Galveston Newspaper Renews Call for a Moratorium on Executions
The Galveston County Daily News is renewing its call for a moratorium on executions. What caused them to write again today about the need for a moratorium is because of the Houston judge who last week ruled that the death penalty process used in Texas is unconstitutional because innocent people can be executed. This is not the first time they have called for a moratorium.
Today's editorial:
Today's editorial:
Read the rest of this entry » Video of Gavin, Nick and Nathan Speaking on Behalf of Kids Against the Death Penalty in Geneva Switzerland at World Congress
The young nephews of an American death row inmate started Kids Against the Death Penalty and recently traveled to Geneva, Switzerland to attend and speak at the 4th World Congress Against the Death Penalty.
Gavin, Nick and Nathan Been (12, 13 and 15) are just like any American teenagers – teasing their mom Terri about growing taller than her and asking her to drive them around to meet up with their friends.
Except their uncle Jeff Wood is on Texas death row convicted under the Law of Parties even though he did not kill anyone.
Watch an extract from Gavin's speech at the "Words of Victims" evening during the World Congress:
Read the rest of this entry »Help Hank Skinner get the DNA testing to Prove His Innocence Before He Becomes the Next Todd Willingham
On March 4th, the CCA affirmed the March 24th date for Hank Skinner's execution, or more exactly it states it doesn't have jurisdiction to overrule the Judge's order.
Please help Hank get the DNA testing. I have added a list of newspapers and journalists to whom you can copy your letter to the DA, below:
Hank sent a 5-page letter to the Gray County D.A. Lynn Switzer with a number of exhibits, which was received by her office on January 27th 2010.
Read the rest of this entry »Crime Victims Equality Act in New Hampshire
By Renny Cushing
Last year I sponsored legislation (House Bill 370) to prohibit discrimination against victims of crime based upon their position on the death penalty.
The bill was inspired by my experience working with other survivors of homicide victims, including some who found they experienced a loss of standing and recognition of rights as crime victims under the law when they spoke out against or acted in opposition to the death penalty for the person who murdered their loved ones. The idea for a Crime Victims Equality Act was first put forth as a policy recommendation in "Dignity Denied: The Experience of Murder Victims' Family Members Who Oppose the Death Penalty" a report Susannah Sheffer and I wrote a few years ago. New Hampshire was the fourth state to consider such victims legislation, and the first state where it became law.
The legislation amended New Hampshire's existing "Rights of Crime Victims" law by adding the new guarantee of the right of equality for all survivors of homicide victims. It is the first law in the nation to formally acknowledge that family members of murder victims have differences of opinion on capital punishment, and gives equal respect under the law to that diversity to ensure that whether one supports or opposes or is unsure or neutral on the death penalty, they will still enjoy all rights and support they are entitled to as crime victims. During the course of legislative hearings on the bill the measure was publicly supported by victims of crime and victims advocate, and both pro-death penalty and anti-death penalty lawmakers found common ground to vote for the bill. The bill was signed by Governor John Lynch, a death penalty supporter and became effective as the law of New Hampshire in October 6, 2009.
Below is the final version of HB 370, which became Chapter 312 of the 2009 Law of New Hampshire.
Read the rest of this entry »More Details on Houston Judge Declaring Texas Death Penalty Unconstituional
“Based on the moratorium (on the death penalty) in Illinois, the Innocence Project and more than 200 people being exonerated nationwide, it can only be concluded that innocent people have been executed,” state District Judge Kevin Fine said. “It's safe to assume we execute innocent people.”
From the Houston Chronicle:
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