[CUADPUpdate] Actions Everyone Can Take

[Abraham J. Bonowitz]

sent *ONLY* to the recipients of CUADPUpdate
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Greetings All!

As the holiday slowdown kicks in, I wanted to offer a few easy 
actions that you can take to help further our cause, either directly 
or indirectly.

#1 - Thank New Jersey Statesmen

Please contact these three leaders, who deserve our gratitude for 
their leadership.  If you are a family member of a murder victim, 
please state that when you make contact.

Contact: New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, PO Box 001, Trenton, New 
Jersey 08625
Tell him:  "Thank you Governor Corzine and the members of the New 
Jersey Legislature for your leadership in showing the world the way 
to justice.  Your action to abolish New Jersey's death penalty has 
given countless people hope."

Contact: Governor Richard J. Codey, New Jersey Senate President, 449 
Mount Pleasant Avenue, West Orange, New Jersey 07052-2734
Tell him:  "Thank you Governor Codey and the members of the New 
Jersey Legislature for your leadership in showing the world the way 
to justice.  Your action to abolish New Jersey's death penalty has 
given countless people hope."

Contact: Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, Brooklawn Shopping Plaza, 
Route 130 and Browning Road, Brooklawn, New Jersey 08030-2797
Tell him:  "Thank you Speaker Roberts and the members of the New 
Jersey Legislature for your leadership in showing the world the way 
to justice.  Your action to abolish New Jersey's death penalty has 
given countless people hope."

***********


#2 - Send Christmas/New Years greetings to former Illinois Governor 
George Ryan, now in the pokey, but still a hero to our movement for 
studying the issue, changing his mind, and clearing Illinois' death 
row as he left office a few years ago.  Let him know he is not forgotten.

George Ryan, Sr. 16627-424
FCI Oxford
Satellite Camp
P.O. Box 1085
Oxford, WI 53952

*************


#3 - The Innocence Project writes:

Death row exonerees join the call for DNA testing in Alabama

In the last two weeks, 1,200 people have written letters to Alabama 
Gov. Bob Riley calling on him to grant DNA testing to death row 
inmate Tommy Arthur before allowing the state to execute a man who 
may be innocent. Today, six men who were sentenced to die and served 
time on death row but were ultimately exonerated through DNA testing 
urged Riley to immediately order DNA testing in Arthur's case.

They wrote: "If we had never been granted DNA testing, we might not 
be alive today. Few people have been in Mr. Arthur's position, but we 
have and that's why we're appealing to you to order DNA testing in 
this case. His execution has been delayed by the U.S. Supreme Court 
for other reasons, leaving plenty of time for DNA testing to be 
completed if you order it now."

If you haven't already sent an email to Gov. Riley asking for DNA 
testing for Tommy Arthur, you can send one right now through the 
Innocence Project's website. It takes just 30 seconds to send a clear 
message that you support truth in justice. Arthur has spent more than 
two decades on Alabama's death row for a murder he says he didn't 
commit. DNA testing could provide compelling evidence of his 
innocence or guilt, but the courts and the governor have denied 
testing. Riley has the power to order testing in this case, and he 
needs to hear from all of us.

Send Gov. Riley an email here: 
http://ip.convio.net/site/R?i=JqFPoAFYiNFh8JOFRQZj1Q..

Read today's letter from the six exonerees here: 
http://ip.convio.net/site/R?i=w70fp7l1mnB4ge_ISY0WvA..

***************


#4 - Vote for the best blues album.

What????  What's that got to do with the death penalty?  Our friend 
Dale Baich, a Federal Public Defender who handles capital appeals writes:

>Dear Abe,
>
>As you may remember, in my spare time, I run a small record 
>label--Blue Witch Records.  This year I released three CD's and one 
>of them -- "I'm Here Baby" by Big Pete Pearson -- has been nominated 
>for two Independent Music Awards as best blues album and best blues 
>song.  The winners are selected by popular vote.
>
>I am asking for your help.  On every Blue Witch release, four to 
>date, the message "stop the death penalty" is noted.  We also post 
>the message on our website at the bottom of the home 
>page  <http://www.bluewitchrecords.com>www.bluewitchrecords.com 
>Dave Riley, one of our artists, is a former Illinois prison guard 
>and has expressed concerns about prison conditions and opposes the 
>death penalty.  In fact, we arranged for him to appear at a benefit 
>for the Alabama Post-Conviction Project in Montgomery, Alabama on 
>November 8.  Bill Wax, a XM Radio DJ mentioned the benefit on a 
>number of occasions and talked about the importance of death row 
>prisoners having attorneys.
>
>If we win a nomination, not only will some great blues music get out 
>to more people but our message "stop the death penalty" will as well.

SO, please go to 
<http://www.bluewitchrecords.com>www.bluewitchrecords.com 
Instructions for rating the CD and the song are right there.  it's a 
simple process that will take a couple of minutes, but hey, why not?

******************


#5 - Support CUADP with a contribution.  Now that I've worked myself 
out of a job in New Jersey, I need to see if there is still support 
to keep CUADP running, or should I just shut it down?  Please vote 
here:  https://www.compar.com/donation/donateform.html


Many thanks!

--abe


PS:  The Colosseum has been lit up!

Click the link to see the photo (if it did not attach)

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/top_story/story/7523556p-7424234c.html

Rome's Colosseum lit up to mark N.J., U.N. death penalty decisions

(Published: December 19, 2007)

2:45 p.m. Update -

ROME (AP) _ The city of Rome lit up the Colosseum on Wednesday to 
celebrate a U.N. vote calling for a moratorium on the death penalty, 
and a decision by the U.S. state of New Jersey to abolish capital punishment.

The ancient arena was bathed in white light as Italy celebrated the 
U.N. General Assembly resolution approved Tuesday despite opposition 
by supporters of the death penalty including the U.S., Iran and China.

Italy, a firm opponent of capital punishment, spearheaded the 
nonbinding resolution, which was co-sponsored by European Union 
states and 60 other countries.

Italy also hailed the signing into law Monday of a measure abolishing 
the death penalty in New Jersey, making it the first U.S. state to 
abolish capital punishment in more than 40 years.

See Thursday's edition of The Press for complete coverage.