Criminal Law

Hickman: Texas needs to start a dialogue on the death penalty

Posted on July 30, 2008
Austin Musician Sarah Hickman has an Op-Ed in today's Austin-American Statesman about her opposition to the death penalty. In the early 1990s, I started correspondence with a man on death row. After a few years of writing, I went to visit him in person...

Media Advisory - Save Jeff Wood from the Texas Executioner

Posted on July 30, 2008
Media AdvisoryFor immediate release: July 29, 2008Contacts:Terri Been B.S., M. Ed, Sister of Jeff Woodmystrus@hotmail.com254-371-5650Scott Cobb, PresidentTexas Moratorium Network512-689-1544scottcobb99@gmail.comKristin Wood, Wife of Jeff Wood936-259-2182kristinoftebro@gmail...

Thomas D. Arthur's execution stayed

Posted on July 30, 2008
Alabama Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote has stayed the execution of Thomas D. Arthur. Below you can find Bobby Ray Gilbert's affidavit confessing to the murder.

Dallas Morning News: Gov. Perry should halt this execution

Posted on July 30, 2008
Dallas Morning News has called on Gov. Rick Perry to stop execution of José Medellín in order to protect Americans abroad. All eyes are on Gov. Rick Perry regarding the Aug. 5 execution date for José Medellín, a Mexican who confessed to the 1993 gang rape and murder of two Houston teenage girls...

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Condoleezza Rice asks Perry to stop execution of Jose Medellin

Posted on July 29, 2008
According to Dallas Morning News, Condoleezza Rice and Attorney General Michael Mukasey has asked Gov. Rick Perry to stop execution of Jose Medellin in order to protect American's abroad. Fourteen years and numerous judicial reviews have passed since José Medellin was sentenced to die after confessing to the brutal gang rape and murder of two teenage girls in Houston...

Save Jeff Wood Rally

Posted on July 29, 2008
When: Saturday, August 2nd, 2008 @ 12:00 pm Where: In front of the Alamo in San Antoniowww.SaveJeffwood.com Like Kenneth Foster, Jeff Wood was convicted under the Law of Parties. Jeff has an execution date of Aug. 21, for a murder he did NOT commit!!! Come & help save Jeff from the Texas executioner! You can Help!!! The time to act is NOW!!!!

Did Chuck Rosenthal hide evidence?

Posted on July 28, 2008
Check out the following AP article and keep the following in mind: Chuck Rosenthal is guilty of hiding evidence when he prosecuted Ronnie E. Johnson for capital murder back in 1994. Six weeks before his execution, Lonnie?s lawyer and private investigator found missing evidence contained within police reports at the Harris County District Atorney's office that supported his claim of self-defense...

What the Death Penalty Has Done To Me

Posted on July 20, 2008
By Christy ArmellAugust 30th, 2007 will forever be engraved in my mind. This is the day that the state of Texas was going to execute my friend Kenneth Foster. I remember going to bed the night before, with Kenneth?s letters right beside me thinking I may never get another letter from him...

Maryland State Police spied on Campaign to end the Death Penalty

Posted on July 18, 2008
American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland through a lawsuit has obtained 46 pages of documents from the Maryland State Police, revealing how undercover police officers infiltrated local anti-death penalty and anti-war groups. You can watch the video coverage at WBALTV's website...

Murder victims' group writes clemency letter for Jeff Wood

Posted on July 18, 2008
July 16, 2008 The Honorable Rick Perry Governor, State of Texas P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 Ms. Rissie Owens, Chair Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles 8610 Shoal Creek Boulevard Austin, Texas 78757 Re: Jeffrey Wood, TDJC No. 999256 Dear Governor Perry and Chairwoman Owens: Our organization consists of hundreds of family members of murder victims plus thousands of "Friends of MVFR"...

News: International Court of Justice Press Release

Posted on July 16, 2008
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Katharine Huffman: 202-360-1991 July 16, 2008 INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE ISSUES PROVISIONAL MEASURES TO PREVENT IMMINENT VIOLATION OF U...

Howard County Joins Public Defender Task Force

Posted on July 15, 2008
Here is News West 9's report:by Victor LopezNewsWest 9 HOWARD COUNTY-- It cost them nothing to join, but it could save thousands of tax dollars. Howard County Commissioners said yes, Monday morning, to joining the Public Defender Task Force, all to cut the cost of paying for a public defender in a death penalty case...

Drop All the Charges in the Yogurt Shop Case NOW!

Posted on July 14, 2008
DNA EXONORATES SCOTT AND SPRINGSTEEN! Picket and Press Event at Yogurt Shop hearing:Tuesday, July 15th at 12:30PMTravis County Courthouse Plaza, off Guadalupe between 10th and 11th.Things are heating up in the Yogurt Shop case! As many of you may know, long time CEDP member Jeannine Scott is fighting for her husband Michael Scott, who was wrongfully imprisoned for murder in this case...

China refuses to consider 250,000-strong petition

Posted on July 14, 2008
A World Coalition delegation found the door closed on June 16 when they attempted to handover to the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong a petition urging for changes in the death penalty system in China.Stopped at the outside door of the building, it was refused the chance to be met by any official on the explanation that ?this is a political issue?...

