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Upcoming Events Announcements Take Action Today! Calendar
The State of Texas is scheduled to carry out four executions this month:
On October 10, Jonathan Marcus Green is scheduled to be put to death for the 2000 murder of 12-year-old Christina LeAnn Neal in Montgomery County. In 2010, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted him a last-minute stay of execution in order to further consider the question of his mental competence to be executed. Green reportedly suffers from schizophrenia for which he receives no medication.
The State of Texas is scheduled to execute Anthony Haynes on October 18 for the 1998 shooting of off-duty police officer Kent Kincaid in Houston. Read more about the case and take action through Amnesty International USA.
On October 24, Bobby Hines is scheduled to be put to death for the 1991 murder of Michelle Wendy Haupt in Dallas. Earlier this year, prosecutors withdrew an execution date for Hines pending the outcome of DNA testing. In September, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office reported that the tests confirmed Hines’ guilt. Read more.
Donnie Lee Roberts, Jr. is scheduled to be executed on October 31 for the 2003 murder of 44-year-old Vicki Bowen at her home near Lake Livingston in East Texas.
Respond to scheduled executions by learning about current clemency campaigns or attending vigils being hosted in your community: https://tcadp.org/get-involved/stop-executions/
Louisiana Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA!
On Friday, September 28, 2012, Damon Thibodeaux became the 18th death row inmate to be proven innocent by DNA and the 300th person overall to be exonerated by DNA evidence in the United States. Thibodeaux served 15 years in solitary confinement on death row in Angola, Louisiana. A Jefferson Parish judge overturned his conviction for the 1997 murder of his 14-year-old step-cousin, Crystal Champagne. Since 1973, 141 people (including 12 in Texas) have been released from death rows nationwide due to evidence of their wrongful conviction. Learn more from the Innocence Project.
October 12: Faithful Considerations: A Discussion with Sr. Helen Prejean and Austin Faith Leaders
On Friday, October 12 at 7 PM at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Sister Helen Prejean will join Rev. John Elford of University United Methodist Church and Rev. Nestor Menjivar of Iglesia Bautista Principe de Paz of Austin for an in-depth conversation about faith and the death penalty. RSVP today for your free tickets, and download a flier for sharing and posting!
On Friday, October 12 at 7 PM at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Sister Helen Prejean will join Rev. John Elford of University United Methodist Church and Rev. Nestor Menjivar of Iglesia Bautista Principe de Paz of Austin for an in-depth conversation about faith and the death penalty. RSVP today for your free tickets, and download a flier for sharing and posting!
October 10: World Day Against the Death Penalty
The Houston Chapter of TCADP, along with the Houston Peace and Justice Center, Pax Christi Houston, Amnesty International Group 23, the ACLU of Texas and other organizations will observe World Day Against the Death Penalty by holding a press conference and two-hour vigil in front of the Harris County Courthouse starting at 11 am. Featured speakers include Anthony Graves and Dr. Linda White. Contact Dave Atwood at dpatwood@igc.org for more information.
October 25: Garden Party in Fort Worth
On Thursday, October 25, 2012, Gayland Pool and Katie Sherrod will host visitors for wine, cheese, and inspiring company in their renowned Chapel Garden, a forested treasure located minutes from downtown Ft. Worth. Featured speakers, including State Representative Lon Burnam and TCADP Executive Director Kristin Houlé, will present recent developments in the movement to end the use of the death penalty. Proceeds from this event will support TCADP’s statewide outreach and educational programs. RSVP today!
October 27-28: Texas Book Festival to Feature Memoir by Damien Echols
Known as one of the “West Memphis Three,” Damien Echols spent 18 years on death row in Arkansas for a crime he didn’t commit. Released last August as part of an Alford Plea, Damien has now written a memoir, Life After Death, which was released last month. He will participate in the Texas Book Festival at the State Capitol in Austin on October 27 and 28. Stay tuned for more details!
Call for Annual Award Nominations!
The TCADP Board of Directors is seeking nominations for the annual courage, appreciation, and media awards, which will be presented at the 2013 Annual Conference on February 23, 2013 in Austin. Please nominate worthy individuals and organizations that have made significant and selfless contributions to abolishing the death penalty in Texas. Nominations will be accepted until October 15, 2012.
Who Do You Know in California?
Next month, voters in California will have an opportunity to replace the death penalty in their state! Proposition 34, the SAFE California Act (“Savings, Accountability, Full Enforcement”), will replace California’s death penalty with a sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole as the maximum punishment for murder. Please tell everyone you know about Proposition 34 and encourage them to vote yes! More information is available at http://www.safecalifornia.org/.
October
2: The ACLU of Texas and The Progressive Forum present Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, 7:30 PM, Wortham Center, Cullen Theater, Houston. More information.
2: Free Film Screening, “Dead Man Walking”, St. Edward’s University 7:00pm, Jones Auditorium. Parking available in the Parking Garage and adjacent visitor lot.
4: Screening of “At the Death House Door” and discussion, 7 PM; St. John’s United Methodist Church, Austin
7: Odessa Chapter Meeting, 4:00 PM; TCADP booth at Fiesta Latinoamericana! in Dallas
10: World Day Against the Death Penalty; Houston Press Conference and Vigil; Scheduled execution of Jonathan Green
11: Presentation by Sister Helen Prejean at University of Texas-Austin Law Capital Punishment Center, Eidman Courtroom at 2:00 p.m. More information.
12: “Faithful Considerations: A Discussion with Sr. Helen Prejean and Austin Faith Leaders,” 7 PM, St. Edward’s University, Austin
15: El Paso chapter meeting, 7:00 PM
18: Scheduled execution of Anthony Haynes
24: Scheduled execution of Bobby Hines
25: TCADP Fort Worth Garden Party
26-27: TCADP booth at the University of Dallas Ministry Conference
27-28: Damien Echols, one of the “West Memphis Three,” appearance at the Texas Book Festival in Austin
28: TCADP presentation to the San Antonio Friends Meeting
31: Scheduled execution of Donnie Roberts
For more information about these events or to volunteer to staff a table at an outreach event, email info@tcadp.org.
Support all of the programs and initiatives described here with a generous donation to TCADP today!
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