The New Jersey legislature is poised to move moratorium legislation to victory early next year. The Equal Justice USA Northeast field office has been working side by side with our state partner, New Jerseyans for a Death Penalty Moratorium (NJDPM), throughout the year to help make the dream a reality. The groups upped the ante… Continue reading New Jersey moratorium legislation moves closer to victory
Author: Shari Silberstein
Since 2000, Shari Silberstein has dedicated her career to transforming the justice system from one that harms to one that heals. Under her leadership, and using campaign strategies she helped develop, Equal Justice USA has helped end the death penalty in nine states, built first-of-its-kind conservative and evangelical coalitions for justice reform, secured millions in state funding for healing services to families of murder victims, launched an innovative model for training and dialogue between police and communities on trauma and race equity, and strengthened dozens of local organizations across the nation working for justice, violence reduction, and healing. Shari has been a national voice in helping to break down the silos between criminal justice reformers and crime survivor advocates. Her expertise has been a source in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, and Harper’s Magazine, and she has written op-eds for an array of media outlets, including Fox News, the Marshall Project, and U.S. News and World Report. Shari has a bachelor's degree in film from New York University and a master's degree in Middle Eastern studies from the University of Texas at Austin.
Governor Ryan’s last stand
As Illinois Governor’s term ends, those on death row may find a ray of hope Illinois Governor George Ryan made history in January 2000 when he made Illinois the first state in the country to halt executions while questions of fairness were studied. The study commission the Governor established completed its report earlier this year,… Continue reading Governor Ryan’s last stand
When snipers come home
“You know, they’d come back from war, it might be three months, it might be two years, it might be five years, all of a sudden they relive it again, and all that has to come out.” – Fred Allen, Witness to an Execution radio documentary Before police finally caught sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad,… Continue reading When snipers come home
Voices of Innocence
A personal face on the death penalty’s deadly mistakes Pennsylvania is home to three exonerated former death row inmates with a powerful message to share. Thanks to Pennsylvania Abolitionists United Against the Death Penalty (PA Abolitionists), the message of those wrongly convicted was heard loud and clear across the state this fall. The “Voices of… Continue reading Voices of Innocence
New State by State Partnership
EJUSA seeks donors to support the launching of a new Partnership dedicated to underwriting state capacity building activities. The Partnership provides participants (State by State Partners) with a means to closely monitor and support the development of local grassroots groups working for state legislative moratoriums. The objective of the State by State Partnership is twofold:… Continue reading New State by State Partnership
Field Office Report: Networking across states the key to success
Covering campaigns in NJ, PA, MD, NY, and DE The Field Office’s second year started off strong with a multi-state tour of the Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing, which came through Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in April. To share ideas and get a jump-start planning the tour, Field Organizer Celeste Fitzgerald facilitated… Continue reading Field Office Report: Networking across states the key to success
Peak season for executions in Alabama
from Petra Wendeler of Amnesty International, Group 513, Mobile When it comes to the death penalty, Alabama has never produced the big headlines that Texas has. However, with the fastest growing death row population per capita in the United States, this might soon change. Alabama’s capital punishment system is one of the worst in the… Continue reading Peak season for executions in Alabama
Connecticut: Organizing under new challenges and new hopes
from Stephen Kobasa of the Connecticut Network to Abolish the Death Penalty In May 2001, the Connecticut House of Representatives came within three votes of approving a death penalty moratorium. The legislature did pass a law that would prohibit the execution of the mentally retarded and established a commission to study the application of the… Continue reading Connecticut: Organizing under new challenges and new hopes
Georgia legislature considers moratorium legislation for the first time
by Laura Moye of Georgia Moratorium Campaign (www.GeorgiaMoratorium.org) Late last year, a coalition of groups including Amnesty International, Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, and the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda launched the Georgia Moratorium Campaign. The campaign is Georgia’s first concerted legislative push for a moratorium, and resulted in the introduction of… Continue reading Georgia legislature considers moratorium legislation for the first time
IL Commission Issues Landmark Report
Illinois Governor Ryan’s Commission on Capital Punishment released the long-awaited results of its two-year review of the state’s death penalty system on April 15. News about the report’s findings is having a ripple effect around the country. The majority of the 14-member commission voted to abolish Illinois’ death penalty either on moral grounds, because no… Continue reading IL Commission Issues Landmark Report