Tag Archives: Capital punishment

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Duane Buck doesn’t deserve to die


Change.org

                                            I was a prosecutor in a case that used race-based testimony to sentence Duane Buck to death. Now, I’m calling for the state of Texas to spare his life and grant him a fair sentence.                                          

                                                                                                                                              —

In 1997, I was one of the prosecutors in a court case that used race-based testimony to sentence to death Duane Buck, who’s black.

At the time, I was an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County, Texas and Mr. Buck was being tried for murder. During the trial, an “expert” witness named Dr. Walter Quijano was permitted to testify that being black increases the likelihood of ‘future dangerousness’. That testimony in part led to the jury sentencing Mr. Buck to death.

Mr. Buck committed a terrible crime and deserves to be punished, but he does not deserve to be sentenced to death because of the color of his skin. That’s why I started a petition on Change.org calling on Harris County District Attorney Mike Anderson to allow Duane Buck a resentencing hearing so he can serve a sentence based on his crime and not his race. Click here to sign my petition now.

Three years after Mr. Buck’s trial, the Texas Attorney General actually promised that he’d get a new, fair sentencing hearing. This was along with six other men who were sentenced unfairly because of similar testimonies in their own trials. Those six other men have received their hearings, but not Mr. Buck.

I started my petition in the hopes that District Attorney Anderson will act to make sure that our justice system is not tainted by unconstitutional considerations of race — and that begins by having a new, color-blind sentencing hearing for Duane Buck. Please click here to sign my petition now, calling on District Attorney Mike Anderson to grant Duane Buck a resentencing hearing.

Thank you.

Linda Geffin Senior Assistant County Attorney Houston, Texas
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Speaker of the Ugandan parliament promises to pass …”kill the gays” bill

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Change.org
Uganda’s speaker of parliament has promised to pass a “Kill the Gays” bill in the next two weeks. Citibank and Barclays wield significant influence in Uganda, but have not spoken out against the bill.
Sign Collin’s Petition

The speaker of the Ugandan parliament has promised she will pass the so-called “Kill the Gays” bill in the next two weeks — she called it a “Christmas gift” for the Ugandan people. The bill would legalize the death penalty for LGBT people and people with HIV or AIDS.

Uganda experts say that one way to stop this bill is to get pressure from banks that have significant resources invested in the country, such as Citibank and Barclays.

Citibank and Barclays together have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Uganda and wield significant influence in the country, just as banking lobbyists wield influence with Congress in the US. Citibank and Barclays speaking out against the “Kill the Gays” bill might be the best — and only — chance to stop it.

Collin Burton is a Citibank customer who is also gay. Collin started a petition on Change.org asking Citibank and Barclays to speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill. Click here to sign Collin’s petition right now.

Citibank and Barclays are both big supporters of LGBT rights for their own employees, yet they invest money with a government that is threatening to execute LGBT people. “I expect Citibank and Barclays to live up to the values of equality and fairness, not just list them on their websites,” Collin says.

If Citibank and Barclays speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill, Ugandan legislators will see that they are risking the business relationships that keep their government afloat.

Click here to sign Collin’s petition asking Citibank and Barclays to issue strong statements condemning Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” bill. The bill could come up for a vote any day, so swift action is essential.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Mark Anthony and the Change.org team
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“Kill every last gay person” by Eden James, Change.org


Change.org
Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” bill has been re-introduced. Citibank and Barclays wield significant influence in the country, but have so far been silent. Tell the two banks to speak up now and help stop the terrifying bill from becoming law.
      Sign the Petition

Citibank and Barclays could save the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Uganda.

The Ugandan legislature could vote any day on a so-called “Kill the Gays” bill that could result in legalizing the death penalty for any LGBT person in the country. But Citibank and Barclays together have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Uganda and wield significant influence in the country, just as banking lobbyists wield influence with Congress in the US. If Citibank and Barclays speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill, Ugandan legislators will take notice in a hurry.

Collin Burton is a Citibank customer — he’s also gay. Collin started a petition on Change.org asking Citibank and Barclays to speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill. Click here to sign Collin’s petition right now.

Citibank and Barclays are both big supporters of LGBT rights for their own employees, yet they invest money with a government that is threatening to execute LGBT people. “I expect Citibank and Barclays to live up to the values of equality and fairness, not just list them on their websites,” Collin says.

If Citibank and Barclays speak out against the “Kill the Gays” bill, Ugandan legislators will see that they are risking the business relationships that keep their government afloat.

Click here to sign Collin’s petition asking Citibank and Barclays to issue strong statements condemning Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” bill. The bill could come up for a vote any day, so swift action is essential.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Eden and the Change.org team
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Never stop fighting for justice and WE WILL WIN …Ana Zamora, Death Penalty Focus


I write today with a heavy heart. Troy Davis was executed yesterday at 11:08 pm EST, by the state of Georgia. Last night, I was full of sorrow and grief for Mr. Davis, his family, the family of Officer Mark MacPhail, and our failed justice system.  This morning, I awake with a renewed sense of urgency and ready to channel this grief into action.

