Tookie William’s Execution And The Death Penalty In California; State Provides Drug Coverage Bridge; Iraqi Elections
Tookie William’s Execution And The Death Penalty In California
Stanley “Tookie” Williams died by lethal injection for the murder of four people in 1979. Guest host, Ted Chen, talks with LA Times reporter, Jennifer Warren, who witnessed the execution at San Quentin Prison. Ted also talks with USC law professor, Michael Brennan, and Assemblyman Paul Koretz, his 2-year bill, AB1121, calls for a two-year moratorium on executions in California. Ted talks with them about how the death penalty is applied, who is awaiting execution in California, and public opinion about capital punishment.
State Provides Drug Coverage Bridge
But no one has notified the nearly 1 million poor and frail California seniors who will be transferred automatically into the Medicare prescription program Jan. 1 that they can get transitional help from the state if private insurers under the new plan do not cover their particular medications. The state's policy provides up to a 100-day supply of medicines they are currently taking, including expensive name brands, but seniors only have until Dec. 31 to request and receive the medication. California officials say, though it is late in the game, they are planning a mass mailing between Wednesday and Dec. 21 to let beneficiaries know that help is available. Ted Chen talks with Stan Rosenstein, Deputy Director of Medical Care Services at the California Department of Health Services, and David Lipschutz , Staff Attorney with California Health Advocates, a non-profit consumer health advocacy organization.
Iraqi Elections
Voter turnout is expected to be high this week for Iraq’s historic parliamentary elections. Two-hundred-seventy-five parliamentary seats will be decided. Each new member will serve for the next four years. AirTalk guest host Ted Chen talks with KPCC’s Rob Schmitz who reports from a polling place in Pomona, where Southland Iraqi Americans are casting their votes. He also talks with Christian Science Monitor reporter Ilene Prusher from Baghdad, parliamentary candidate Basam Alhusseini, and Steven Cook from the Council on Foreign Relations.