Video: International attention to the death penalty

The death penalty is not only dying in the United States. It’s dying all over the world. In the Western Hemisphere, 34 of the 35 countries have ended the death penalty in law or in practice. That was the subject of the 56th Lecture of the Americas, sponsored by the Organization of American States last… Continue reading Video: International attention to the death penalty

New report calls for a new paradigm for addressing safety, crime, and victimization

A new report, Bridging the Divide: A new paradigm for addressing safety, crime, and victimization, was released today calling for a different approach to addressing crime. The report says that many of the communities that are currently hurt by a prevalence of crime and violence are also being damaged by the criminal justice system’s response… Continue reading New report calls for a new paradigm for addressing safety, crime, and victimization

Another death row exoneration

In a North Carolina Courtroom on Tuesday, a judge overturned the death sentence and conviction of the state’s longest serving death row inmate. Henry McCollum walked free after DNA evidence linked the crime to another person. He had been on death row for over three decades – since he was 19 years old. McCollum’s brother,… Continue reading Another death row exoneration

EJUSA to headline at the CCDA Conference

EJUSA National Organizer Heather Beaudoin will be traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina later this month to attend the Christian Community Development Association’s (CCDA) conference. The annual gathering brings together more than 2,500 young, dynamic faith leaders who are making change in underserved communities around the country. CCDA will hold its first dialogue on the death… Continue reading EJUSA to headline at the CCDA Conference

Conservatives Concerned About The Death Penalty receives 500th media hit

Today’s op-ed in the Pensacola News Journal marks the 500th media hit for Equal Justice USA’s Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty project. Stories about or sparked by the project have appeared in print, online, over the radio, and on television since the project’s national founding in March of 2013. Sources have ranged from small,… Continue reading Conservatives Concerned About The Death Penalty receives 500th media hit

Connections, connections, connections

Cherrell with Carlton Mayers, program specialist at NAACP's Criminal Justice department, at the Convention in Las Vegas.

The NAACP has been an essential partner in our most recent campaigns to end the death penalty. This year marked their 105th National Convention, and EJUSA National Organizer Cherrell Brown traveled to Las Vegas to participate. In addition to catching up with some of our strongest allies in the organization, Cherrell made new connections with… Continue reading Connections, connections, connections

Mothers turn pain into action

What do people affected by crime and those affected by the criminal justice system have in common? A lot more than is commonly believed – since people of color are most likely to be victims of crime and the targets of our justice system’s over-reliance on incarceration. This reality was front and center at this… Continue reading Mothers turn pain into action

National Latino Evangelical Coalition calls for a closer look at the death penalty

The National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NaLEC), a coalition of over 3,000 Hispanic evangelical churches, released a call yesterday for “Hispanic evangelical leaders to closely examine their stance on capital punishment and mass incarceration.” President of NaLEC, Rev. Gabriel Salguero, says that the death penalty is “too broken to ensure that innocent persons are not executed.”… Continue reading National Latino Evangelical Coalition calls for a closer look at the death penalty

“The best part of my job is the people.”

Name: Colleen Cunningham Position: Campaign Strategist Years on the team: 4 Why is EJUSA’s work important? EJUSA works. Before I was on staff, I benefited from our services as a state partner. When you are working for a small state organization, the support, mentorship, and resources that EJUSA provides are truly invaluable. It’s more than… Continue reading “The best part of my job is the people.”

What’s wrong with these words? Controversial, courageous, brave, hard.

Recently, I gave a talk at the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty’s annual conference about words we should stop using when we talk about the death penalty. They’re words like: controversial, courageous, brave, hard. These words send the wrong message. They give the impression that only a few people can change the conversation… Continue reading What’s wrong with these words? Controversial, courageous, brave, hard.