Anti-Death Penalty

Death Sentence Commuted

By kristina
images

Not in Texas of course but this is still great news! Just received this alert from the TCADP. Great news!  Ohio Governor Ted Strickland has commuted the death sentence of Kevin
Keith to life without parole.  Here’s an excerpt from his statement:

“… despite the evidence supporting his guilt and the substantial legal review of Mr.
Keith’s conviction,… »

Watkins Changes Stance – Really?

By kristina

So I read this article and maybe because I am multitasking and was on a phone call at the same time I didn’t quite get but it seemed a little wishy washy to me. Basically he was kind of against but it was the law so he sought in some cases and now he is… »

I AM TROY DAVIS

By kristina
IMG_0965

So sad and disappointing. Yesterday a federal judge ruled that Davis had not proven his innocence after two days of testimony concluded where witnesses recanted their original statements that they had seen him in the parking lot of the fast food restaurant as the killer. Some said their original testimony was under police coercion others… »

Death Penalty Speaker Series at SMU

By kristina

Southern Methodist University Embrey Human Rights Program
with
The Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics and Public Responsibility
Presents Death Penalty Matters:  Fall 2010 Series
Thursday, September 16 – 7:00 p.m.  Up Close and Personal: Defending Against the Death Penalty
Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director, Equal Justice Initiative
McCord Auditorium / Dallas Hall 306
Thursday, September 23 – 7:00 p.m.The Experience of Families… »

Prisoner Dies After Request for Medical Help Denied

By kristina

Wow. What is wrong with us that we treat people this way? For days a prisoner in federal prison complained of pain and repeatedly hit his panic button in his cell. He died of a slit spleen but when an autopsy was done it showed he had cancer, hepatitis, and HIV and the only medicine… »

Austrian Prison – Something We Could Learn From?

By kristina
Visititation Area in an Austrian Prison

eriously making me home sick. ( We lived in Austria for many years) Austria is far from perfect and has its own demons to fight which I won’t start on here but wow. Check out the slide show of a prison built in 2004. Inmates live in apartments with balconies, private bathrooms, and kitchenettes. I… »

Jurors Discuss Doubt and Regret in Skinner Case

By kristina

Check out this article  written about the Hank Skinner case from the angle of the jurors who sentenced him to death row. Texas came very close to killing an innocent man and it could still happen. There is evidence that was not heard by the jurors, witnessed who have since recanted, DNA untested, etc. The death penalty is… »

BREAKING NEWS: THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS AGREED TO DECIDE WHETHER

By kristina

This email alert was just sent from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. “The justices said they will use Skinner’s case to decide whether prison inmates may use a federal civil rights law to petition for DNA testing that was not performed prior to their conviction. Federal appeals courts around the country have… »

Justices Rule No Life W/O Parole For Adolescence Where Murder Is Not Involved

By kristina

The Supreme Court ruled today 5-4 that a life sentence for a juvenile who has not participated in a murder is not allowed. It is almost shocking to me that this was ever allowed. Children are vulnerable to making poor choices and to lock up a child and throw away the key forever is quite… »

Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Case

By kristina
images

The Supreme Court has decided not to hear the death penalty case from Texas involving a prosecutor and judge that had a previous sexual relationship as reported by the DMN.
I think this case is alluded to in the new book, The Autobiography of an Execution. Really great read and very human and interesting. It’s author… »