In his own words, Clemente Aguirre describes how he spent almost 15 years on death row in Florida for a crime he didn’t commit. I know the torture of fighting against a government that wanted to kill me. The state saw me as just a disposable, undocumented immigrant, and I lost almost 15 years of… Continue reading The Government Wanted to Kill Me
Category: Uncategorized
The Right Path to Justice
A first term president has — officially — 1,460 days to enact an agenda through policy and action for the American people. But the first 100 days have always drawn a huge amount of attention as a traditional measure of what’s to come. They are presented with all the opportunity and hope of a new… Continue reading The Right Path to Justice
The Verdict and True Accountability
Yesterday, many millions of us exhaled with relief. We exhaled for those who can’t: George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Duante Wright, Adam Toledo, and so many, many more. A legal process that has never been applied fairly has convicted Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. It’s a meaningful verdict in part because it’s so… Continue reading The Verdict and True Accountability
EJUSA Applauds NJ’s $10mm Investment in Violence Prevention
Equal Justice USA has been working with a coalition of organizations who are on the ground in several New Jersey communities driving innovative programs and interventions that are reducing violence. Today’s announcement is a critical step toward growing that work and delivering true public safety to communities. “We are on the verge of a new… Continue reading EJUSA Applauds NJ’s $10mm Investment in Violence Prevention
Momentum in New Jersey
On April 1, some of New Jersey’s fiercest advocates for community-based violence prevention sat down — virtually — with Gov. Phil Murphy to build out the road ahead and ensure the state remains a national leader on this all-important front. In addition to myself, the group included Aqeela Sherrills and Solomon Middleton-Williams from the Newark… Continue reading Momentum in New Jersey
Documenting a Movement
For nearly two decades, the death penalty has perished in one state after another. There is no question that America’s most egregious response to violence is on its way out. And Scott Langley has been a powerful force in this movement. Scott is a freelance photojournalist whose passion is documenting the death penalty. His work… Continue reading Documenting a Movement
Are Life Sentences a Merciful Alternative to the Death Penalty?
Reimagining Justice This Month: March 2021 Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. Are Life Sentences a Merciful Alternative to the Death Penalty?, Mother Jones Virginia’s recent repeal of the death penalty was both a reckoning with a… Continue reading Are Life Sentences a Merciful Alternative to the Death Penalty?
A Victory for Virginia and the Nation
Today, Governor Ralph Northam signed the bill to repeal Virginia’s death penalty, enacting it into law. Virginia is officially the 23rd state to end its death penalty. The work on the ground to achieve this victory was amazing, including our partners from Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and the Virginia Interfaith Center on… Continue reading A Victory for Virginia and the Nation
Newark: In This Together
In 2014, I was leading police training for Newark, NJ, when Mayor Ras Baraka took office. This was a crucial juncture for Newark Police Department (NPD). A recession plus a surge in retirements had decimated the department. But that wasn’t the only problem. Before my role at the Police Academy, I worked in Internal Affairs… Continue reading Newark: In This Together
