In This Edition:
Scheduled Executions
Upcoming Events
Recent News
New Resources
In Memory
Calendar
Scheduled Executions
March 7: Keith Thurmond
March 28: Jesse Hernandez
Respond to each execution by attending a vigil in your community. Learn more at https://tcadp.org/get-involved/stop-executions/
Upcoming Events
Film Showing: “Dominique’s Story: Thou Shalt Not Kill”
As part of Death Penalty Action Weeks, Amnesty International and TCADP will be screening “Dominique’s Story: Thou Shalt Not Kill” with David Atwood to speak at the Houston Mennonite Church, 1231 Wirt Road, March 11, 7:00 – 9:00pm. Call 281-933-4925. More info.
UT School of Law Symposium: Lynching and the Death Penalty, March 23 – 24
The symposium will focus on the historical link between lynching and the death penalty, their similarities and differences, and the enduring role of lynching and race discrimination in contemporary capital litigation.
Keynote address by Bryan Stevenson: Lynching, Racial History and Death Penalty Disqualification
Symposium Information:
Symposium registration and general contact:
The conference is free, but space is limited. To register for the conference and for additional information, contact Rachel Sidopulos, Center Administrator, William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, at rsidopulos@law.utexas.edu, (512) 232-6277 (phone).
El Paso Death Penalty Community Activist Training
WHEN: Saturday, March 24, 2012 from 10am-2pm (FREE LUNCH!)
WHERE: Guadalupe Room in the Ministry Center of St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1050 N Clark, El Paso, TX Map: http://www.stpiusxelpaso.org/?action=contact
WHO: This training is open to everyone, whether you are a seasoned death penalty activist or new to the movement.
WHY: To take EPADP to the next level and develop an action plan for El Paso!
WHAT: We will provide training on effective messaging and give an overview of last year’s accomplishments and recent death penalty developments. We also will lead small group strategy sessions on grassroots membership recruitment and identifying grasstops leaders in El Paso and will work with you to develop actions plans in the areas of civic and religious outreach.
HOW MUCH? FREE
RSVP: RSVP and More Info.
Questions to info@tcadp.org or call 512-441-1808
Recent News
Forensic Experts Set to Testify in Larry Swearingen Hearing
The case of Larry Swearingen is back in court for an evidentiary hearing ordered last year by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The court granted Swearingen a stay of execution on July 28, 2011. He was convicted of the 1998 kidnapping and murder of Montgomery Community College student Melissa Trotter. Swearingen’s attorneys have sought a full hearing on forensic evidence that might demonstrate that their client was in jail on an unrelated charge at the time that Trotter was killed. Read more.
Dallas County District Attorney Reveals Personal Connection to Death Penalty Issue
Last week, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins revealed that his great-grandfather, Richard Johnson, had been executed by the State of Texas in 1932. Watkins provided this information during a press conference to announce the official exoneration of Richard Miles, who spent 15 years in prison for a murder and attempted murder he didn’t commit. In an interview with the Associated Press, the district attorney also called for more reforms to the criminal justice system and “called on state lawmakers to review death penalty procedures to ensure the punishment is fairly administered.” Read more from CBS News.
TCADP 2012 Annual Conference: Seizing the Momentum… Creating the Climate for Change
Saturday, February 18, 2012, University of the Incarnate Word Sky Room, San Antonio, Texas
The TCADP conference was a great success with over 120 participants from around the state. A Big thank you goes out to all the TCADP members and supporters who came out, the many volunteers who assisted with the planning, the speakers and workshop presenters who shared their expertise with us, and the award winners who inspired us to keep on fighting!
See some of the photos from the awards ceremony and workshops. Pictured: opening panel discussion on the changing demographics of Texas and the impact on the Texas death penalty
All of the conference information, including award winners, is available online at https://tcadp.org/what-we-do/annual-conference/.
New Resources
Bring “Incendiary” to a Theater Near You!
Since December, TCADP and community partners have hosted three screenings of the film “Incendiary” in Cedar Park, Houston, and Plano in collaboration with Tugg, Inc., an exciting new organization that works to bring important films to mainstream movie theaters by letting audiences determine what they want to see. Read more about how Tugg works, and contact Kristin at khoule@tcadp.org to learn how you can organize a screening in your community!
TCADP is on Twitter!
Become a follower and receive current news and developments on the Texas death penalty. Help us spread the word about ending the death penalty in Texas!
In Memory
TCADP mourns the loss of Sean McGuire, who passed away last Monday, February 23, 2012 after a brief illness. Sean served as the Pastoral Associate for St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church in Austin, which is a long-time organizational member of TCADP, and was responsible for coordinating the parish’s various ministry programs. We worked with Sean on numerous events, including a day-long workshop in 2007, “Witness and Action: Faith Communities Respond to the Death Penalty in Texas” and an Austin strategy meeting for lay and religious leaders that took place this past December. We express our condolences to his family and the community at St. Ignatius.
Calendar
March
1 International Death Penalty Abolition Day
3 Amnesty International Texas State Meeting, with presentations from TCADP members Rick Halperin, Rich Woodward, and Lauren Zielinski. College Station, More info.
4 Odessa Chapter Meeting, 4:00pm, odessa@tcadp.org
7 Scheduled Execution: Keith Thurmond
7 Raymond Bonner, author of Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong will speak and sign books at Bookpeople, Austin, 7:00pm Read more.
11 Film Showing: “Dominique’s Story: Thou Shalt Not Kill” w/David Atwood to speak at the Houston Mennonite Church, 1231 Wirt Road, 7:00 – 9:00pm. Call 281-933-4925. More info.
19 El Paso Chapter Meeting, 7:00pm, elpaso@tcadp.org
21 Dallas Chapter Meeting, 7:00pm, dallas@tcadp.org
23-24 Pax Christi Texas Conference, San Antonio
23-24 UT School of Law Symposium: Lynching and the Death Penalty More info.
24 El Paso Death Penalty Community Activist Training, 10:00 – 2:00 RSVP and More Info.
31 Civil Rights Conference, Houston Community College, Wes Loop Campus More info.
April
Juan Melendez Speaking Tour, San Antonio, Dates and locations TBA
For more information about these events or to volunteer, email info@tcadp.org.
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