Lonnie Earl Johnson Foundation

Posted on July 14, 2008
PRESS RELEASE Lonnie Johnson was unlawfully executed on July 24, 2007 for killing two teenage boys on August 15, 1990. Six weeks prior to his death, his defense team found police reports hidden in Mr. Johnson's prosecuting attorney's file at the District Attorney's office...

Sanders: Another troubling Dallas case

Posted on July 09, 2008
Thats the title of Bob Ray Sander's column in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram against the execution of Carlton Akee Turner.The case of Carlton Akee Turner, who is scheduled for the Texas death chamber Thursday evening, presents the state and its noble citizens a whole set of conundrums: What really should be done with troubled youths who commit horrible crimes? Do we truly care about the feelings of the victims? families and how they view "closure"? How should our highest criminal court deal with cases from Dallas County particularly, with its history of racism, terribly flawed investigations and what some see as true "criminal" prosecution tactics of the recent past? At what point do the people of Texas say "enough is enough" when it comes to capital punishment, even for those who committed a crime, as Turner most certainly did?Many of you will remember the case of the Irving teenager arrested and charged with murdering his own parents, two revered people in the community who had adopted him as an 11-month-old baby...

Pakistan's parliament bans the death penalty

Posted on July 04, 2008
Asia News is reporting that Pakistan's parliament has abolished the death penalty. Now the bill awaits Musharraf's signature in order to become law.by Qaiser FelixThe bill launched by the premier to commemorate Benazir Bhutto was ratified by the government and now awaits President Musharraf?s signature...

Jester Leroy's execution stayed

Posted on July 03, 2008
Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the earliest update on the case.BY TIM MADIGANA state judge in Sherman has postponed the July 22 execution date of Lester Leroy Bower Jr. and plans to hold hearings that could involve the Arlington man?s claims of innocence...

Paul House will be released today

Posted on July 02, 2008
This is the great news from Tennessee. According to the Tennessean, Paul House will be released today. TCASK will probably have some more updates soon. Paul Gregory House will celebrate the Fourth of July at home this Friday thanks to an anonymous donor who sent his mother the $10,000 bail needed for his release from state custody...

Artificial brain predicts death-row executions

Posted on June 27, 2008
That is the title of New Scientist article about the brain and death penalty. (Access to full article requires a $5.95 subscription to the magazine. You can read the study abstract or full study for free.) Intro to New Scientist article... WHICH inmates on death row will eventually be executed? Many never make the final journey from prison cell to execution chamber - but nobody really understands who will be spared...

A plea from Terri Been, Jeff Wood's sister

Posted on June 26, 2008
Hello.My name is Terri Been and I am a Texas republican who is AGAINST the death penalty. I am sorry to say that it was not always this way as I was raised to believe in the death penalty; BUT my views changed over 10 years ago when I was thrust unwillingly into the Texas Judicial system; at which time my eyes were opened to the complete injustice of our whole system...

Why I Oppose the Death Penalty

Posted on June 26, 2008
As an African American woman living in Oakland, whose brother was murdered, I strongly oppose the death penalty. More than anything, I want to live in a safe community?a community where my six sons and my daughter are able to pursue all of theirs dreams without fear of becoming another number in the city homicide count...

Mexico asks World Court to halt U.S. executions

Posted on June 26, 2008
Here is a Reuters article from last week. By Emma Thomasson THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Mexico asked the World Court on Thursday to take urgent steps to stop imminent U.S. executions of five Mexicans on death row who were denied their rights to consular assistance...

Help stop execution of Jeff Wood

Posted on June 25, 2008

Introducing A Boy Named Rocky: A Coloring Book for the Children of Incarcerated Parents.

Posted on June 25, 2008
This coloring book will help children discuss and understand their feelings. It can be used in educational, therapeutic, and family settings to explore loss and help maintain family cohesiveness during parent-child separation. Children with incarcerated parents are an invisible population...

Supreme Court rejects death penalty for raping children

Posted on June 25, 2008
The Court has released the opinion in Kennedy v. Louisiana (07-343), on whether the Eighth Amendment prohibits states from imposing the death penalty for child rape, and, if not, whether Louisiana's statute fails to narrow the class of offenders eligible for the death penalty...

KXAN: Judge rejects ex-Georgetown sergeant's plea bargain

Posted on June 24, 2008
Here is the Jimmy Fennel update from KXAN GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- A judge on Tuesday rejected the plea bargain presented in the case of Jimmy Fennell, the former Georgetown police officer charged with sexual assault. Fennell pleaded guilty to kidnapping and sexual misconduct last month...

The Onion: Supreme Court Rules Death Penalty Is 'Totally Badass'

Posted on June 24, 2008
Supreme Court Rules Death Penalty Is 'Totally Badass'

15th Annual Fast and Vigil Approaching

Posted on June 17, 2008
Taken from Abolish blog. Every year, for the past fifteen years, from June 29 ? July 2nd, something amazing happens in Washington, DC. Abolitionists from around the country and world come together for a four day Fast and Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty...

Charles Hood execution order withdrawn

Posted on June 17, 2008
State District Judge Curt Henderson in Collin County has withdrawn theexecution order for Charles Hood. Details to follow.

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