2009 U.S. Executions Texas 24 Alabama 6 Ohio 5 Georgia 3 Oklahoma 3 Virginia 3 Florida 2 South Carolina 2 Tennessee 2 Montana 1 TEXASCOALITIONTOA BOLISHTHEDEATHPENALTY Indiana 1 WORKINGTHROUGHEDUC ATIONANDACTION W I N T E R 2 0 1 0 Total 52 Inside This Issue: TCADP Annual Award Winners Announced From the 2 We are delighted to announce the recipients of TCADP's Annual Awards. The Executive Director awards will be presented during the 2010 TCADP Annual Conference: "Seizing the Momentum: Building Capacity, Community, and Coalition" to be held at Highland Park Annual Report 3 United Methodist Church, Saturday, February 20, 2010, in Dallas, TX. Speaker’s Tour 4 Look for more information about the conference on the color insert in this newsletter and Annual Conference insert on the TCADP website (www.tcadp.org) and join us in celebrating this year's winners: Chapter News/ 5-6 Courage Award - Judge Charlie Baird Calendar Judge Charlie Baird has demonstrated a constant and courageous opposition to the death penalty; he consistently worked for justice while serving on the Texas Court of Thank You! 7 Criminal Appeals (1990-1998). Registration Form 8 Courage Award - Father Mark Miller and the TCADP Odessa Chapter Father Mark Miller, Rev. Gene Collins, Rev. David Mossbarger, and Rev. Roy Gentry have demonstrated great courage in establishing a new TCADP chapter in Odessa. Impending Media Award - David Grann, Staff Writer, The New Yorker David Grann's in-depth investigation of the Cameron Todd Willingham case and subse- Executions quent article - "Trial by Fire: Did Texas Execute an Innocent Man?" explored the case in Impending Executions its entirety and debunked all of the evidence used to convict/sentence Willingham to Please note that dates are tentative. September death. 9/05 Tony Roach #404 9/13January Joseph Lave #405 9/20 Clifford Kimmel #406 Appreciation Award - Ron Carlson 9/25 Michael Richards #407 9/277 Carlton Turner #408 Kenneth Mosley Ron Carlson is being recognized for his work with TCADP during the 81st Legislative October 10/3 Heliberto Chi #409 Session. His testimony from the perspective of a murder victims' family member was January12 2008 Gary Johnson particularly compelling to legislators. 1/24 Denard Manns #410 PleaseFebruary note that the numbers are for Texas Executions since 1982 and subject to change. Appreciation Award - Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin 24 Hank Skinner For more than 10 years, the Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin has demonstrated its unwavering support for TCADP by providing, without charge, facilities for the coalition March to hold its quarterly board meetings, as well as many Austin Chapter meetings, and vari- ous other training sessions. 2 Michael Sigala 11 Joshua Maxwell Make plans now to join us at the annual meeting in Dallas! Conference registration and hotel reservations are available online through the TCADP website! (Hotel savings 30 Franklin Alix end January 29, and the early conference registration deadline is February 1.) Execution Vigils: Information on exhibiting at the conference and advertising in the conference program is http://www.tcadp.org/ also available through the TCADP office, [email protected], (512) 441-1808, or at index.php?page=vigils www.tcadp.org under the “Conference” button. From the Executive Director Page 2, Winter 2010 Dear TCADP Members and Supporters, I hope you all enjoyed a safe and happy holiday season. We at TCADP are rejuvenated and ready to get to work! I look forward to seeing many of you at the TCADP 2010 Annual Conference, which will take place February 20, 2010 in Dallas. This year’s conference will feature a panel discussion, during which four Texans will share their unique experiences with the death penalty issue. In the afternoon, participants will choose from among an array of workshops aimed at providing the tools and skills necessary for advancing TCADP’s strategic plan at the local level. See the insert for more details and register today! (A registration form can be found on the back page of the newsletter.) In keeping with the theme of our conference – Seizing the Momentum: Building Capacity, Community, and Coalition – TCADP is developing several exciting new programs and initiatives, including five regional trainings aimed at cultivating local leaders and engaging members more closely in the organization’s activities. We will announce the dates and loca- tions of these trainings as details become available – check the website or call the office for updates! We also will be continuing our important work of reaching out to key constituencies, including faith communities, law en- forcement, and murder victim’s family members. At the annual conference and during the regional trainings you’ll have the opportunity to meet Alonzo Peterson, the new Texas/National Organizer for Murder Victims’ Families for Reconcilia- tion. Welcome Alonzo! Read more about this savvy and experienced