EXECUTION MORATORIUM
- by: Seal of Solidarity & Texas Moratorium Network
- recipient: Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, United States Department of Justice and President Barack Obama
On February 17th 2004 a man was executed in Huntsville, Texas who continued to proclaim his innocence while strapped to the execution gurney. His name was Cameron Todd Willingham, and he died for the crime of having committed murder by arson in the deaths of his children - a crime of which he indeed has now been proven innocent, giving him the dubious honor of becoming the first person since the reintroduction of the death penalty in the United States in 1976 who may now officially be declared innocent - ....posthumously.
Reason to celebrate, to protest, to fear? Maybe all of that, or none, but most of all it's a reason to take stock and reflect - is the death penalty really still adequate in this day and age - was it ever adequate as a means of punishment - and does it really fit the justice system of one of the most advanced countries in the modern world?
Any of us active for a prisoner on death row, or participating in campaigns or organizations for the abolition of the death penalty would strongly affirm to the negative, but we are also aware that any decisions on this issue ultimately are made by the United States government and by state governments in the U.S.
However, the issues and problems that keep surrounding this particular part of the US justice system, culminating in the new evidence of an inappropriate death verdict having actually been carried out in the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, can but be of great worry to any concerned citizen - be it of the United States or any other freedom-loving country - who believes in fair trials and a functioning justice system that actually serves its people.
Therefore, as concerned US- and international citizens, we ask for an immediate introduction of a U.S.-wide execution moratorium combined with the opportunity for all prisoners currently on death row in the United States to be allowed to present at court any new evidence proving his/her wrongful conviction and/or the inappropriateness of his/her death sentence.
The United States has motivated and inspired the world on many positive issues - let's work together to also make it so on the issue of a fair and adequate justice system.
Seal of Solidarity & Texas Moratorium Network
EXECUTION MORATORIUM
On February 17th 2004 a man was executed in Huntsville, Texas who continued to proclaim his innocence while strapped to the execution gurney. His name was Cameron Todd Willingham, and he died for the crime of having committed murder by arson in the deaths of his children - a crime of which he indeed has now been proven innocent, giving him the dubious honor of becoming the first person since the reintroduction of the death penalty in the United States in 1976 who may now officially be declared innocent - ....posthumously.
Reason to celebrate, to protest, to fear? Maybe all of that, or none, but most of all it's a reason to take stock and reflect - is the death penalty really still adequate in this day and age - was it ever adequate as a means of punishment - and does it really fit the justice system of one of the most advanced countries in the modern world?
Any of us active for a prisoner on death row, or participating in campaigns or organizations for the abolition of the death penalty would strongly affirm to the negative, but we are also aware that any decisions on this issue ultimately are made by the United States government and by state governments in the U.S.
However, the issues and problems that keep surrounding this particular part of the US justice system, culminating in the new evidence of an inappropriate death verdict having actually been carried out in the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, can but be of great worry to any concerned citizen - be it of the United States or any other freedom-loving country - who believes in fair trials and a functioning justice system that actually serves its people.
Therefore, as concerned US- and international citizens, we ask for an immediate introduction of a U.S.-wide execution moratorium combined with the opportunity for all prisoners currently on death row in the United States to be allowed to present at court any new evidence proving his/her wrongful conviction and/or the inappropriateness of his/her death sentence.
The United States has motivated and inspired the world on many positive issues - let's work together to also make it so on the issue of a fair and adequate justice system.
Seal of Solidarity & Texas Moratorium Network
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