National News

14 Activists Arrested at U.S. Supreme Court to Commemorate 35th Anniversary of First Execution

Friday, 20 January 2012 17:12 Scott Langley

WASHINGTON, D.C.  - Thirty-five years after the first execution under
contemporary laws of Gary Gilmore, fourteen members of the Abolitionist
Action Committee were arrested at the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday.  Just
after 10:00 am, at the exact time that Gilmore was executed, the group
unfurled a 30-foot banner that read "STOP EXECUTIONS!" on the stairs of the
Court.

Last Updated on Friday, 20 January 2012 17:18 Read more...

SCADP Members Arrested at U.S. Supreme Court

Friday, 20 January 2012 10:48 Anna Shockley

SCADP Board members Ron Kaz, Kate Webb and Anna Shockley and volunteer Elaine Cooper traveled to Washington, D.C. for the Abolitionist Action Committee's direct action on Tuesday, January 17, commemorating the execution of Gary Gilmore, the first execution since reinstatement of the death penalty. While Kate and Elaine provided support services and took part in a legal demonstration on the sidewalk, Ron and Anna, along with twelve others, unfolded a 30 foot banner that said "Stop Executions" on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. Ironically, this is an illegal act. ("Free speech stops on the steps of the Supreme Court," a police officer once told us.) Supreme Court police arrested all fourteen protesters.

Last Updated on Friday, 20 January 2012 19:00 Read more...

Illinois Death Penalty Abolition Bill Goes to Governor

Thursday, 20 January 2011 23:16 Anna Shockley

UPDATE: Please call Govenor Quinn’s office and ask that he sign the death penalty abolition bill: 312.814.2121

On January 11, the Illinois Senate joined the Illinois House or Representatives in voting to abolish the death penalty. The vote was 32 in favor, 25 against, with two abstentions. If Governor Pat Quinn signs the bill into law, Illinois will become the 16th state in the USA to ban capital punishment, and the third in the last four years.

Help Prevent an Execution in Texas Thursday, Nov. 19

Thursday, 19 November 2009 00:30 Anna Shockley

Breaking news! The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has recommended that Robert Lee Thompson's death sentence be commuted to life in prison. Thompson is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas on Thursday, November 19, 2009. This is only the fourth such recommendation for clemency from the Board in cases where the inmate faced imminent execution.

Last Updated on Friday, 01 January 2010 10:48 Read more...

NC Racial Justice Act

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 07:07 Anna Shockley

NCADP's Affiliates in North Carolina have asked for our assistance in reaching out to you to ask you take a few minutes today to help them pass the NC Racial Justice Act, a bill that would provide a remedy for death sentences that are proven to be the product of racial bias.

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 December 2009 16:37 Read more...

UPDATE: New Hearing for Troy Davis

Monday, 17 August 2009 11:59 Anna Shockley

Troy Davis case treads new legal ground --------------------------- Click here for a pdf of the court order

A federal judge in Savannah has directed parties in the Troy Davis death-penalty case to give him their positions as to whether a “free-standing actual innocence claim” is recognized by the U.S. Constitution.

Read the article at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Last Updated on Friday, 28 August 2009 03:32 Read more...

ILLINOIS HAS ABOLISHED THE DEATH PENALTY

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 14:02 Anna Shockley

Today, Wednesday, March 9, Governor Pat Quinn signed the bill abolishing the death penalty in Illinois and commuted the sentences of 15 death row inmates to life without parole. Click here to read the article in the Chicago Tribune.

Please use the links on Amnesty International's blog to thank Governor Quinn and two of the bill's champions, Illinois State Senator Kwame Raoul and State Representative Karen Yarbrough, for their work.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 09 March 2011 14:22

Virginia Likely to Make More Eligible for Death Penalty

Friday, 01 January 2010 10:37 WJLA

This article, published by WJLA News on Jan. 1 and reprinted on Rick Halperin's Death Penalty and Execution News page at SMU, lists many of the recent developments involving the death penalty in the U.S.

Last Updated on Friday, 01 January 2010 11:01 Read more...

Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Prevention Act

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 07:13 Anna Shockley

Last week on 7/20/09 the U.S. Senate passed the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, with an amendment making hate crimes punishable by death. Below please find the statement of the President of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, of which NCADP is an active member. Please share the statement with your friends, family and associates, and ask them to contact their members of congress (House and Senate) to urge them to remove the death penalty provision when it goes to conference.

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 December 2009 16:31 Read more...

Cameron Todd Willingham - Innocent and Executed

Thursday, 01 October 2009 16:12 NCADP, CNN

DALLAS, Texas (CNN) -- An investigation into claims that faulty evidence led Texas to execute an innocent man in 2004 was at a "crucial point" when the state's governor replaced three of its members this week, one of the three said Thursday.

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 December 2009 19:19

Racial Justice Act Passes in NC

Thursday, 06 August 2009 20:23 PFADP

Passage of Racial Justice Act "A Great Spiritual Victory" Say Supporters

With the passage of the NC Racial Justice Act by the NC Senate yesterday by a vote of 25-18 the State of North Carolina stepped up to lead the South away from the worst of its racist past. The bill allows for court reviews over capital defendants' claims that racial bias influenced their cases. Gov. Bev Perdue is expected to sign the bill into law soon.