But the 58-year-old’s death broke a remarkable streak: it was the first Texas execution in six months. Despite her misgivings, Alcala has not advocated for or against the death penalty overall. It was a progressive move according to Kathryn Kase, executive director of the Texas Defender Service, a not-for-profit group that helps clients facing the death penalty. That prompted one of its members, the now-retired Tom Price, to write a dissent calling for the abolition of the death penalty. “The tea leaves have become very interesting.”Alcala tracks her own evolution since first becoming involved in death penalty cases as a young lawyer.

Source: The Guardian October 06, 2016 13:52 UTC