It has become utterly clear to me:  We must fight with everything we have, to end the death penalty.  The only way to ensure an innocent person is not executed is by erasing the death penalty as an option.  Mr. Davis, in his last day with us, understood this reality best:        WWW.deathpenalty.org

“There are so many more Troy Davis’. This fight to end the death penalty is not won or lost through me but through our strength to move forward and save every innocent person in captivity around the globe. We need to dismantle this unjust system city by city, state by state and country by country…Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win!”

Today, while I grieve the loss of Mr. Davis, I also make the following promise: I, Ana Zamora, promise to fight to end the death penalty one state at a time.

In memory of Troy Davis and in the spirit of justice, will you join me? CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE PLEDGE.   WWW.deathpenalty.org

This will, by no means, be an easy task and we will need the support of many. We have already been successful in New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Illinois.  These successes, coupled with our powerful show of unity and strength for Mr. Davis, makes me confident that we will continue to succeed in ending the death penalty.

Thank you,
Ana Zamora

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Too much doubt to execute Troy Davis …Rashad Robinson, ColorOfChange.org


The state of Georgia will execute Troy Davis on September 21 despite powerful doubts about his guilt.Please read on to learn how you can help stop this injustice.

The state of Georgia plans to execute Troy Davis this Wednesday, September 21 despite major doubts about his guilt.Killing a man who may be innocent is not justice, and more than 92,000 ColorOfChange members have spoken up to say so. But to save Troy, as many people as possible need to speak out.

The fact is, no physical evidence connected Davis to the murder. Seven of the original nine witnesses have recanted, with many saying their testimony was a result of law enforcement pressure. Of the remaining witnesses, one is highly suspect and the other could be the actual culprit in the officer’s murder.

No one should be executed when so much doubt remains about his guilt.  You can help us stop Troy Davis’ execution in five ways:

  1. Sign the petition asking Chatham County District Attorney Larry Chisolm to oppose Troy’s execution: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/chisolm
  2. Send a message to the Georgia Board of Pardons and Parole asking them to spare Troy’s life: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/troy
  3. Help us tell Troy’s story to thousands of Georgia residents by making a contribution to the effort to buy ads in Georgia media: https://act.colorofchange.org/donate/troydavis
  4. Write a letter to the editor of local and national newspapers: http://action.firedoglake.com/page/speakout/troydavis
  5. Spread the word to others. Forward this email to your friends and family, and share the links to the petition and donation pages on Facebook and Twitter.

Since Troy Davis’ 1991 conviction, numerous facts have emerged that introduce significant doubt as to his guilt. These facts include:

  • All but two of the original witnesses against Troy Davis have signed affidavits recanting their earlier testimony. Most claim that their testimony was coerced by police officers.1
  • Multiple witnesses say that another man — one of the original witnesses against Davis — has claimed to have slain the fallen officer.2
  • The weapon used in the murder was never found. The only physical evidence connecting Davis to the crime was circumstantial — and new testimony disputes Davis’s connection to that evidence.3

In light of this evidence, the Supreme Court granted Davis another chance. But instead of an actual new trial before a jury, which would mean the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is on the prosecutor, he got an evidentiary hearing before a single federal judge where Davis’ lawyers had the burden to meet an impossibly high and undefined legal standard.

Under these difficult circumstances, the judge rejected the new evidence and cleared the way for Troy’s execution. But even he acknowledged lingering doubt, noting that the case against Davis was not “ironclad.”

But “ironclad” is exactly what the evidence should be in order to put someone to death. When the case isn’t ironclad, the process is prone to human error, and innocent people may die. That’s what evidence suggests happened to Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texas man who was executed after being convicted of setting the fire that killed his children. A new review of the case used to convict him shows that Willingham was killed even though there’s no evidence he set the fire. But now it’s too late to do anything about it.4

It will take all of our combined efforts to make sure Troy Davis isn’t the next Cameron Willingham. Please join me and my friends at ColorOfChange.org in asking Georgia officials to save Troy Davis’ life by commuting his sentence to life in prison. And when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Thanks and Peace,

— Rashad, James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Matt, Natasha and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
September 17th, 2011

Help support our work.ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU–your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don’t share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

http://www.colorofchange.org/donate

References:

1. “Troy Davis – Finality over Fairness,” Amnesty International USA
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/970?akid=2228.1174326.Cllb_a&t=7

2. See Reference 1

3. See Reference 1

4. “The Haunting of Rick Perry,” The New York Times, 6-23-2011
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/958?akid=2228.1174326.Cllb_a&t=9