In 2002, EJUSA…
…Produced and distributed 30,000 action alert postcards in conjunction with the NAACP, and a follow-up emergency mailing to Quixote Center constituents. The Governor’s staff reported that they were flooded with e-mails, calls, and letters.
…Led a delegation to meet with Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, who expressed support for a moratorium and promised to talk to the Governor. The following week, the Governor halted executions.
…Assisted Maryland Citizens Against State Executions with a successful grant proposal to hire their first temporary staff person for the post-moratorium campaign.
…Provided information to the media about the moratorium, the forthcoming race study, and the new Republican Governor’s pledge to lift the moratorium.
Beyond 2002… Race study was released in January 2003, revealing serious racial bias in Maryland’s death penalty. EJUSA and others embarked on an intense campaign to pass emergency moratorium legislation to preserve Maryland’s moratorium. It is pending.
