It is vital that lawmakers hear from the people afterthey deliver, not just before a vote when we ask for their support. Last week, 30 Senators in Nebraska declared the death penalty is ineffective, costly, unfair, harmful for victims’ families, and risks dangerous mistakes. They made Nebraska the 19th state – and the first “red”…
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Norma Fleisher’s is also a conversion story. She supported the death penalty until 1999, when she ministered to prisoners on Tennessee’s death row. On her return to Nebraska, she became one of the hardest working supporters of repeal, driving more than 4,000 miles through every Nebraska county to talk about the death penalty to anyone…
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We’ve learned a lot about the death penalty in the last 35 years. Many people, however, still don’t know just how broken the policy is. This January, 17 freshmen lawmakers embarked on their first legislative session in Nebraska. Some of them had only thought about the death penalty from a philosophical or emotional standpoint, never…
Read MoreNebraska’s death penalty repeal sets a trend for the nation Statement by Shari Silberstein, Executive Director of Equal Justice USA: “Nebraska’s vote marks the end of the death penalty in the United States. Americans have been moving away from executions for more than ten years, but now we have a red state turning that trend…
Read MoreStatement by Shari Silberstein, Executive Director of Equal Justice USA: “Nebraska’s vote marks the end of the death penalty in the United States. Americans have been moving away from executions for more than ten years, but now we have a red state turning that trend into law for the first time in 40 years. Nebraska…
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Moments ago, Nebraska lawmakers voted 32-15 to end the death penalty! Repeal opponents attempted to kill the bill with a filibuster, but proponents mounted enough support to move the bill to the Governor. If he vetoes the bill – as he has promised – supporters need to hold every vote to override it. Let Nebraskans…
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Today, lawmakers in Nebraska again voted overwhelmingly – 30-16! – to repeal the death penalty. This vote came after Round 2 of debate. There is still one more vote to win before the bill goes to the Governor’s desk. And if the Governor vetoes the bill – as he has promised – supporters need to…
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All eyes have been on Baltimore in the last few weeks following the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year old black man who died in police custody last month. Much of the media has focused on the protests or the indictments of six police officers in the case. Others have called attention to the broader…
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The Nebraska Legislature has voted overwhelmingly – 30-13! – to repeal the death penalty. So why aren’t we celebrating yet? While the support for repeal in Nebraska is thrilling, the process is rather long and complicated, and there is still much work to be done. We’ve put together this (fairly wonky) primer to help you…
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We expected debate to go on much longer, but the writing was on the wall. All eyes are on Nebraska, but the fight isn’t over. This vote is Round One. There is another round of debate and two more votes that we have to win before the bill goes to the Governor’s desk. And if…
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