Executions
The State of Texas is scheduled to carry out two executions this month:
- Robert Garza is scheduled to be executed on September 19, 2013. He was convicted under the Law of Parties of the September 4, 2002 murders of María de la Luz Bazaldúa Cobarrubias, Danitzene Lizeth Vázquez Beltrán, Celina Linares Sánchez and Lourdes Yesenia Araujo Torres in Donna, Texas (Hidalgo County). Recently, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights accepted a petition alleging serious human rights issues in his case. Please contact the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to urge clemency for Robert Garza (#999466): (512) 406-5852 is the number for the General Counsel’s Office.
- Arturo Diaz is scheduled to be executed on September 26, 2013 for the 1999 murder of Michael Ryan Nichols during a robbery at a McAllen apartment (also Hidalgo County). Read more about his case from KRGV.com.
TCADP encourages all members to attend a vigil in your community on the evening of executions. Information and updates on these cases will be available on our website and through Facebook and Twitter.
Announcements & Invitations
Apply for the TCADP Lobby Corps
The TCADP Board of Directors recently met to review and update the 2013-2015 TCADP Strategic Plan. As part of that process, board members designated five priority initiatives for the organization over the next 18 months. The expansion and development of the TCADP Lobby Corps is one such priority initiative. Join this group of specially trained advocates in advancing TCADP’s legislative goals during the interim session and at the State Capitol in 2015. Apply online by September 16, 2013. More information is available here.
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 2014 Annual Conference on February 22, 2014 in Fort Worth. Please nominate worthy individuals and/or organizations that have made significant and selfless contributions to abolishing the death penalty in Texas. Nominations will be accepted until October 15, 2013.
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 9: Listen to the extraordinary Sister Helen Prejean at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Lewisville, Texas, 7 PM. Worship Center, 1897 West Main Street, Lewisville, TX. www.stphilipcc.org
Wednesday, September 11: Join us for our *new* Austin Lunch Series
12-1 PM, The Egg & I Restaurant, 2525 W. Anderson Lane, Austin TX 78757
Meet other supporters in the area and hear from special guest speaker Dr. Marilyn Armour, Professor at The University of Texas at Austin and Director of The Institute for Restorative Justice and Restorative Dialogue. RSVP now!
Monday, September 16: Meet State Representative Joe Moody at the monthly meeting of El Pasoans Against the Death Penalty, 7 PM in the Juan Diego Room, St. Pius X Church, 1050 N Clark Dr., El Paso 79905. Rep. Moody represents District 78 and serves on the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. Contact elpaso@tcadp.org.
Monday, September 23- Wednesday, September 25: Meet Me in the Metroplex
Mingle with TCADP supporters in your area and meet Executive Director Kristin Houlé as she visits the Metroplex from September 23-26, 2013. Kristin will share information about TCADP’s priority initiatives in the coming year and discuss recent death penalty developments. She’ll also preview the TCADP 2014 Annual Conference, which is taking place next February in Fort Worth (our first conference in Cowtown). We hope to see you at one of these gatherings!
- Monday, September 23, 6-7:30 PM, Tarrant County Meet & Greet, Fort Worth, Texas
- Tuesday, September 24, 12-1 PM, Dallas County Meet & Greet, Dallas, Texas
- Tuesday, September 24, 6:30-7:30 PM Collin County Meet & Greet, Suncreek United Methodist Church, 1517 W McDermott Dr Allen, TX 75013
- Wednesday, September 25, 7-9 PM, Denton County Meet & Greet, Home of Rev. Jeff Hood, Denton, Texas 76209
RSVP for one (or all!) of these gatherings.
September 25: National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims
Please set aside some time on this day to honor and memorialize the lives of loved ones taken by murder/homicide. The National Day of Remembrance was established as a result of unanimous resolutions by the U.S. Senate on October 16, 2007 (S. Res. 326), and the U.S. House of Representatives on May 14, 2007 (H. Res. 223).
Thursday, September 26: Join us in Houston for our new FAIR & JUST Lunch Series
12:30-1:30pm in the community room at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 2140 Westheimer Road, Houston 77098. Meet other supporters in the area and hear from special guest speaker Kathryn Kase, the Executive Director of Texas Defender Service. Kathryn will provide an update on the case of Duane Buck and other recent death penalty developments in Texas. Order lunch through TCADP or bring your own. RSVP now!
[San Antonio – we haven’t forgotten you! Please bear with us as we work to find a date for your next gathering.]
In the News
Dozens of new laws related to the Texas criminal justice system went into effect on September 1, 2013. An editorial by the Dallas Morning News, “Transforming Texas’ criminal justice landscape,” cites several specific reforms aimed at preventing miscarriages of justice and promoting alternatives to incarceration. Read it now.
TCADP 2013 Membership Drive!
Want to help TCADP do even more to raise awareness of the flaws and failures of the death penalty? Support our work with a generous donation today! Consider a recurring gift through our Sustaining Member or Partners for Justice programs. All donations to TCADP are tax-deductible.
Learn more about the benefits of TCADP membership.
Support all of the programs and initiatives described here with a generous donation to TCADP today!