Texas set to execute Jamaal Howard for 2000 killing of store clerk Vickie Swartout
Texas plans to execute Jamaal Howard, 46, on Wednesday for the 2000 shooting of convenience store clerk Vickie Swartout. His lawyers say he is intellectually disabled, which the state disputes, and a Supreme Court appeal is pending.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Texas is set to execute Jamaal Howard, 46, by lethal injection on Wednesday for the 2000 killing of convenience store clerk Vickie Swartout, 42. The Times of IndiaN “Jamaal Howard, 46, was convicted of capital murder in the killing of Vickie Swartout, 42.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The IndependentLC “Jamaal Howard, 46, was convicted of capital murder in the 2000 killing of Vickie Swartout, 42” Read at The Independent ↗ Mixed · 2If carried out, it would be the 30th execution in the US this year, and the independent reports that Howard is to receive a lethal dose of pentobarbital. The Times of IndiaN “If carried out, it would be the 30th execution in the US this year.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The IndependentLC “Howard is scheduled to receive a lethal dose of pentobarbital” Read at The Independent ↗ Mixed · 2Swartout was shot once in the chest during a robbery at a store in Silsbee, a small town roughly 100 miles (161 km) northeast of Houston. The Times of IndiaN “a small town about 161 km northeast of Houston” Read at The Times of India ↗ The IndependentLC “a small rural town about 100 miles northeast of Houston” Read at The Independent ↗
Mixed · 2Prosecutors presented surveillance video at trial showing Howard, who was 20 at the time, shooting Swartout; according to court records he took $114 and a carton of cigarettes. The IndependentLC “Prosecutors presented surveillance video at Howard’s trial showing him shooting Swartout.” Read at The Independent ↗ The Times of IndiaN “he took $114 and a carton of cigarettes from the store” Read at The Times of India ↗ Mixed · 2Howard's lawyers argue he is intellectually disabled and so cannot legally be executed; the state says he has not provided enough evidence that he meets the requirements. The Times of IndiaN “The state has argued that he has not provided enough evidence to support the claim.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The IndependentLC “Howard’s attorneys have argued that he is intellectually disabled and therefore cannot legally be executed.” Read at The Independent ↗ Mixed · 2Howard has asked the US Supreme Court to halt the execution. In 2002 the court barred executing people with intellectual disabilities, while leaving states some discretion over who meets the standard. The Times of IndiaN “Howard has also asked the US Supreme Court to stop the execution.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The IndependentLC “states retain some discretion in determining whether a person meets the legal standard for intellectual disability” Read at The Independent ↗
Mixed · 2He would be the seventh person executed in Texas this year, with two more executions scheduled, and it would be the state's first since Tennessee's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike last week; her lawyers said on Tuesday she remained awake and speaking while being treated at a hospital. The Times of IndiaN “he will be the seventh person executed in Texas this year. Two more executions are currently scheduled in the state.” Read at The Times of India ↗ The IndependentLC “Pike’s attorneys said Tuesday that she was awake and speaking while receiving treatment at a hospital.” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1The Independent adds that Florida has carried out 16 executions this year, more than any other state. The IndependentLC “Florida has carried out 16 executions so far this year, more than any other state.” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with the Christa Pike failed execution in its headline, setting Howard's case in the context of problems with lethal injection.
- Emphasis
- Method (pentobarbital), the Pike attempt, and Florida's lead in executions this year.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give kilometre conversions; otherwise covers the same case details.
- Charged language
- “Texas killer”
- For example
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“Texas killer set for pentobarbital execution after failed Christa Pike attempt” — The Independent
“Florida has carried out 16 executions so far this year, more than any other state.” — The Independent
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straightforward report of the pending execution and the case against Howard, with the Pike failure mentioned at the end.
- Emphasis
- Case facts, the intellectual disability claim and the Supreme Court appeal.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the drug or mention Florida's total.
- For example
-
“Texas man faces execution for killing convenience store clerk in 2000” — The Times of India
“The execution would come after a failed attempt last week to execute Christa Pike in Tennessee.” — The Times of India
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Howard, 46, was convicted of capital murder in the 2000 shooting of Vickie Swartout, 42, in Silsbee, Texas.
- He is scheduled to be executed Wednesday, which would be the 30th US execution this year.
- His lawyers say he is intellectually disabled; the state says he hasn't shown enough evidence.
- He has a Supreme Court appeal pending.
- The execution follows Tennessee's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Howard is intellectually disabled and so ineligible for execution
- Left
- The Independent: his attorneys argue he is; the state disputes it, saying he hasn't presented evidence meeting the requirements.
- Centre
- Times of India: his lawyers argue he is; the state says he hasn't provided enough evidence.
Texas place
The state of Texas argues Howard has not provided enough evidence to support his intellectual disability claim, and is proceeding with the execution.
“The state has argued that he has not provided enough evidence to support the claim.” — The Times of India
Left1 article
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Texas killer set for pentobarbital execution after failed Christa Pike attempt
Neutral Agency-style report that frames the execution against the failed Pike attempt, with method and national context.
Centre1 article
-
Texas man faces execution for killing convenience store clerk in 2000
Neutral Plain news report of the scheduled execution, case facts and legal claims.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 7 Oct 05:54 First The Times of IndiaN Texas man faces execution for killing convenience store clerk in 2000
- 7 Oct 06:04 +10m The IndependentLC Texas killer set for pentobarbital execution after failed Christa Pike attempt
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.