■ United States
Executed man innocent?
A convicted murderer executed 20 years ago in Missouri, could be the first person put to death to be declared innocent since capital punishment was reintroduced in the US. Jennifer Joyce, a St Louis district attorney, has decided to reopen the case of Larry Griffin, who was convicted in 1981 of the murder of Quintin Moss, a 19-year-old drug dealer who was shot dead. Griffin maintained his innocence to the end, but was put to death in 1995, aged 40, by lethal injection. Since then the first police officer at the scene, another witness to the shooting and the victim's family have all raised doubts that Griffin was guilty. There have been dozens of cases of prisoners on death row having their convictions overturned, but the innocence of someone who has been executed has never yet been proved since the death penalty was reintroduced in 1976.
■ United States
Officials defend vaccines
US health officials affirmed the safety of vaccines on Tuesday in an unusual news conference called to counter a growing movement alleging that vaccines can cause autism. Autism activists planned a rally in front of the US Capitol yesterday to press their contention that the government has covered up evidence linking autism to a mercury-based product once used in vaccines.
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