Reckoning With Violence | Reimagining Justice This Month

Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism.   Reckoning with Violence, New York Times People convicted of violent crimes are too often overlooked in justice reform movements. If the ultimate goal is to end mass incarceration, though, we cannot… Continue reading Reckoning With Violence | Reimagining Justice This Month

We carry the stories with us in our fight towards justice | Reimagining Justice This Month

Reimagining Justice This Month highlights stories about effective responses to violence – responses that disrupt cycles of violence, heal trauma, and address structural racism. In honor of National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims (Sept 25), EJUSA’s staff extend deep-filled gratitude to the hundreds of family members of murder victims we have had the privilege to… Continue reading We carry the stories with us in our fight towards justice | Reimagining Justice This Month

Missouri stayed the execution of Marcellus Williams, but why was he sentenced to die in the first place?

This piece first appeared at usnews.com on August 23, 2017. Tuesday night, Missouri almost executed a man who is likely innocent. Marcellus Williams came within mere hours of execution, and the process that put him there is a scathing indictment of our justice system. Bloody footprints at the scene did not match Williams’ shoe size. The… Continue reading Missouri stayed the execution of Marcellus Williams, but why was he sentenced to die in the first place?

Death penalty chaos around the country

Nevada just became the ninth death penalty state to go a decade or more without an execution. Add those nine to the 19 states without capital punishment, and you have 28 states that have abandoned executions in either law or practice. And in the remaining states? The death penalty is in complete chaos. Florida’s death… Continue reading Death penalty chaos around the country

Huge strides made in repeal efforts in Delaware

Lawmakers in Delaware allowed a bill to repeal the death penalty to get a full debate on the House floor for the first time. The bill had been stuck in the House Judiciary Committee for the last several years. The growing coalition in Delaware is fired up at having broken through the logjam. Though the… Continue reading Huge strides made in repeal efforts in Delaware

Republicans at the forefront of death penalty repeal campaigns

Most states will start the New Year with a new legislative session, which means supporters of death penalty repeal are preparing efforts to end the death penalty across the country. In the wake of repeal in Nebraska – an effort championed by conservatives – more Republicans are stepping up to lead many of these campaigns. In… Continue reading Republicans at the forefront of death penalty repeal campaigns

Tom Block on EJUSA

Tom Block, Convener Moratorium Planning Committee of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP)

Tom Block, Convener Moratorium Planning Committee of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP) “I first contacted Equal Justice USA in the Fall 2002 for assistance in formulating a proposal to MADP to appoint an Ad Hoc Moratorium Planning Committee to build a long range strategy. EJUSA Organizer Shari Silberstein helped me identify areas that… Continue reading Tom Block on EJUSA

In 2002, EJUSA…

…Traveled to New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, Connecticut, Virginia, Missouri, and Ohio to conduct workshops, planning meetings, and other grassroots organizing. …Assisted 26 states with direct organizing, training, grant writing, mailings, media, needs assessments, message development, chapter development, polling, creating materials, phone banking, publicizing events, working with a study commission, and/or… Continue reading In 2002, EJUSA…

Movement Gains in 2001

Moratorium bills passed the Nevada Senate and the Maryland House of Delegates. A moratorium amendment lost by only 3 votes in the Connecticut House, while Texas bills passed committees in both legislative houses. Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, and North Carolina enacted legislation banning the execution of the mentally retarded. 17 states improved access to post-conviction… Continue reading Movement Gains in 2001

Moratorium Bill Introduced in House

Innocence Bill Introduced in Senate Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. introduced HR 3623, “The Accuracy In Judicial Administration Act of 2000” (AJA), on February 10. The AJA would impose a minimum 7-year national moratorium on all U.S. executions until all inmates currently sitting on death row have an opportunity to explore potentially exculpatory DNA and… Continue reading Moratorium Bill Introduced in House