talking tips for speaking with state senators
In attempting to speak with State Senators regarding a moratorium on executions, it is important to be yourself and be prepared to point out reasons why you feel that a suspension of executions and a study is a minimum requirement for justice to be served. Below are some “quick facts” you can use when speak with your Senator.
ABOUT THE MORATORIUM CALLED FOR IN SENATE BILL 25
Executions would be suspended for two years while a commission studies the following questions:PUBLIC OPINION
- Are all those sentenced to the death penalty guilty of 1st degree murder?
- Have they had adequate legal council, both pre-trial and post-trial?
- Are there race and other impermissible factors involved?
- Do all District Attorneys apply the law equally?
A 2001 poll by Terry Madonna found that 72% of Pennsylvanians support a temporary suspension of executions while issues of fairness are studied. The poll also revealed that there is strong support (67%) for a sentence of ‘life in prison without parole’ as an alternative to the death penalty-even a majority (51%) of those who ‘strongly favor’ the death penalty would accept this sentence.
The city councils of eight Pennsylvania cities, representing a quarter of the state's population, have passed resolutions urging a moratorium on executions.
The Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Bar Associations also have called for a moratorium on executions.
RACIAL DISPARITY
Approximately 83 percent of death row inmates from Philadelphia are African-American.
African-American defendants in Philadelphia are nearly 4 times more likely to receive the death penalty than white defendants.
The race of the defendant is a stronger predictor that a case will result in a death sentence than three of the legal aggravating factors.
INNOCENCE
Since 1973, at least 94 people in 23 states - including Pennsylvania - have been released from death row with evidence of their innocence
Average number of years between sentencing and release of innocent persons: 7.7 years
A Columbia University team recently found that 65 percent of 4,578 death-penalty appeals were marred by either poor defense representation or prosecutorial misconduct.
“THE SYSTEM” DOESN’T WORK
On October 20, 2000, William Nieves was acquitted of the 1992 murder of Eric McAiley after 8 years in prison, 6 years on death row. A divorce lawyer with no criminal-trial experience represented Nieves at his first trial; for this, he was paid a mere $2,500. Nieves’ family raised $10,000 to pay a second lawyer.
Nieves' re-trial was delayed for almost three years while prosecutors - who withheld evidence in Nieves’ original trial - appealed the trial court's decision and struggled to preserve the conviction and death sentence.
"The system" didn't save William Nieves' life. People working against the system saved William Nieves’ life.
P A * A B O L I T I O N I S T S * U N I T E D * A G A I N S T * T H E * D E A T H * P E N A L T Y
main page - join PAUADP - donate now - news - action alerts - calendar - moratorium - the death penalty
© 2001, PAUADP
contact the webmaster