The state public defender's office has filed a federal lawsuit over an attempt by Colorado to streamline death penalty appeals.
DENVER (AP) - Under the current system, conviction and post-conviction reviews are handled in a single appeal and can take less than two years to resolve. Previously, the reviews were handled separately and could take many years.
According to the Denver Post (http://bit.ly/PClkT9 ), the state legislature adopted the unified process in 1997 in an effort to speed up death-penalty appeals.
Currently, there are three men on death row in Colorado, which hasn't executed anyone in 15 years.
Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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