16 June 2002
MEDIA ADVISORY
BREAKING DEATH PENALTY RELATED NEWS -- THIS WEEK
(and/or next)....
FROM: Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty
CONTACT:
<abe@cuadp.org>
800-973-6548
561-371-5204 (mobile - please try 800-973-6548 first.)
BREAKING DEATH PENALTY RELATED NEWS -- THIS WEEK (or
next)....
The United States Supreme Court is expected to issue
several potentially landmark decisions before its current session ends,
probably by June 28.
*** A decision in Atkins V. Virginia re-examines and
will determine whether executing mentally retarded people violates the
8th Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
*** A decision in Ring V. Arizona will determine whether
it is unconstitutional for a judge to be the final arbiter in deciding
whether a convicted capital defendant shall receive the death penalty,
or if such a decision must be made by a jury.
Together, these two cases could affect almost 33% of the
more than 3,700 prisoners under sentence of death in the United States.
Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty director Abe
Bonowitz is available for comment.
SPECIAL NOTE: The Ring decision could invalidate more
than 370 Florida death sentences, or jump-start the waiting conveyer
belt to Florida's death chamber. Bonowitz is ALSO the director of
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Please see <http://www.FADP.org>
***** ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO *****
June 29 is the 30th anniversary of the US Supreme
Court's 1972 decision in Furman V. Georgia, which struck down all death
penalty laws, removed more than 600 individuals from US death rows, and
forced states to write new death penalty laws if they wanted to retain
capital punishment. See <http://www.abolition.org/annual.html>
for links to more information and historical perspective.
PHOTO OP!!!
Death Penalty Abolitionists from across the nation and beyond will
gather at the US Supreme Court for the Ninth Annual Fast & Vigil to
Abolish the Death Penalty at the US Supreme Court. See <http://www.cuadp.org/pressrel.html>
for the full press release and more information.
***** ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO *****
FREE SPEECH ON TRIAL!
The following letter was published YESTERDAY in the
WASHINGTON POST:
6/15/02
Muzzled Outside the Supreme Court
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals recently struck
down a ban on demonstrations on the sidewalk of the Capitol's east
front [front page, June 1]. While sidewalk demonstrations had been
banned, demonstrations were permitted on the steps of the Capitol.
Across the street at the Supreme Court, however, the opposite is true:
Protests are allowed on the sidewalk but not on the steps. A Supreme
Court police officer has actually said to us, and we quote,
"Where the marble starts, free speech ends."
Later this month, 7 anti-death penalty
demonstrators will go on trial at D.C. Superior Court for the crime of
unfurling a banner reading "Stop Executions!" at the top of
the Supreme Court steps on Jan. 17, the 25th anniversary of the
resumption of executions under contemporary law. Peaceful, nonviolent
dissent in this country is a right and a citizen's duty. It is
inexcusable for the government to send conflicting messages to
individuals who engage in such protest based solely upon the location
of such activity.
ABRAHAM J. BONOWITZ---Jupiter, Fla.
RICK HALPERIN---Dallas
*******
The trial of the "Supreme Court Seven" will
begin on June 27 or 28 (we hope to move it to the 28th). See <http://www.abolition.org/jan17-2002.html>
for background, including links to news items about this case in the
Washington Post and The Legal Times, the press release, and photos.
*******
SENT BY:
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Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director
Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (CUADP)
PMB 335, 2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy,
Gainesville, FL 32609
800-973-6548 <http://www.cuadp.org>
<abe@cuadp.org>
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