The Supreme Court’s middle-of-the-night clearance of the first federal execution in 17 years on Tuesday is the latest example of the high court’s strict stance toward death row defendants’ claims.
The court’s tendency to rule in favor of the government in capital punishment cases, which has become more pronounced since Justice Brett Kavanaugh replaced Anthony Kennedy, comes as U.S. public approval of the death penalty reaches historic lows.
The Republican-appointed majority paved the way to resume federal executions less than a week after ending a term in which the court consistently rejected capital defendants’ claims.
The justices this term ...