Kids Against the Death Penalty
Working to end the Death Penalty through Education and Action!!!
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Good News for one of our fellow KADP members!!!
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What a wonderful day!
We are so very happy for our dear friend and fellow KADP member, Jasmine Scott, whose father, Michael Scott was released from prison today in light of recent DNA evidence that proves his innocence and has allowed him a new trial; in fact we literally jumped up and down for joy upon hearing the news! We are most thankful for not only Michael Scott’s but also Robert Springsteen’s release by Judge Scott Lynch of the State District Court because this TRULY is a miracle, as everybody knows that the Texas Justice system is totally flawed, and has condemned many innocent people not only to jail, but to death row. Rest assured though that KADP will continue to support Mr. Scott and Mr. Springsteen until they are completely clear of this nightmare.
KADP protests the Execution of Terry Hankins the 200th person to be executed under Governor Perry
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At 6 pm tonight Terry Hankins is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas, but the event is so much more than that! Today also marks the 200th Execution to take place under Governor Perry. This is a travesty!!! We made a video to give our thoughts on the occasion, but we have had trouble posting it; therefore we will post the transcripts below:
Hello my name is Gavin Been and I am the founder and president of KADP. Today is June 2nd 2009 and it is also the day that Terry Lee Hankins is scheduled to be executed.
Despite the fact that Mr. Hankins is factually guilty, he is a human being and deserved the basic right to life. Yes we believe that this man should be punished, but punishment should never be paid for with blood or with a life. Therefore KADP will protest the execution of Terry Lee Hankins
My name is Nick Been and I am the 1st VP of KADP. Earlier you heard my brother speak about today being the scheduled execution of Terry Lee Hankins, but it is so much more than that.
Today history is being made but not in a good way! Today’s execution will mark the 439th execution since Texas resumed its executions in 1982, but it is even more than that as today marks the 200th execution to take place under Governor Rick Perry.
Hello my name is Carissa Bywater and I am the secretary and committee chair of KADP. I just wanted to briefly add onto what Nick was saying a minute ago. Governor Rick Perry already holds the record for the number of executions held by any governor, of any state in the history of the United States. He even passed George Bush’s record of 152 a long time ago.
But today is a milestone; it shows the complete lack of compassion that the state of Texas has. It also shows the lack of value for human life.
My name is Deanna and I serve on the board of KADP, I am sure that many of you are as outraged about today’s execution as we are. Outraged at the lack of mercy and compassion of our Texas leaders! Outraged that we are being compared to countries like Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia because we are quite literally killing our own citizens just like they are. Outraged to say the very least.
State sanctioned murder is vengeance, not justice therefore we will be traveling to the death house today in Huntsville to protest today’s execution and against Governor Perry.
Hello my name is Cory Bywater and I am also a board member of Kids Against the Death Penalty. In a few minutes our friend and fellow anti-death penalty activist, Bella Fell, will read the names of the 200 executions under Governor Perry. We ask that while the names are being read you bow your heads in silence to remember these men who were murdered by the state of Texas. Please also remember their families, their victims, and their families as well.
Rick Perry, Rissie Owens and the Law of Parties are all murderers!!!
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When people have the power to affect change and choose NOT to use it because of selfish reasons; we call them low-life cowards!!! Both Rick Perry and Rissie Owens have the power to save lives, but they CHOOSE NOT to. Further, by our own law, shouldn't both of them (and the other members of the BPP) be convicted for murder under the law of parties??? They do know that murders will happen, and they choose not to stop them even though they have the power to do so. What about the executioner...shouldn't he be charged with murder as well???
It makes us sick that they allow people to be murdered, but our anger grows to a new level when they allow the execution of factually innocent people. Texas has many people on its death row unit in Livingston who never committed a murder, who never knew a murder would happen, but were still convicted of the murder under a law most Texans don't even know exist. This law is called the law of parties and it is a law we are hoping will change very soon.
