On February 28, the State of Texas executed Ivan Cantu despite repeated legal efforts to save his life. Last year, Republican State District Judge Benjamin Smith withdrew his court order for Cantu’s execution, stating that the new arguments required further review. After a brief pause, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals dismissed Cantu’s request for an evidentiary hearing without considering its merits.
According to the Texas Tribune, “Two jurors from Cantu’s 2001 double-murder trial supported his appeals, which claim that prosecutors relied on false testimony and withheld crucial evidence.”
Cantu was sentenced to death for the 2000 murder of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancée, James Mosqueda and Amy Kitchen. He has maintained his innocence for over 20 years. Long-time death penalty abolitionist Gloria Rubac and others were outside the Huntsville Prison to protest Cantu’s execution.
Ivan Cantu was 50 years old. We thank Texas Abolitionist Gloria Rubac of KPFT Houston for this report.
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Last November, workers at a Levi’s clothes manufacturing plant in Urfa, Turkey, decided they’d had enough of the company union and tried to establish a real class-based union. Turkey’s laws allow them to do so, and the country’s constitution also gives them this basic, simple right.
Nevertheless, the plant’s owners, the company union, governors, police, and the military joined forces against the 500 workers, who were all fired, beaten, detained, arrested, and dragged into courts.
The Levi Strauss Corporation is at the center of all these illegal attacks. Pacifica’s Mehmet Bayram reports.
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Over the last ten years, hedge funds including Alden Global Capital have purchased newspapers, laid off tens of thousands of journalists, and sold off the papers’ properties. Rick Goldsmith is the editor and producer of Stripped For Parts, a new film about this wrecking operation. He spoke to Pacifica’s Steve Zeltzer.
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Israel isn’t the only nation being sued for violating the United Nations Genocide Convention. In what may also become a landmark case, on March 1st, Nicaragua filed a suit in the UN’s International Court of Justice against Germany for aiding and abetting Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Professor Francis Boyle, attorney and expert in human rights and international law, explains the importance of Nicaragua’s case, including its relevance for charging other countries, such as the United States, for supporting Israel’s ongoing genocide. Professor Boyle spoke to journalist Rachel Blevins.
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Despite universal condemnation from the nearly 200 members of the United Nations, US policy remains to try and starve Cuba into collapse, as it has for the past six decades. Pacifica’s Don DeBar spoke to independent journalist Camila Escalante.
And that concludes today’s edition of Capitalism, Race & Democracy. We thank all of Pacifica’s sister stations and affiliates who contribute to the production of this show. Today’s program was produced by the Capitalism, Race & Democracy collective, with contributions from Akua Holt, Steve Zeltzer, Mehmet Bayram, Don Debar, Freddy Libertad, Ann Garrison, and Polina Vasiliev.
Thanks for listening!
Music:
Gil Scott Heron, “Peace Go with you Brother”
Kortatu, “Nicaragua Sandinista”
Ahmet Kaya, “Gayri Gideroldum”
