Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, March 14-18, 2011

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Thursday March 03, 2011 · 4:29 PM PST

2011/03/03 · 16:29

The "Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break" will be held in Austin from March 14-18, 2011. The full schedule and a registration form is on the website: www.springbreakalternative.org/deathpenalty. Special guests include six exonerated people who all-together spent about 50 years condemned to death for crimes they did not commit: Anthony Graves, Clarence Brandley, Shujaa Graham, Ron Keine, Gary Drinkard and Albert Burrell.

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Hearing on Constitutionality of Texas Death Penalty

Scott Cobb

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Thursday December 02, 2010 · 4:19 PM PST

2010/12/02 · 16:19

A hearing on the constitutionality of the Texas death penalty will be held in Judge Kevin Fine's courtroom in Houston on Monday, December 6, at 9 AM. The hearing comes about six weeks after Anthony Graves was exonerated and released after spending 18 years in prison in Texas, most of it on death row, for a crime he was completely innocent of committing. Read more at the Texas Tribune.

Scott Cobb

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Thursday November 11, 2010 · 12:50 PM PST

2010/11/11 · 12:50

On October 27, Anthony Graves became the 12th person exonerated after being wrongfully convicted and spending years on Texas death row. Anthony is a completely innocent man who spent a total of 18 years locked up for a crime he had absolutely nothing to do with. Twelve of those years were spent on Texas death row in a tiny cell having his food shoved through a small slit in the door. The other years were spent in jail awaiting retrial and facing the prospect of again being sentenced to death. Anthony is now back in the loving embrace of his family and friends and soon he will enjoy his first Thanksgiving holiday as a free man in 18 years.

Now that he is free, read on to see how you can help Anthony Graves now that he has been released.

Scott Cobb

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Friday March 12, 2010 · 6:37 PM PST

2010/03/12 · 18:37

A Houston judge who last week ruled that the procedures used to convict and sentence someone to death in Texas are unconstitutional has scheduled a hearing on April 27 to hear evidence on the issue (Read more here). State District Judge Kevin Fine said he wants more information before making a final decision about whether the state's death penalty statute allows for the possible execution of an innocent person. Judge Fine has asked Harris County prosecutors and defense attorneys to submit motions on the due process issue by April 12. Fine will then have an evidentiary hearing April 27 when testimony on whether innocent people have been executed in Texas is set to be presented. The defense attorneys are still determining whom they might call to testify at the April 27 hearing, but they said it might include officials connected to the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, whose 2004 execution for the deaths of his three daughters in a 1991 house fire near Corsicana is now being questioned.

Scott Cobb

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Wednesday February 24, 2010 · 3:40 PM PST

2010/02/24 · 15:40

Take a moment to vote for the Abolish the Death Penalty as an Idea for Change in America at Change.org. (You will have to register at Change.org to vote.) If the idea becomes one of the top ten, Change.org will host an event in Washington, DC, where each of the 10 ideas will be presented to representatives of the media, the nonprofit community, and to relevant officials in the Obama Administration. After the announcement, Change.org will mobilize the full resources of their staff, their 1 million community members, and their extended network of bloggers to support a series of grassroots campaigns to turn each idea into reality.

Scott Cobb

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Monday February 01, 2010 · 4:36 PM PST

2010/02/01 · 16:36

Last October, Texas Governor Rick Perry replaced the chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, as well as a few other members, days before the commission was set to meet and discuss a report from a national arson expert that cast doubt on the validity of the forensic evidence used to convict and execute Todd Willingham. At the time, it looked like Perry was trying to cover-up and delay progress in the investigation until after the March primary. Now, it seems certain that was what he was trying to do and he has probably succeeded since the report was not discussed at Friday's meeting of the commission and the next meeting is not until April.

Scott Cobb

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Wednesday November 18, 2009 · 10:42 PM PST

2009/11/18 · 22:42

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Wednesday voted to recommend to Governor Rick Perry that the death sentence of Robert Thompson be commuted to life. Thompson's execution is scheduled for today, Thursday, November 19. Governor Perry will be deciding this morning whether to accept the recommendation and grant clemency to Thompson. Perry could accept or reject the recommendation from the BPP. Perry appointed all the members of the BPP.