organizer on page 6. Just days before the conference, on February 17, we will mark the anniversary of the 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham. The Willingham case has raised serious questions about the reliability and fairness of our state’s death pen- alty system – and about the forensic science that has been used to convict thousands of people in Texas. As you know, the Texas Forensic Science Commission’s inquiry into the Willingham case was significantly derailed this fall, when Governor Rick Perry abruptly replaced several commission members, including the chair, shortly before their scheduled meeting. On November 10, 2009, the new chair of the commission, Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley, testified before a special hearing of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee. He told state legislators that the commission must develop new rules before it can proceed with its work. Bradley reportedly plans to convene a meeting in January. He has declined to speculate on how long the rule-making process might take, however, and it re- mains unclear as to when the commission’s investigation of the Willingham case will resume. We cannot allow our concerns about the case of Willingham and so many others to be swept under the rug! TCADP encourages all Texans to take action on the anniversary of Willingham’s execution. Please contact your state legislators that day to express your concerns about the flaws and failures of the death penalty – including its intolerable and irre- versible risk of error. More ideas for action and talking points will be available later this month at www.tcadp.org. SEEKING JUSTICE IN TEXAS 2010 promises to be another significant year in the devel- opment of our organization and in the progress of our Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty movement. We look forward to working with all of you as 2709 S. Lamar, Blvd, Suite 109 Austin, TX 78704 we continue to build on our accomplishments and seize the momentum for abolition! (512) 441-1808, www.tcadp.org In solidarity, Newsletter Editor: Vicki McCuistion, [email protected] Issue #28, Winter 2010 (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) Contributors: Kristin Houlé, Vicki McCuistion, David Atwood, Sylvia Garza Check out the TCADP website! Send your name, address, and phone number with your www.tcadp.org annual membership dues to the TCADP office to receive Would you like to receive TCADP email alerts? quarterly newsletters. All donations are tax-deductible. Look for the “Subscribe” button on the TCADP Thank you! If you are already a member and would like to home page, www.tcadp.org. receive the TCADP newsletter via email, send your name and email address to [email protected]. Texas Death Penalty Developments in 2009: The Year in Review Page 3, Winter 2010 On December 7, 2009 level, however, as prose- Texas juries TCADP held a press con- cutors and juries increas- condemned New Death Sentences ference at the State Capi- ingly accept the alternative nine new indi- tol to release its annual punishment of life in prison viduals to death 28 30 report on death penalty without the possibility of in 2009. This 24 developments in Texas. parole (LWOP) as a reli- represents the 20 14 Published in conjunction able way to punish the lowest number of 11 14 12 with the anniversary of the guilty, protect society, and 9 new death sen- 10 resumption of executions guard against convicting tences since the in Texas in 1982, the re- and executing innocent U.S. Supreme 0 port informs citizens and people. New death sen- Court upheld elected officials about tences have declined 60% Texas’ revised 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 events and issues related in the past six years in death penalty to capital punishment in Texas. statute in 1976. curred in 2009 and included the past year. It presents Unease surrounding the For the second consecu- two Texas cases: Michael information on executions, likely wrongful execution of tive year, Harris County Toney and Robert Spring- stays, and new death sen- Cameron Todd Willingham did not condemn any steen. tences; exonerations; leg- and other evidence of fatal new defendants to death Seven inmates scheduled islative developments; and mistakes has led to waning (juries did return two in- for execution in 2009 re- other issues impacting the confidence in the reliability mates to death row). ceived last-minute stays criminal justice system in of the state’s criminal jus- While Harris County still due to mitigating factors, the nation’s most active tice system. Despite the accounts for a third of all new forensic evidence relat- death penalty state. This shifting death penalty land- Texas inmates awaiting ing to innocence, or the pos- is the third such annual scape in Texas, elected execution (106 of 332), it sibility of mental retardation report published by officials have not yet has sentenced just seven or mental illness.