{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-demands-answers-from-doj-about-reversal-in-death-penalty-case", "Cotton Demands Answers from DOJ About Reversal in Death Penalty Case", "2022-04-15", "2022", "2022-04", "Republican", "Senate", "AR", "Tom Cotton", "C001095", "www.cotton.senate.gov", "cotton", "https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: James Arnold or Mary Collins Atkinson (202) 224-2353\n\nApril 15, 2022\n\nCotton Demands Answers from DOJ About Reversal in Death Penalty Case\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding answers about his decision to stop seeking the death penalty in a case of a serial domestic abuser who killed Army Sergeant Brittney Niecol Silvers at her home on base at Fort Campbell.\n\nIn part, Cotton wrote, \u201cThe Department of Justice initially announced on February 25, 2021, its intent to seek the death penalty against Victor Everette Silvers, who murdered Army Sergeant Brittney Niecol Silvers on Fort Campbell in Kentucky in 2018\u201d\n\n\u201cYesterday, federal prosecutors filed a motion to withdraw the notice of intent to seek the death penalty, writing that the withdrawal was \u2018authorized and directed by\u2019 you on April 7, 2022. Why did you \u2018authorize and direct\u2019 this action? Has anything changed since February 25, 2021? Sgt. Silvers deserves justice,\u201d Cotton continued.\n\nText of the letter may be found here and below.\n\nThe Honorable Merrick Garland\n\nU.S. Department of Justice\n\n950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\n\nWashington, DC 20530-0001\n\nDear Attorney General Garland,\n\nIt\u2019s come to my attention that the Department of Justice has decided to stop seeking the death penalty in the case of a serial domestic abuser who shot and murdered Brittney Niecol Silvers, a United States soldier, in front of her apartment on a U.S. Army base in 2018.\n\nThe Department of Justice initially announced on February 25, 2021, its intent to seek the death penalty against Victor Everette Silvers, who murdered Army Sergeant Brittney Niecol Silvers on Fort Campbell in Kentucky in 2018. Sgt. Silvers was assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Her estranged husband, Victor, was charged with premeditated murder in the case.\n\nYesterday, federal prosecutors filed a motion to withdraw the notice of intent to seek the death penalty, writing that the withdrawal was \u201cauthorized and directed by\u201d you on April 7, 2022.\n\nWhy did you \u201cauthorize and direct\u201d this action? Has anything changed since February 25, 2021? Sgt. Silvers deserves justice. Please reply no later than 5:00PM on Wednesday, April 20, detailing the reasons for your decision to stop seeking the death penalty against her murderer.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:19:30Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cotton.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cotton-demands-answers-from-doj-about-reversal-in-death-penalty-case"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0431140437722206, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}