Category Archives: news

In Honor of Troy Davis…

Written on September 23, 2011 by in news

 

Friends,

 

The people of Kansas are outraged about the execution of Troy Davis this week in Georgia, and as a result a number of vigils and action meetings are taking place around the state in the coming days.  Please take a look and see what is coming near you.

 

If you are planning something, let us know at:  infoatksabolitiondotorg or 785-235-2237 and we can add it to our list and alert our membership as well as provide materials about the death penalty in Kansas.

 

WICHITA:

  • “Wichita is Troy Davis” Action Meeting

Wichita Public Library, Central Branch

223 South Main–Board Room (3rd Floor)

Thursday, September 29 from 5:30pm-6:30pm

LAWRENCE:

 

  • “Lawrence is Troy Davis” Action Meeting

Lawrence Public Library

707 Vermont Street

Monday, October 3rd at 5:30pm-6:30pm

EMPORIA:

  • “Emporia is Troy Davis” Action Meeting

Wheat State Pizza–balcony

1120 Commercial

Thursday, September 29th from 5:30-6:30pm

TOPEKA:

  •  ”Topeka is Troy Davis” Action Meeting

Topeka Center for Peace & Justice

in the Christian Church in Kansas building

2914 MacVicar (overflow parking at next door law offices)

Thursday, September 29th from 7:00-8:00pm

KANSAS CITY:

  • “Kansas City is Troy Davis” Action Meeting

Antioch Public Library

8700 Shawnee Mission Pkwy., Merriam, KS

Tuesday, October 4th from 5:30-6:30pm

 

  • “Kansas City is Troy Davis” Action Meeting

Kansas City Kansas Public Library
625 Minnesota
Thursday, October 6th from 5:30-6:30pm

 

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Kansans Are Troy Davis

Written on September 23, 2011 by in featured, news, Updates

 

“…I ask my family and friends to continue to fight this fight…”

 

These words were among Troy Davis’ last; spoken moments before he was executed by the state of Georgia this week. He was executed despite substantial doubt about his guilt and public objections from persons across the political spectrum.

 

The death of Troy Davis has left us feeling shocked, saddened, angry, and ignored. His execution is a tragic reminder of how flawed our death penalty system is. Troy Davis was not the first to be executed with strong evidence of innocence. He will not be the last unless change happens. Our criminal justice system makes mistakes, and when a life is on the line, there is no room for error.

 

Troy Davis is dead, but that doesn’t mean we should give up. It’s more important now than ever for us to keep fighting. In the coming days we invite you to join us at one of the “Kansans are Troy Davis” meetings. Watch your email and the website for further information on dates and locations.

Take action today to make sure that what happened to Troy Davis will never happen in Kansas. Help us replace the death penalty with life without parole. This change is the only way to ensure that the state of Kansas never executes an innocent person.

 

Here’s what YOU can do to make change happen:

 

1. Call, email or write your Kansas legislators to let them know you want them to replace the death penalty with life without parole in 2012. We’ve attached a sample message below.

 

Not sure who your legislators are? Find them here.

 

Sample letter to your legislator:
Dear Senator/Representative X:
“I am saddened and disappointed that Georgia carried out the execution of Troy Davis despite substantial doubt about his guilt. As long as we have the death penalty in Kansas, we run the risk of executing an innocent person. I urge you to make the replace the death penalty a priority in 2012. Life in prison without parole will serve justice and protect Kansans.”

 

Once you’ve contacted your legislator, please let us know by calling the Coalition at
785-235-2237 or emailing us at infoatksabolitiondotorg.

 

2. Speak up locally: write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Need some help? Please call us and we’ll help you put something together and get it submitted.

 

The moment for action is now.
Help us end the death penalty in Kansas.

 

“The struggle for justice doesn’t end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davises who came before me and all the ones who will come after me. I’m in good spirits and I’m prayerful and at peace.”

– Troy Davis

 

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UPDATE: West Memphis Three Freed!

Written on August 16, 2011 by in news

After learning about a surprise hearing in the case known as the “West Memphis Three,” Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelly, Jr., and Jason Baldwin were released from prison on Friday, August 19, 2011.  Misskelly and Baldwin were each serving life sentences while Echols was released from death row.

The release was made possible by a rare legal maneuver known as an “Alford Plea.”  With this plea, the defendants acknowledge that the state has enough evidence to convict while maintaining their own innocence.  Once the plea was entered, the West Memphis Three were sentenced to time served and released.

While KCADP shares in rejoicing in this news, our hearts go out to the families of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch who were violently murdered at a tender age.

Note:  Due to the acceptance of the Alford plea, Echols is ineligible for the official list of exonerees maintained by the Death Penalty Information Center.

________________________________________

The Arkansas Times is reporting that the case of the West Memphis Three will have a surprise hearing Friday, August 19, 2011. According to the report, “Families of defendants and victims are expected to be in court, suggesting far more than routine procedural matters are at hand.”

Three men are serving time for the 1993 deaths of Stevie Branch, Christopher Myers, and Michael Moore. Damien Echols was sentenced to death and Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelly, Jr. are serving life sentences.

Long considered a case of possible innocence, recent developments in the case such as DNA exclusion of those three convicted as well as jury misconduct led an evidentiary hearing being scheduled for later in the year. The August hearing has come as a surprise.

