Lawmakers across the country re-evaluating the death penalty

EJUSA's Marc Hyden speaks at the Montana State Capitol in advance of a hearing to repeal the death penalty.

State capitals are buzzing as lawmakers return for this year’s state legislative sessions. It’s no surprise that the death penalty is on the agenda in so many places, given the growing movement away from executions. There has long been strong support for death penalty repeal in Kansas, but due to many circumstances, repeal bills haven’t… Continue reading Lawmakers across the country re-evaluating the death penalty

Recommended this week

“Recommended this week” features highlights from the past week in news about the death penalty, crime survivors, and trauma-informed responses to crime. Execution drop makes some think death penalty is fading away, Associated Press The end is near. Executions are on track to hit a 25-year low in 2016. Colorado Rep Don Pabon on John Fugelsang’s ‘Tell Me Everything’,… Continue reading Recommended this week

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

Trust Not Trauma – Policing and Public Health

An important new report looks at the relationship between policing practices and public health. Stress on the Streets (SOS): Race, Policing, Health, and Increasing Trust, not Trauma, released last month by Human Impact Partners, the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative analyzed police practices in two cities – Cincinnati and Akron. “The… Continue reading Trust Not Trauma – Policing and Public Health

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

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

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…

Breaking 2,000

The Moratorium Now campaign hits a milestone What do the following places have in common? A church basement. A Democratic Club board meeting. City council chambers. A union hall. In places like these across the country, ordinary people debated the death penalty, examined the issues, and decided collectively to add their group’s name to the… Continue reading Breaking 2,000

Expanding Grassroots Momentum and Organization

Nationwide, 63 local governments and nearly 2,000 national, state, and local organizations and faith communities have adopted resolutions urging a moratorium. Equal Justice USA maintains this national listing on its National Tally. Momentum continued after September 11 with the Lincoln, Nebraska City Council; West Hollywood and Santa Clara County, California; and Cincinnati, Ohio all adopting… Continue reading Expanding Grassroots Momentum and Organization