[CUADPUpdate] Fwd: Nebraska Legislature to Debate Repeal Bill

[Abraham J. Bonowitz]

Greetings All,

Well, we've landed in a nice little place called Cheverly, Maryland, 
just over the DC line east of our nation's capital.  There's still 
lots to unpack, but we like it here.  Thanks again to all of you who 
helped us narrow our search for a new place to live.

Yesterday was the first day of my first full week "in the office" in 
my new position at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death 
Penalty.  I sent the below message to the NCADP's full 
membership.  As I continue to scale back CUADP, I urge you to sign up 
with the National Coalition so you can continue to receive messages 
like that below - just go here!:  http://www.ncadp.org/index.cfm?content=4

Many thanks, and more soon!

--abe


Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:06:59 -0400 (EDT)
>From: National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty 
><ncadp at mail.democracyinaction.org>
>Subject: Nebraska Legislature to Debate Repeal Bill
>
>
>Greetings All,
>
>Abe Bonowitz here, finally at my desk as the new Director of 
>Affiliate Support at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death 
>Penalty.  I wanted to say hello and to wish those of you celebrating 
>holidays in the past few days a belated Happy Easter and/or Happy Purim!
>
>We wanted to briefly alert you to several items of interest:
>
>#1:  No Baze decision yet.  As you know we are waiting for SCOTUS 
>(the Supreme Court of the United States) to make a decision on the 
>lethal injection case.  You probably have noticed that it's been 
>quite a while since we have sent an execution alert.  This is 
>because there is a de-facto moratorium on executions in the United 
>States while the Supreme Court looks at the constitutionality of the 
>lethal injection procedure in Kentucky.  Because so many other 
>states use a similar procedure, the court has granted stays in every 
>case where such a request has been made.  SCOTUS issues decisions on 
>days indicated in blue or red on the calendar you can find here: 
>http://www.supremecourtus.gov/oral_arguments/07termcourtcalendar.pdf 
>No decision today means the de-facto moratorium continues.  We'll 
>continue to monitor the situation.
>
>
>#2:  Nebraska floor debate is scheduled for tomorrow!  The following 
>is from Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty (http://www.nadp.net/):
>
>We're asking everyone who can possibly attend to be there on 
>Tuesday, March 25 when our state senators debate LB 1063. The 
>senators need to see hundreds of their constituents watching, 
>bearing powerful silent witness to the growing sentiment in Nebraska 
>to end the death penalty.
>
>The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Abraham Lincoln statue at the 
>west entrance to the state capitol. After a brief rally, we'll head 
>inside to pack the capitol's visitors gallery for the 10 a.m. 
>(central time) debate.  Please wear white.
>
>For those who can't make it, the session can be viewed on-line at: 
>http://www.netnebraska.org/television/stream/legislature.html
>
>Fifteen minutes after the conclusion of the debate, we'll gather 
>once again in a nearby location to discuss the next steps in the 
>abolition campaign!
>
>For more information, contact NADP state field organizer Mark 
>Weddleton at 402-499-6672.
>
>
>And finally, #3:  On a sad and distressing note, since so many of 
>you joined this list because of our work last year on this case, we 
>wanted to alert you that on March 17, the Georgia Supreme Court 
>voted 4-3 against Troy Davis' request for a new trial. Davis, who is 
>on death row for the 1989 murder of a police officer, claims he is 
>innocent and that he was a victim of mistaken identity. Since his 
>trial in 1991, seven of the witnesses called by the prosecution have 
>recanted their testimony. Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears wrote in the 
>dissenting opinion that Davis should at least have a hearing 
>because, "In this case, nearly every witness who identified Davis as 
>the shooter at trial has now disclaimed his or her ability to do so 
>reliably." If the presiding judge determined the new evidence to be 
>credible, it "would show the probability that a new jury would find 
>reasonable doubt of Davis' guilt or at least sufficient residual 
>doubt to decline to impose the death penalty," according to Justice Sears.
>
>Last year, Davis received a stay less than 24 hours before he was to 
>be executed in order for the Court to review his claim of 
>innocence.  Davis will likely turn to Georgia's Board of Pardon and 
>Paroles to request clemency.  More about this case is 
>here:  http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=2651&scid=64 
>and also here:  http://www.troyanthonydavis.org/
>
>
>Thanks for your ongoing efforts to abolish the death penalty!  While 
>executions may be on hold, stay on top of the issues and 
>developments at http://www.NCADP.org, and also at 
>http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org and on the blogosphere at 
>http://www.deathpenaltyusa.blogspot.com/
>
>--abe
>
>Abraham J. Bonowitz
>Director of Affiliate Support
>www.NCADP.org
>abe at ncadp.org