Press Release from @DeathPenaltyAct — Prayer Vigil for #RodneyReed at SCOTUS:
The brother of Rodney Reed, who is scheduled to be executed next week despite clear and convincing evidence that another man committed the crime, will return to stand vigil at the US Supreme Court.
Rodrick Reed will be joined by supporters and faith leaders in a prayerful vigil on the sidewalk in front of the US Supreme Court starting at 7:30pm on Thursday, November 14, until 11am on Friday, with a rally led by national faith leaders starting at 9:30am Friday morning.
The nine Justices of the US Supreme Court will be considering whether to take up Rodney Reed's case during their regular 10am conference this Friday morning, November 15th. Rodney Reed, represented by The Innocence Project, is a demonstrably innocent man on Texas' death row.
Millions of citizens have signed petitions addressed to Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Bastrop County Prosecutor Bryan Goertz.
The petition for certiorari before the Court includes several questions for the Court to consider. Question #3 is: "Does the conviction or execution of a person who is actually innocent of the crime violate the United States Constitution?"
"In 2019, it is difficult to believe the question remains whether it is OK to execute a person whose guilt is in doubt," said Abraham Bonowitz, co-director of Death Penalty Action, a national organization coordinating logistics for the event.
At 9:30am on Friday, November 15, there will be an interfaith and multi-denominational Global Solidarity Prayer Service to call for wisdom and a just decision by the US Supreme Court.
Cosponsors and prayer leaders include representatives of the National Council of Churches, United Methodist Church, Uri L'Tzedek, Religious Action Center, Pax Christi, Catholic Mobilizing Network, Death Penalty Action, Witness to Innocence, and Ministry Against the Death Penalty.
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The execution of Marcellus Williams is a horrible injustice. This didn’t have to happen. Just a couple weeks ago, prosecutors—with the support of the victim’s family—had reached a plea agreement with Marcellus that took death off the table.
Missouri AG Andrew Bailey and the Missouri Supreme Court scuttled that agreement without any regard for the wishes of the victim's family. A week later, the trial court judge reversed course and blocked efforts by St. Louis County prosecutors to vacate Marcellus’s conviction.
This wasn’t the first time Marcellus faced execution. Back in 2017, he came within hours of death before then-Gov. Greitens formed a Board of Inquiry to look into all the problems with the case. Gov. Parson took over and disbanded the Board before they could finish their job.
It’s outrageous that Missouri is so close to executing Marcellus Williams. He was convicted at a trial where prosecutors intentionally struck at least one Black person from the jury pool. Witnesses were paid to point the finger at Marcellus. His DNA is not on the murder weapon.
Trial prosecutors handled the murder weapon without gloves, irreparably contaminating it. The current St. Louis County prosecuting attorney admitted fault and was willing to enter a plea agreement where Marcellus would be re-sentenced to life in prison.
A judge initially accepted that agreement, only to reverse course a week later. The legal system has failed Marcellus Williams over and over again. It’s unconscionable for Missouri to move forward with this execution in the face of such grave doubts.
The State of Texas killed Ivan Cantu last night. I was there with him, standing near his face, holding his hand, and praying into his ear until the chemicals killed him. God's grace was with him and with me.
He was one of the most faith-filled, self-directed people I have ever encountered. His strength helped me. His last words were directed calmly and clearly to the victims' families watching him die from the witness chambers.
"I did not kill James Mosqueda and Amy Kitchen. If I had known who killed them I would have gotten the information to you in any way I could. But I did not kill them and if your hope in coming here is because you seek closure or peace, I'm afraid you’re going to be disappointed."
Yesterday, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a brief in support on one of Richard Glossip's pending appeals at the U.S. Supreme Court. AG Drummond agrees that Richard is entitled to a new trial due to prosecutorial misconduct.
AG Drummond presents the question before the Supreme Court in the case:
AG Drummond's brief begins: "The State of Oklahoma, acting through its chief law enforcement officer, recently made the difficult decision to confess error and support vacating the conviction of petitioner Richard Eugene Glossip."
Unless a court intervenes, Missouri will execute Michael Tisius tomorrow, June 6th. When Michael was 19 years old, he made a terrible mistake and killed two jailers while attempting to free a former cellmate. But Michael is not the worst of the worst and does not deserve to die.
Michael's difficulties began before he was born. His mother, Patty, was abandoned by her own mother at a young age. Patty's father died suddenly when she was 13 years old.
Patty's life took a bad turn when she was returned to the custody of her mother, who took 13-year-old Patty out drinking at local bars until late at night almost every day. Patty became pregnant with her first son, Joey, at just 17 years old.
Today is the 20th World Day Against the Death Penalty, with a focus this year on the relationship between capital punishment and torture. The entire death penalty process is torturous for every person involved.
Those on death row spend decades awaiting the eventual day when the government will take them into a room, render them defenseless, and kill them through one of several torturous methods of execution. This is mental torture.
In some cases, the execution eventually happens. In many other cases, the execution is never carried out. People on death row live out every day not knowing if or when the government will legally kill them. This is another form of mental torture.