time this problem has been swept under the carpet. * sweep aside : 홱 뿌리치다 [물리치다], ~ 을 일축하다 / to push or brush someone or something aside ex. He swept aside all her objections. * sweep away : 일소하다, 완전히 없애다 / to destroy or completely remove something ex. Many people died when floods swept their homes away. ex. Your reassurances have swept away any doubts I had.
anticipate : 예기하다, 예상 [예지, 예견] 하다, (즐거운 마음으로) 기대하다, 고대하다 / to be excited about something enjoyable that is going to happen soon (= look forward to~) ex. Luckily we had anticipated the question. ex. The film, due to be released in the spring, is being eagerly anticipated by the critics. the Supreme Court : 미대법원 uphold : ~ 을 들어올리다, ~ 을 높이 떠받치다, 지지하다 ex. I cannot uphold your conduct. 나는 너의 행동에 찬성할 수 없다. ex. The Home Secretary's decision was upheld by the court. lethal : 죽음의 [에 이르는], 치사의 (very dangerous and able to kill you), 치명적인 (fatal) ex. a lethal dose (약의) 치사량 /ex. The disclosures were lethal to his reputation. 그 폭로는 그의 명성에 치명상을 입혔다 ex. His lethal backhand gave him a distinct advantage over his opponent. execute : 수행하다 (carry out), 실시 [실행]하다 사형을 집행하다, 처형하다 ex. execute a person for murder ~ 을 살인죄로 처형하다 majority decision : 다수결 (= decision by majority) ex. decide by majority 다수결로 하다 ex. vote down by a majority vote 다수결로써 부결 하다 humane : 인정이 있는, 자비심 깊은, 인도적인 moratorium : (위험한 활동의) 일시적 정지 [연기], 모라토리엄, 지 불 정지[연기], 지불 유예(기간) ex. The House voted to impose a one-year moratorium on nuclear testing. ban : 금지 [령], ~ 을 금지하다 * ban against (or on) : There will be a total ban on smoking. /* impose a ban : ex. They agreed to impose an immediate ban on sales. /* lift a ban : ex. The ban is unlikely to be lifted this year. /* ban someone from (doing) something : ex. She was banned from athletics for two years after failing a drug test. resound : 울려 퍼지다, 반향하다 * resounding : 울리는, 울 려퍼지는, 소리 높이 말하는, 철저한 / 1. A resounding sound is loud and clear. 2. You can refer to a very great success as a resounding success. ex. There was a resounding slap as she struck him violently across the face. ex. She got a resounding round of applause. ex. The good weather helped to make the occasion (그 행사) a resounding success. ex. They resoundingly support government programs for the poor.(열렬 히 지지한다) death chamber : 사형실 struggle : 발버둥치다, 몸부림치다, 애쓰다, 허덕이다, (~ 과) 맞붙 다, 분투하다, 싸움, 투쟁, 힘든 일 * struggle to do something: ex. We have to struggle to win our freedom. / * struggle with: ex. They've had to struggle with the painful process of modernization. / * struggle for: ex. Andy was coughing and struggling for breath. / * struggle into/out of etc: ex. She struggled into her tight jacket. / * struggle against: ex. people struggling against oppression. ex. It was a struggle to get up the hill in the snow. 눈 덮힌 언덕을 오르기는 너무 힘들었다 convict : 유죄를 확정하다 [입증, 선고] 하다, 기결수 * convict someone of something : ~ 유죄판결을 내리다 ex. Robinson was convicted of the murder of his mother and brother. ex. a convicted prisoner 기결수 / ex. ex-convict 전과자 (=ex-con) * conviction : 유죄 판결, 신념 (firm belief), 확신 reprieve : 형의 집행을 연기하다, ~ 을 (위험곤란 등에서) 일시 구제하다, 잠시 경감하다. (형의) 집행 유예, (고통어려움 등의) 모면 [구제, 경감] ex. A man awaiting death by lethal injection has been saved by a last minute reprieve. put ~ to death : ~ 를 사형에 처하다 capital punishment : 사형 inherent : 고유의, 본질적인, 본래부터의, 타고난 be designed to ~ : ~ 하도록 고안되다 ex. Motorcycle masks are designed to screen out pollutants. 오토바이 마스크는 오염물질을 걸러내도록 만들어 졌다. eliminate : ~ 을 (…에서) 없애다, 제거[배제]하다 * elimination 제거, 삭제, 배제 inflict : <벌 등을> 주다, 과하다 ((on)), <구타 상처 등을 > 가하다 [입히다] ((on, upon)) ex. inflict punishment[loss] on a person 을 벌하다 [에게 손해를 주다] roadblock : 도로상의 바리케이드, [일반적으로] 장애물, 방해 행동 carry out : 수행하다, 실행하다 enter :〔이름·날짜 따위〕를 써넣다,〔데이터〕를 입력 시키다, to state something officially ex. A number of complaints have been entered by senior members. jury : [집합적] 배심(원단) ((보통 시민 중에서 선정된 12 명의 배심 원으로 구성되어 피고가 유죄 (guilty) 인가 무죄 (not guilty) 인가를 평결하 여 재판장에게 답신함)) * juror : 배심원 (juryman) relief : (고통 걱정 곤궁 등의) 제거, 경감, 안심, (빈민·난민 등의) 구 제, 구원 ex. It was a great relief for me to hear that. 그 말을 듣고 안심했다. ex. The patients experienced no relief from their symptoms. * breathe a sigh of relief : We breathed a sigh of relief when Gustav went home. 안도의 한숨을 쉬었다. * relieve : <고통·고민·불안 등을> 누그러뜨리다 경 감 [완화] 시키다 (mitigate), <남을> (곤궁·탄압 등으로부터) 해방시키다, 구제하다 ex. relieve a person of one's responsibility 책임을 면해 주다. dissent : 의견을 달리하다, 이의를 말하다 , 불찬성, 의견 차이, 이 의 ex. dissent from the opinion 그 의견에 불찬성이다. * consent : 동의하다, 찬성하다, 동의, 승낙, (의견감정의) 일치 sweeping : 대대적인 pointless : 뾰족한 끝 이 없는, 무딘, 무의미한 extinction : 소화 (消火), 소등, (종족·생물 등의) 멸종, 사멸, 절멸 * extinct : <불 등이> 꺼진 (extinguished), 멸종된 marginal : 변두리[가장자리, 가, 끝]의, <문제 등이> 주변적인, 별로 중요하지 않은, very small ex. marginal changes/improvements discernible : 구별[식 별, 인식]할 수 있는 ( = discernable) ex. a discernible improvement in the patient's condition / ex. A small boat was clearly discernible in the middle of the lake. condemn : ~ 을 (강하게) 비난하다, 책망하다, 유죄 판결을 하다, < 에게 형을> 선고하다 (sentence), 운명지우다 ex. condemn a person for his error[idleness] 의 잘못 [게으름] 을 책망하 다 / ex. condemn a person to imprisonment 에게 금고형을 선고하다 ex. He was condemned to be killed in the war. 그는 전쟁에서 죽을 운명 이었다.