Witness to Innocence Comes to Delaware
These events are sponsored by the Delaware Repeal Project. Witness to Innocence is a group of 15 death row exonerees who are visiting to discuss how flawed the death penalty truly is. I’ve taken the text describing all of these events directly from their FB Event page. Hope to see you at some of these, and be sure to invite your State Rep or Senator too:
**This is for multiple events from February 20-22. Please continue reading for exact locations and times**
Since 1973, 143 people from 26 states have been freed from death row after evidence revealed that they were innocent. That’s one innocent person exonerated from death row for every ten who have been executed.
This February, 15 of those exonerees will come to Delaware to share their stories of how the innocent can be sentenced to death.
The Delaware Repeal Project and Witness to Innocence are hosting events from February 20-22. We invite you to join us to meet the exonerees and hear their stories of innocence.
Talk with Kirk Bloodsworth and Shujaa Graham
February 20th 7:00pm
University of Delaware
Kirkbride 100Come hear Kirk Bloodsworth and Shujah Graham, two death row exonerees, speak at The University of Delaware.
Sponsored by The University of Delaware Amnesty International Chapter.
Parking is available on the street and at the Trabant Parking Garage.Reception at Delaware Theatre Company’s “The Exonerated”
February 21st 6:00pm
The Delaware Theatre Company
200 Water St. Wilmington, DEWe will be hosting a reception at the Delaware Theatre Company in conjunction with their performance of The Exonerated, a play which shares the stories of death row exonerees. The reception begins at 6:00pm, followed by the play at 8:00pm. Hor d’oeuvres will be served.
To purchase tickets for the play, visit delawaretheatre.org. Enter promo code “WTI” and the Theatre Company will make a donation to Witness to Innocence.
Round Table Discussion
February 22nd 12:00pm
Limestone Presbyterian Church
3201 Limestone Rd, Wilmington, DEJoin death row exonerees for a roundtable discussion on the fallibility of our justice system and hear their stories of how innocent individuals can be sentenced to die.
Visit wwwderepeal.org or email derepeal@gmail.com for more information.
Tags: Death Penalty, Delaware death penalty repeal, Delaware Repeal Project, Featured
Here’s a link to the events on DE Repeal’s website.
http://www.aclu-de.org/de-repeal/news/witness-to-innocence-comes-to-delaware/#.UwQJMCi9Kc0
I believe that Congress should create a US Court of Capital Appeals (Congress has the constitutional authority to do so). All convictions resulting in a death sentence would be automatically appealed to this court (USCCA), from any and all US jurisdictions.
The court would be a tribunal, comprised of one judge with at least USDC bench experience, one judge with US Circuit Court bench experience and one judge (not necessarily a lawyer) with at least ten years of forensic and DNA experience at the federal law enforcement level. These positions would not be lifetime appointments.
Upon conviction and sentencing, a brief would be filed outlining the grounds for appeal- matters of law, fact or constitutionality. The court could rule in three possible ways;
First, the USCCA could concur with the decision of the lower court, and order that the defendant be returned for execution of sentence. Of course, this decision would carry an automatic habeas corpus appeal to the US Supreme Court.
Secondly, the court could order a de novo hearing. Thus, the case would be adjudicated by the USCCA.
Thirdly, the court could remand the case, with instruction, to the highest court within the state in which the original conviction occurred. Thus, the state Supreme Court would adjudicate the matter. If a capital conviction should result, the case would again proceed to the USCCA.
This procedure should satisfy both sides of the death penalty debate. There is no doubt whatsoever that in some jurisdictions, individuals are railroaded into convictions, receive incompetent representation or are the victims of tainted evidence and so on. On the other side of the coin, those guilty of heinous crimes will not be able to appeal for two or three decades- typically, there will be an execution of sentence within one or two years of the initial conviction.
I understand that there are those who oppose the death penalty in any case, but for the foreseeable future there will be states that retain capital punishment. This plan offers hope for the falsely-convicted, and satisfaction for families of victims of horrendous crimes.
You must be an engineer. You realize, I hope, that nobody asked you to solve the problem, and that, having solved it to your own satisfaction, nobody else cares.
When people can’t tell the difference between what is and isn’t possible, discussion with them is a waste of time.
You realize, I hope, that nobody asked you to solve the problem, and that, having solved it to your own satisfaction, nobody else cares.
Nobody asked you to respond, either.
When people can’t tell the difference between what is and isn’t possible, discussion with them is a waste of time.
Are you saying that Congress doesn’t have the power to create federal courts? Or, do you prefer the status quo- where innocent defendants are executed?
Don’t bother ‘wasting your time’ with a response.
Much cheaper and easier to do away with capital punishment. I don’t get the desire to kill people to get revenge. As long as I am protected from dangerous people I’m happy.
So the guy who thinks that the government is incompetent to deliver mail thinks that the government is perfectly competent in deciding which of its citizens to kill.
Hypocrite.
…the guy who thinks that the government is incompetent to deliver mail…
I don’t “think” it. They prove it every year.
…thinks that the government is perfectly competent in deciding which of its citizens to kill.
Huh? Are you a mind-reader, too? Exactly where in my post do I advocate on the issue of the death penalty itself, one way or another?
My plan constitutes an alternative to the status quo…nothing more.
“Are you saying that Congress doesn’t have the power to create federal courts?”
No, I’m saying nobody cares about your solution.
“Or, do you prefer the status quo- where innocent defendants are executed?”
Those aren’t the only two alternatives. Only a narcissistic moron like you would think they are.
Your plan represents your towering self-regard — nothing more.
Don’t bother responding yourself. Dick.
Your plan represents your towering self-regard — nothing more.
Wow. It took you a whole seven minutes to respond to my post. So much for “not caring.”
After all, wasn’t it you who said:
…nobody asked you to solve the problem, and that, having solved it to your own satisfaction, nobody else cares.
Your obsession seems to be a bit of a contradiction, wouldn’t you say? I suppose I should be gratified that you find me to be a more important subject than the death penalty, but it does seem to be a bit creepy.
For those who were unable to make it out to any of the events with Witness to Innocence, here is the UD Review’s take on last Thursday’s talk at Delaware: http://udreview.com/2014/02/21/death-penalty-exonerates-advocate-for-abolition-call-delaware-to-action/
If you are interested in the issue of innocence, I highly recommend seeing the Delaware Theatre Company’s performance of “The Exonerated” running now through March 9th. Here’s a video from right after the show Friday night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hPkjPBQPts&feature=youtu.be
Again, an either-or choice is all you see.
The subject is important, but your thoughts on it are not. Nobody cares because you’re clearly here to play the troll. Your suggestion is not serious, because it takes for granted a constituency exists for your position. None does, nor is any likely to develop.
Please do the rest of your intellectual masturbating in private.
Another good film is “A Thin Blue Line”
The subject is important, but your thoughts on it are not.
Why? Because you say so? Who cares what you say?
Your suggestion is not serious, because it takes for granted a constituency exists for your position.
I didn’t say that I expected Congress to take action. But, I do think that it’s a good idea, for the reasons expressed in my initial post.
You seem to be pretty fixated for a guy who said;
When people can’t tell the difference between what is and isn’t possible, discussion with them is a waste of time.
I am flattered by your attention. Obviously, you don’t really consider it to be a “waste of time”…as they say, actions speak louder than words.
Don’t flatter yourself. I just like beating up on assholes.