US Moves To Speed Up Executions

The US is preparing to bring in legal changes giving Attorney General Alberto Gonzales new powers to limit the time inmates spend on appeal on death row. The change in the rules, under which Mr. Gonzales will be able to decide state requests to speed the appeals process, was a measure in the 2006 Patriot Act. Death penalty experts warn the move could affect death row inmates' chances of overturning wrongful convictions.