Scott Cobb

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Friday October 23, 2009 · 11:03 PM PDT

2009/10/23 · 23:03

Today, Saturday October 24, is the 10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty, where the focus will be the Todd Willingham case and other cases involving innocent people sentenced to death. The march starts at 2 PM at the Texas Capitol in Austin.

Three innocent, exonerated former death row prisoners will be among the special guests today at the Tenth Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty. Curtis McCarty spent 19 years on death row in Oklahoma before being exonerated and released in 2007. Shujaa Graham spent three years on death row in California and Ron Keine spent almost two years on death row in New Mexico, which abolished the death penalty in 2009.

Scott Cobb

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Monday October 19, 2009 · 9:58 PM PDT

2009/10/19 · 21:58

The news video below talks about Texas Governor Rick Perry's then-general counsel David Medina's role in advising Perry on the day of Todd Willingham's execution. Medina was later appointed to the Texas Supreme Court by Perry. In 2007, Medina's wife was charged with arson and Medina himself was charged with records tampering after their home burned down. The charges were later dropped against Medina's wife, Francisca, after an arson investigator hired by Medina found that arson could not have been the cause. Charges were dropped against David Medina for insufficient evidence.

Scott Cobb

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Monday October 19, 2009 · 4:54 AM PDT

2009/10/19 · 04:54

The 10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty will be held at the Texas Capitol in Austin on October 24, 2009. The march and rally will include the delivery of a petition with thousands of signatures urging Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was not arson, therefore no crime was committed and on February 17, 2004 Texas executed an innocent man. The petition also urges Perry to suspend executions and appoint a balanced and independent commission to examine all aspects of the Texas death penalty system to determine what went wrong in the Willingham case and how to prevent the execution of innocent people. People can sign the petition at www.camerontoddwillingham.com.

Scott Cobb

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Saturday October 17, 2009 · 9:49 AM PDT

2009/10/17 · 09:49

Thursday, I posted the video from that night's CNN AC 360 program when Todd Willingham's trial lawyer was on the program and made remarks that I thought violated his attorney-client obligations, which bind a lawyer even after his client has died. Now, some attorneys have begun posting about David Martin and some also seem to agree that Martin violated his ethical obligations as an attorney to his former client.

After reading this diary, if you are think David Martin should be investigated, click here to download a grievance form and send it to the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel, State Bar of Texas.

Scott Cobb

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Thursday October 15, 2009 · 9:14 PM PDT

2009/10/15 · 21:14

Tonight on CNN AC360, Todd Willingham's trial lawyer David Martin, the person who was supposed to have vigorously defended his client, made an appearance on national TV arguing for his former client's guilt. Martin, appearing in a cowboy hat, drawled that the report submitted to the Texas Forensic Science Commission by Dr Craig Beyler was one of the "least objective reports" he has ever read. "This is supposed to be a scientific report?", said Martin.

Steve Mills of the Chicago Tribune, then said that the arson investigation methods used in 1991 were not based on science. "That is absurd" said Martin.

You have to see the shocking video of Martin's appearance. This shows why the Texas death penalty system can allow innocent people to be executed. Willingham did not have a chance with Martin as his lawyer. Anderson Cooper at one point said, "you sound like a sheriff", "you don't sound like a defense lawyer".

Martin said, "this is riduculous. This is absurd. The defense lawyer doesn't have to believe the client. This is an absurdity."

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Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, March 14-18, 2011

Hearing on Constitutionality of Texas Death Penalty

Helping Anthony Graves After His Exoneration From Texas Death Row

Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, March 15-19, 2010

Vote for the Abolish the Death Penalty as an Idea for Change in America

Todd Willingham Cover-Up Continues: New Chair Violated Texas Open Meetings Act at Commission Meeting

Action: Urge Rick Perry to Accept Recommendation of Parole Board and Commute Death Sentence

Today is the 10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty in Austin at the Texas Capitol

Rick Perry's General Counsel on Day of Todd Willingham's Execution Later Cleared in Own Arson Case

10th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty Oct 24 Austin Texas

Lawyers Speaking Out in Response to Todd Willingham's "Utterly Disgraceful" Trial Attorney

Todd Willingham's Defense Lawyer Embarrasses Texas Justice System on National TV; Juror Has Doubts