W&L CrimProf Testifies Today Before House Committee on Capital Punishment

Washington and Lee School of Law Professor David Bruck will testify before a House Judiciary subcommittee on Thursday, March 30. The Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on the “Death Penalty Reform Act of 2006”.

Sponsors of this legislation hope that changes to the existing Act will expedite the federal death penalty process and make it more efficient. However, opponents fear that changes proposed in the Act will compound problems with a process that is already confusing and enormously costly.

To view Professor Bruck’s prepared statement or a live streaming video of the testimony, visit the links below:

• Prepared Statement and Hearing Details (also available: Statement in PDF format)
• Streaming Video (Select March 30 on the calendar and then select the View live webcast link beneath the hearing on the Death Penalty Reform act)

Professor Bruck is director of the Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse at the School of Law. He has practiced criminal law since 1976, and since 1980 has specialized in the defense of capital cases at the trial, appellate and post-conviction stages.

The Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse is a trial-level legal aid clinic providing free services to defense attorneys who represent capital murder defendants in cases throughout Virginia. Ten Washington and Lee law students are accepted into the Clinic each year and remain in the Clinic for the entire third year of law school. Each case is assigned to a team of two students who maintain primary responsibility for handling matters relating to the case.

To learn more about David Bruck and VCCC, visit the VCCC web site at http://www.vc3.org.