In August, two of our longest-serving and most dedicated board members left to travel, spend time with family and friends, and simply relax and enjoy
Death Penalty Focus is partnering with CharityBuzz to bring you two new charity auctions–your chance to meet Mike Farreell and Noah Wyle, all while supporting
Death Penalty Focus is partnering with CharityBuzz to bring you two new charity auctions–your chance to meet Mike Farreell and Noah Wyle, all while supporting
On September 29, the United States voted against a United Nations resolution that condemns the death penalty as a sentence for those found guilty of
Duane Buck was sentenced to life in prison last week, 20 years after he was first sentenced to death. In a plea deal, the 54-year-old
The death penalty “is inextricably linked to poverty. Social and economic inequalities affect access to justice for those who are sentenced to death for several
“This is a horrible collection of half-truths, and misleading information. It is shameful.” The “horrible collection of half-truths” that Dale Recinella, a Catholic chaplain on
In Texas, 38-year-old Robert Pruett was executed last night, convicted of murdering a prison guard in 1999. He had been in prison since he was
In “Fighting an Oncoming Train,” in the September 29th issue of “Slate,” Susannah Sheffer, a clinical mental health counselor and researcher, reveals what she learned
In Alabama on Thursday, the state Senate voted 26-3 to approve a bill already passed by the House that supporters say will trim years off the appeals process in death penalty cases. AL.com reports that the bill, known as the “Fair Justice Act,” “streamlines” the appeals process by requiring death row inmates to exercise their two appeals concurrently instead of consecutively, with appellate teams working simultaneously on behalf of the
In Philadelphia on Tuesday, a civil rights lawyer, who is opposed to the death penalty, has never worked as a prosecutor, and has defended Black Lives matter and Occupy Philadelphia protestors, won the Democratic primary for district attorney. The Associated Press reports that Larry Krasner said his victory was about “a vision of a criminal justice system that works for everyone.” In Georgia on Wednesday, J.W. Ledford, Jr. was executed
Last year, the editors of the Southwestern Law Review asked Stephen Rohde, a constitutional lawyer and DPF board chair, if he was interested in writing an article for an upcoming issue dedicated entirely to capital punishment. “I told them I’d like to write about my personal journey regarding the death penalty, and they were very open to that,” Rohde says. “It’s rare to have a law review article written in
While the state of Arkansas continues with its plans to execute Kenneth Williams by lethal injection tonight, his lawyers are trying to obtain a stay by arguing that they have “new and compelling evidence” that because of his medical problems, to execute him would cause “unconstitutional pain and suffering.” Williams suffers from organic brain damage, lupus, and has the sickle cell trait. His lawyers say the complaint they filed today
This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Los Angeles riots. It also marks the 25th anniversary of the resumption of executions in California after the U.S. Supreme Court “unabolished” the practice. The proximity of the two events was coincidental, at least at first glance. But 25 years later, the forces that led to the street violence following the Rodney King verdicts and to the upswell of public support for
Guardian reporter Jacob Rosenberg was one of the witnesses to the execution of Marcel Williams, who was the second man put to death by the state of Arkansas last night. His report is chilling. He describes Williams lying on a gurney with his head “locked in place,” lying on his side, facing the witnesses. It isn’t easy to read, and you will feel slightly sick inside knowing that this is
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe earlier today commuted the death sentence of Ivan Teleguz, who was scheduled to be executed this Tuesday. There was no physical evidence, and questionable witness testimony, of Teleguz’s guilt in the death of his ex-girlfriend in 2001. McAuliffe commuted the 38-year-old Teleguz’s sentence to life without parole. WHSV reported that McAuliffe said at a news conference,”Because the sentencing phase of Mr. Teleguz’s trial was flawed, I
Two Arkansas death row inmates, Bruce Ward and Don Davis, will not be executed tonight. The Arkansas Supreme Court this afternoon granted stays of executions for the two inmates by a vote of 4-3. The Arkansas Times reports that lawyers for the men asked the high court for the stay while the U.S. Supreme Court takes up a separate case next week concerning access to independent mental health experts by
Beginning the day after Easter, and continuing over the next 11 days, the state plans to kill seven men, four of whom are black, three white.
