NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of March 20, 2000

 

. Convicted murderer expected to be executed, but his competency is questioned (03/21/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - A convicted murderer was executed Wednesday morning. At issue, however, is whether he is competent to be executed, which is required under state law.

James Henry Hampton was on the run for a 1992 murder in Missouri when, in an apparent suicide attempt, he shot himself in the head before being captured by New Jersey police. The gunshot wound resulted in brain damage comparable to a frontal lobotomy, according to one doctor.

The Coalition Against the Death Penalty raised this concern in a clemency petition to Gov. Mel Carnahan.

Hampton exhausted appeals at the state level, but did not seek federal review of his sentence.

Get the newspaper story.

. Auditor to review UMSL revolving door (03/21/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - Three high-level administrators at UMSL who accepted early retirement incentives specifically precluding their rehire are back at work. Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill announced Tuesday that her office will examine the hirings to determine if UMSL violated policy.

Early retirement incentives were offered to employees with ten years of service to the university system who are at least 55 years old.

. Legislators take a break (03/21/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - The General Assembly is off this week and will resume work Monday, March 27.
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