It’s been exactly one month since Louisiana put a man to death. Jessie Hoffman was the first death row execution in the state in 15 years. Not only was Hoffman’s death by nitrogen gas suffocation cruel; it has done nothing to deter violence in the state. In fact, in the four weeks since his execution,… Continue reading One Month Later: My Reflection on Louisiana’s Death Row Execution
Tag: Death Penalty
Issue
What is Felony Murder?
Felony murder laws are among the most extreme and unjust policies in the U.S. criminal legal system. These laws allow prosecutors to charge individuals with murder even if they did not kill anyone, did not intend to kill, and in some cases, were not even present when a death occurred. The result? Harsh, disproportionate sentences… Continue reading What is Felony Murder?
A Clear Picture of Racism
A Legacy of Racially Disparate Executions Oklahoma’s death penalty has always disproportionately targeted people of color. The earliest recorded execution in the state occurred in 1841, and of the 39 people executed in the 19th century, 79% were Native American men, while 15% were Black men. It wasn’t until 1899 that the state recorded the… Continue reading A Clear Picture of Racism
Who is Tremane Wood, Now?
Tremane Wood, currently on death row in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary with his execution scheduled for 2025, is a grandfather, a father, a partner, a mentor, a friend, and a man who believes in second chances — not just for himself and his family, but for everyone discarded by society. He is the kind of… Continue reading Who is Tremane Wood, Now?
Words Shape the World
By: Mona Cadena, Advocacy and Campaigns Director; Jaylah Cosby, Research and Impact Manager The words we use matter. When politicians and policymakers describe people as “heinous,” “vile criminals,” “evil,” “barbaric,” or “alien,” they aren’t just speaking in extremes. They’re laying the groundwork for policies that increase punishment, expand incarceration, and ultimately makes all of us… Continue reading Words Shape the World
The Hope We Need
I will remember this holiday break as a special one. My youngest daughter expressed a new interest in movies about Black history, and I was all in! We watched some inspirational movies focused on the roles of Black women, like the new film The Six Triple Eight, depicting the first and only Women’s Army Corps… Continue reading The Hope We Need
Thousands of Leaders, Advocates, Civil Servants and Activists Call on President Biden to Commute Federal Death Row
(December 9, 2024) Thousands of stakeholders from across the political and faith spectrums are calling on President Joe Biden to commute all federal death sentences before he leaves office. The group includes Black pastors, Catholics, former corrections officials, civil rights advocates, current and former prosecutors, families who have lost loved ones to homicide, pro-life conservatives,… Continue reading Thousands of Leaders, Advocates, Civil Servants and Activists Call on President Biden to Commute Federal Death Row
Changing Hearts
Freddie Owens. Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams. Travis Mullis. Emmanuel Littlejohn. Alan Miller. Five men, all of them executed over the previous seven days. The last time we had so much state-sponsored killing was in 2003. It has been a horrific week, and I suspect you feel the same heaviness that all of us at EJUSA carry. … Continue reading Changing Hearts
Chain Gang All Stars
Satire. Artists of all types use it to hold a mirror up to society, maybe one of those fun house mirrors that distorts the image, makes it large, twists it around. In that redefined image, there’s a truth, one that perhaps we’re often guilty of not seeing. The mirror makes it easier for us to… Continue reading Chain Gang All Stars
Unveiling the Roots
Introduction Welcome, dear readers, to a journey through the intertwined threads of history, injustice, and the pursuit of a more equitable future. At Equal Justice USA (EJUSA), we set our focus with precision on dismantling the pervasive structures of anti-Blackness ingrained within the American criminal legal system. Historical Roots and the Legacy of Virginia Slave… Continue reading Unveiling the Roots