Together with local, state, and national partners, TCADP works to reduce use of the death penalty in Texas and, ultimately, end this arbitrary, irreversible, and unfair punishment. Here’s a snapshot of our impact to date in 2023:
Hosted the TCADP 2023 Annual Conference: 25 Years of Igniting Change on February 25, 2023. It was our first in-person conference since 2020 and TCADP’s 25th consecutive annual gathering. More than 140 people, hailing from all corners of Texas, heard from keynote speaker, Anthony Graves, and from a panel of capital defense attorneys. During the conference, we honored six individuals who have made significant contributions towards efforts to end the death penalty in Texas.
Supported the legal teams for more than a dozen men on death row, including nine with execution dates this year. With the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Texas, we hosted a petition in support of clemency for Andre Thomas, a man with severe mental illness who faced execution on April 5, 2023. Thankfully, a judge withdrew that date to give his legal team time to investigate and prepare a threshold showing that Thomas is mentally incompetent for execution. TCADP also hosted Anatomy of a Wrongful Conviction: The Case of Charles Don Flores to bring attention to the plight of a man who has spent more than 20 years on death row for a crime he maintains he did not commit.
Delivered our latest report on the death penalty to every legislative office at the State Capitol and worked with Lobby Corps members to communicate support for abolishing the death penalty in Texas to state lawmakers during the 88th Texas Legislature.
Participated in multiple community events in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, including Martin Luther King Day, Jr. activities, Juneteenth, and the Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice. TCADP also continues to host a virtual book group and support events sponsored by our Organizational Affiliates.