A couple of hours ago, the State of Alabama executed Nathaniel Woods, a man who never actually killed anyone. And that's not the worst part of his case. 
Nate & his roommate Spencer were accused of selling drugs. When Birmingham PD came to their home, Spencer said the officers began assaulting Nate, so Spencer shot the officers. Nate didn't shoot anyone.
3 of the officers died. Both Spencer AND NATE were tried for murder.
3 of the officers died. Both Spencer AND NATE were tried for murder.
During Nate's trial, Spencer asserted Nate had nothing to do with the shooting, & that Spencer shot the officers to defend Nate. None of that testimony was allowed in trial.
No, jurors in Nate's trial were not allowed to hear the shooter say Nate had nothing to do with it.
No, jurors in Nate's trial were not allowed to hear the shooter say Nate had nothing to do with it.
Two of the officers who Spencer killed were later accused by other dealers of being involved in a corrupt scheme to protect dealers for money, & that they were shaking Nate down when Spencer shot them. Birmingham PD continue to refuse to comment on this allegation.
Whether or not they were corrupt, we know for certain that Nate didn't shoot anyone. Even prosecutors acknowledged that, but claimed that Nate set up an "ambush" of the officers. Their "evidence" was testimony of the surviving officers that Nate had yelled obscenities at them.
A man who killed no one was just executed for shouting obscenities at officers.
Allow me to be perfectly clear: this was a lynching.
Allow me to be perfectly clear: this was a lynching.
The Alabama state government has carried out a murder this evening that they have been premeditating for nearly 20 years, of a man whom they've been holding hostage for shouting obscenities.
Libertarians oppose the death penalty because when gov't is given power, they often use it in the most harmful & inequitable ways. The death penalty gives gov't the power to decide which of us are allowed to live or die. Tonight we saw what giving them that power leads to.
We mourn with the family & loved ones of Nathaniel Woods tonight, & the countless people (among them @KimKardashian & @OfficialMLK3) who fought for all these years to save his life. Let's make Nate's legacy be that his murder was the final outrage that made us all say "no more".
Let's end the death penalty in our time, for Nate and for the countless other victims of state murder.