Currently we are looking for support for HB 304. We ask that everyone write their representatives, (and all the other representatives as well) and let them know that you support HB 304 and that you support the abolition bill as well!!!!
Please watch the news coverage over the press conference Representaive Dutton had to support HB 304 @ the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWSZAp0_VWI
URGENT ACTION NEEDED FOR WILLIE PONDEXTER!!!!!!
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We are asking that you visit our 'how to help' page to find the direct link to e-mail the governor. You can also find fax #'s for the governor and the board of pardons and paroles. PLEASE call the governor's office and the board of pardons and parole as MANY TIMES as you can today and tomorrow. Call until lthey get SICK of you calling! 512-463-2000
Below is one of the letters we have written to the Governor and the board that you can use as a sample:
Dear Governor Perry and Distinguished Members of the Clemency Board:
I am writing today to urge you to recommend that the death sentence of Willie Pondexter be commuted to life in prison. Willie is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas on March 3, 2009 for the 1993 burglary and murder of Martha Lennox. He was 19 years old at the time of the crime and had no previous prison record.
Every human being is capable of change and improvement. Mr. Pondexter has demonstrated remorse for his part in the crime. In prison, on death row, he has worked daily to be a good and respectful man. He is well liked and respected by many on the row and by many of the TDCJ employees. My family and I have personally met and visited Willie, and he is always positive, friendly, and helpful to all he comes in contact with. The way he has lived his life for the past 14-plus years should be taken into account in your consideration of clemency.
Under Texas law, only those who represent a future danger to our society can be sentenced to death. Mr. Pondexter has shown that he does not fit that category.
You have a responsibility to show mercy on those deserving of it. When you do, it sends a powerful message to those in prison today that personal conduct matters. I urge you to recommend clemency in his case.
Sincerely,
Nick Been
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URGENT ACTION NEEDED!!!
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Below is a letter from supporters of Larry Swearingen, who is one of seven people in Texas scheduled for execution this month. Larry is yet another innocent man being railroaded by the state of Texas!!!! Yes he is innocent! Please read this and pass along the info! As a sister of an innocent man on death row I can certainly understand the desperation and urgency needed in this situation.
Please help!!!
Dear Friends & fellow Abolitionists in the U.S.,
We'd like to ask for your help to save an innocent man's life. Larry Swearingen is scheduled to be executed on January 27, 2009 by the State of Texas despite the fact that he didn't kill anyone.
Larry is blessed by having very dear and loyal friends who helped and supported him all through the years, unfortunately most of them are in Overseas/Europe. We were able to support the attorneys and forensic experts by doing research, working to help discovering new evidence. Now at this stage Larry is in URGENT need for IMMEDIATE PUBLIC ATTENTION on his case, and needs support from you, concerned US citizens.
You can help by spreading the Petition link on the internet. Please send letters, e-mails, faxes or make phone calls to your local and national media, TV and radio stations. Raise your voice and express your displeasure and anger about the injustice taking place in this case. The media has to point a finger at this outrageous crime that the State of Texas plans to commit against a wrongly convicted man.
We oppose the death penalty unconditionally in all cases since it is an affront to human dignity. However, the execution of an innocent man is the ultimate catastrophe in a civilized country and society since it can happen to any of us.
The cases of Troy Davis in Georgia and Jeff Wood in Texas shown so far what is possible when people stand up, and we're watching the development of these cases intently from Europe. Today we're turning to you with our plea to please stand up and raise your voice for Larry Swearingen to stop the insanity of state sanctioned murder.
In Solidarity and gratitude,
Wiebke Swearingen & Erwann Doulin
on behalf of the Larry Swearingen Support Group
Petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/do-not-execute-larry-swearingen
E-Mail: info@larry-swearingen.com
Web: www.larry-swearingen.com
Please read what Dr. Glenn Larkin M.D. (Forensic Pathologist) has to say:
As the original forensic pathologist who reviewed Larry's claim of innocence, I concluded from the evidence4 presented to me that Ms Trotter was not dead the about 25 days as concluded by Dr Carter. Now with three other forensic pathologist confirming mu opinion that Ms Trotter was not dead the "about 25 days" as Dr Carter originally testified to, and her affidavit agreeing with the 4 of us, there is uncontroversial, unrefuted absolute evidence of Larry's innocence.