For the article in the Arkansas Times, please visit: http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/08/18/breaking-west-memphis-three-hearing-tomorrow

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Area Exonerees Discuss Life After Wrongful Imprisonment

Written on May 24, 2011 by in featured, news

Last night, Kansas City’s Fox 4 News profiled two area exonerees and their struggle to put their lives back together after they served time in prison for crimes they did not commit.

Eddie Lowery, of Kansas, who was wrongfully convicted of rape, served nearly 10 years before being paroled.  The truth about his innocence only came to light after he was released from prison.

Darryl Burton, of Missouri, was wrongfully convicted of murder and served 24 years before he was released from prison as an innocent man.

Since 1973, 138 people nationwide have been exonerated because new evidence came to light after they were sentenced to die for a crime they did not commit.    When the death penalty is an option, even one small mistake can risk executing an innocent person.

Lowery’s story particularly demonstrates that even with the best intentions, mistakes happen in Kansas criminal trials.  Since 1994, a quarter of Kansas death sentences have been overturned by the Kansas Supreme Court due to errors made during the trials.  Though Lowery was paroled and eventually exonerated, there is growing evidence that other innocent people across the United States have been wrongfully convicted, sentenced to death, and then executed for crimes they never committed.

As long as Kansas has the death penalty, wrongful convictions and wrongful executions remain an unacceptable risk.  By replacing the death penalty with life without parole, we can ensure that even when a mistake is made, there is never a risk of executing an innocent person.

For more information on Death Row exonerations, please visit the Death Penalty Information Center.

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Sister Helen on Community Bridge

Written on April 18, 2011 by in news, Updates

During her visit to Kansas, Sr. Helen Prejean did a radio interview with the local news program “Community Bridge.”  Click below to listen to the interview.

Sister Helen on Community Bridge

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Wichita Eagle: Rethink Death Penalty

Written on March 11, 2011 by in news

In a March 11, 2011 editorial, the Wichita Eagle called for Kansas to rethink its death penalty in light of Illinois’ recent abolition of capital punishment.

The editorial cites the problems associated with Illinois’ death penalty, including wrongful convictions and discriminatory treatment, as problems that could also exist in Kansas’ death penalty system.

In addition to potential errors within the system, the editorial raises the issue of the cost of the Kansas death penalty, “which has yet to be carried out after 17 years but is costing Kansas a bundle.”

“At a time when Kansas lawmakers should be eager to consider all options to reduce spending, a repeal of capital punishment should have additional appeal: Death penalty cases cost the state $500,000 more each, or 70 percent, to pursue than non-death penalty cases.”

Read the full editorial here.

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Topeka Capital-Journal: Prejean Seeks End of Death Penalty

Written on March 4, 2011 by in news

After her recent visit to Washburn University, the Topeka Capital-Journal published an article about Sister Helen Prejean and death penalty abolition work in Kansas.

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Abolition Bill Introduced in Kansas House

Written on February 18, 2011 by in news, Updates

A bill to abolish the death penalty in Kansas was introduced in the Kansas House of Representatives on Friday, February 11, 2011. The bill, HB 2323, was sponsored by the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee. HB 2323 will replace the Kansas death penalty with life in prison without parole as the sentence for the crime of aggravated murder.

“This legislation will enable Kansas law enforcement officials to use the existing sentence of life without parole to hold offenders accountable for their crimes and protect the public safety without the unacceptable risk of executing an innocent person,” said Donna Schneweis, the Board Chair of the Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty.

In Kansas capital cases to date, there have been well-documented errors, including judicial error, jury misconduct, prosecutorial misconduct, withheld evidence, jury instruction issues, and ineffective assistance of counsel. The Kansas Supreme Court has vacated three death sentences due to such errors. “States across the country are recognizing the flaws of the death penalty. This legislation is the next step to ending this broken, inconsistent policy in Kansas,” said Schneweis.

“The death penalty is rife with problems beyond those in the courtroom,” said Carolyn Zimmerman of Topeka, whose father was murdered in January 1969. “The death penalty continues to impact the victims’ families long after a crime has occurred. A capital trial only prolongs a family’s pain and trauma, and rarely brings the closure families long for,” said Zimmerman.

Last year, the Kansas Senate nearly voted to abolish the death penalty. The legislation failed on a 20-20 vote.

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Winfield Daily Courier Urges Abolition

Written on January 4, 2010 by in news

In a January 4, 2010 editorial the Winfield Daily Courier urges legislatures to abolish the death penalty, giving five reasons the death penalty is wrong. We can’t say it better than the final line; “Justice should be found in the cool of the head, not the heat of the heart.”

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Salina Journal Ponders Death Versus Dollars

Written on January 4, 2010 by in news

An editorial in the Salina Journal of January 4, 2010 discusses the fact that Kansas lawmakers will start talking about eliminating the death penalty this month, but the debate will not be based on moral perspectives. Rather, they will be about money. Editor and Publisher Tom Bell says it is sad that matters of life and death in the Kansas Legislature will boil down to dollars and cents, but whatever the circumstances, we’re grateful the question of ending the state’s death penalty will get consideration in the legislature. “It’s high time Kansas joins 15 other states that have abolished capital punishment.”

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