Furthermore, the charge of sexual assault, one of the aggravators, had to be dropped through a misdiagnosis by Dr Carter. She was honest enough to revise her opin ions in a new affidavit.
It is not usual for a forensic pathologist to crusade for a felon on appeal, but I would be shrinking from my responsibility as a human, a physician and a Christian if I remained silent and allowed Larry to be murdered by the state of Texas, and I will not be silent.
The execution of an innocent person is an obcene, immoral and illegal act , and the CCA's refusal to consider Larry's strong appeal on the grounds that it untimely has no legal, no moral and no other justification; indeed case law (Herrera v Collins) orders plenary review --- bolstered by several of US Supreme Court decisions.
The explanation that the state offers to account for the blood samples under Ms Trotter's finger nails is pure fantasy, as any forensic pathologist will conclude.
In order to expose this horrible nightmare, letters---letters in droves--- have to be sent to Texas newspapers, TV stations and elsewhere. A duplication of the execution of To dd Cameron Willingham cannot be repeated. The honor of Texas is at stake.
G M Larkin MD
Charlotte NC
KADP's thoughts on Robert Hudson
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While we are very happy that there were 2 stays in Texas this last week, we are extremely saddened by the murder of Robert Hudson. This state murder hit us pretty hard as Robert was a friend of our uncle Jeff, and we actually visited with him just a few days before his execution, and spoke with him about what they were trying to do to him.
Robert has always admitted his guilt, and he even admitted that to us, BUT this was a crime of passion and should never have received the death penalty in the first place. We told him that we had all signed his petition, and that we had made calls to the board of pardons and paroles and the governor. We told him that we had also sent e-mails to the governor and held protest for him in Austin, and above all A LOT of people were praying for him.
He was thankful, but you could tell that he was so scared. We tried to make him laugh, and many others there that night as well, but everybody?s spirits were down.
We only wish that there was more we could do. Death Row families need to stick together, and help each other fight the system. Separately you will get nothing done, but together there is a chance.
Chantelle, if you ever read this?we are thinking about you and the rest of Robert?s family! Rest in Peace Robert, you will not be forgotten!
KADP's thoughts on Greg Wright's execution
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| Our thoughts and prayers go out to Connie and the rest of Greg Wright's family; we are deeply sorry for your loss. We want the family to know that there are people (like us) who believed in Greg, and believed in his innocence. We really did try to make a difference for him, but it seems our screams, chants, letters, e-mails, protests, marches and phone calls fell on deaf ears. We wish that there was something more that we could do. Of course we are very sad and very disappointed, but this has really made us all mad! We do not understand how people can be so hateful, and so blind. We have got to find a way to make them hear us!!!! We have to find a way to end this evil and outdated form of punishment. If anybody has any thoughts or ideas of things we can do to help, please feel free to send us an e-mail; we are willing to try just about anything! We can't give up now; we have got to fight harder! Greg will not be forgotten!  |
Help Us help Families of Death Row inmates by helping TMN!!!
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Friday, October 31, 2008
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Help Us Win a Contest so that We Can Help Some Families of People on Death Row Click here to join the "Abolish the Death Penalty Project" on Amazee.com and help us win the membership contest. We could win up to $5,000 to use against the death penalty. The project with the most members by Jan 22 wins. We plan to use one-half of any prize money we win to help needy families of people on death row travel to visit their loved ones on death row. We will use the other half of the prize money to fight against the death penalty. You have to go to the projects page, click on "join project" on the right hand side, then click on "register". Then to qualify as one of the members who count towards the contest, you have to upload a picture or avatar of yourself, or fill out the profile. You don't have to do anything else to help us win the membership contest, but if you want, you can contribute content to the project. We were all moved by the family members who spoke at the 9th Annual March to Stop Executions in Houston, so we were thinking of how we could help them. We all know that the death penalty is reserved for the poor. There are no rich people on death row. We want to use one half of any prize money we get through this contest to help family members visit their loved ones on death row. Many families have a hard time making ends meet and the extra cost of traveling long distances to visit their loved ones on death row is a great financial burden. Some of the people on death row have young children who rarely get to visit them. If we win the first place prize of $5,000, then $2500 will be reserved to help with trips to death row for families of people sentenced to death who need financial help to visit their loved ones. The other $2,500 would be used for activities during the upcoming Texas legislative session, such as a big anti-death penalty rally in Austin and other projects. If we only win third place, then we would have $1000 for the families and $1,000 for other expenses. But let's aim for first place! |
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ALL Visitations Cancelled for Texas' prisoners!!!
(Please disseminate to your respective group members)
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY - As a result of a system-wide lock-down, all visitation during the week of October 21-26, 2008 will be cancelled to allow units to conduct security searches.
Please continue to check the TDCJ website or contact the TDCJ Ombudsman Coordinator's Office, , for updates regarding visitation for the week of October 27-31, 2008.
Dona Brown
TDCJ Ombudsman Coordinator's Office
P. O. Box 99
Huntsville, Texas 77342
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail ombudsman@tdcj.state.tx.us
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Perry orders all Texas Prisons on Lockdown!
Texas searches prison after death row phone found
Gov. Rick Perry ordered Texas prisons locked down Monday and searched for contraband after death-row inmates made thousands of calls on a smuggled cell phone.
An inmate's mother was arrested Monday at Austin's airport and accused of buying minutes for the phone, and authorities said more arrests were expected. Perry's office said the cell phone was smuggled into the prison by a bribed corrections officer.
Authorities learned about the phone after inmate Richard Tabler called a prominent state senator and told him he knew the names of the legislator's daughters and where they lived, said John Moriarty, the prison system's inspector general.
Tabler shared the phone with nine inmates on his cell block, and prison officials said about 2,800 calls were made on it over the last 30 days.
Tabler, 29, is on death row for killing two men on Thanksgiving weekend 2004, and he has been charged with killing two teenage girls. All four had ties to a strip club in Killeen.
Earlier this month, Tabler told a judge he wanted to end appeals and volunteer for execution. A phone call to his trial attorney was not returned Monday. Prison officials said the inmates involved in the cell phone use will face criminal charges or disciplinary actions.
Tabler's 60-year-old mother, Lorraine, was being held Monday on a felony charge of providing a prohibited item to an inmate and was waiting for her bond to be set, said Moriarty.
Perry's office blamed an unidentified corrections officer for taking a bribe to get the phone to Tabler. Further information on the officer was not disclosed.
The governor ordered any contraband from inmates, staff and visitors be seized and said violators would be prosecuted. Texas has 111 prisons holding some 155,000 inmates.
"Let there be no doubt about how seriously we take this security breach," Perry said.
Authorities said Richard Tabler made several calls to state Sen. John Whitmire, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, between Oct. 7 and 19. Tabler told the Houston Democrat he knew the names and ages of the lawmaker's two daughters and where they lived.
Investigators determined the phone was bought in Waco in September 2007 and that Lorraine Tabler had been buying time for the phone. They also determined that the phone also received incoming calls.
It was not immediately known whether Lorraine Tabler had an attorney. Messages left at a phone number for her in Blackshear, Ga., were not immediately returned.
Illegal cell phone use is a continuing problem in prisons where the phones are considered a security breach and of particular value to gang members, prison officials say.
Moriarty said his investigators are looking into 700 cases across the state prison system, including one where an X-ray was used to reveal a phone and charger hidden inside the prisoner's body.
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