Campaign Update - Week of 3/24/2008

Bridge Anniversary Postponed
Due to the flooding situation at the Chain of Rocks, we have temporarily postponed the annual anniversary of the Chain of Rocks Bridge tragedy on April 4. We are looking at another day later this month and will keep you informed.

Campaign 1515
The American Civil Liberties Union will host a reception for those who have submitted the petitions in Campaign 1515. We may also hold a press conference at that time to bring attention to the impending US Supreme Court decision on lethal injection.

The campaign is asking you to collect signatures to recognize the 15th year of Reggie’s conviction in the Chain of Rocks tragedy. You can represent your family, your church, your organization or just yourself and collect 15 completed sheets of signatures for Reggie’s clemency. The deadline for turning sheets in is April 5. It is a good opportunity to talk about Reggie’s case and get support.

HB 1870
There will be a public hearing for the moratorium bill on Tuesday, April 1 at the Capitol Building, hearing room 6. If you can make it, please do so. We will let you know when you should hit up your legislator for support.

Nebraska May Move to LWOP
The Nebraska Legislature debated LB 1063 today which replaces the death penalty with life without parole. Recall that the Nebraska State Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional. Let’s keep our eyes on this developing situation.

“Enough Already!”
Jamala Rogers, Coordinator
JUSTICE for Reggie Campaign
P. O. Box 5277
St. Louis, MO 63115
(314) 367-5959
www.justiceforreggie.com

Campaign Update - Week of 3/10/2008

Legislative Update
After the plea to death penalty opponents to call House Speaker Rod Jetton, Senator Jetton referred the moratorium and study bill, HB 1870, to the Crime Prevention and
Public Safety Committee. Thanks for your prompt action on this important matter. Now, we need to call Senator Jetton and thank him for moving the bill to committee. Please contact his office at 573-751-5912 or e-mail Senator Jetton at Rod.Jetton@house.mo.gov.

Meanwhile, the SB 800 moratorium bill by Senator Rita Day, and the SB 835 abolition bill by Senator Joan Bray are ready for hearings. Since the legislature is gearing up for their spring break, we will probably be notifying you about hearings after March 25.

Good News About a Bad Situation
A Los Angeles judge on Monday overturned the conviction of a man who has spent the last quarter-century in prison for a murder he insists he did not commit, concluding that the prosecution’s star witness lied. Willie Earl Green may be freed if the prosecutors do the right thing and not appeal the decision or go for a re-trial.

Some of you may have seen the 60 Minutes broadcast on Sunday where 2 attorneys allowed an innocent man to be imprisoned for 26 years because of the client-attorney privilege. This is another sad commentary about the justice system. Alton Logan always maintained that he never killed a security guard, but it was only after the death of the real murderer that the truth has been told. Just think if the two jurors who voted against giving Alton the death penalty had went along with the prosecution!

These are just two more out of hundreds of reasons why the death penalty needs to be abolished.

Dates to remember
The deadline for turning in the Campaign 1515 petitions is April 5. Please team up and work with your family, job, church, sorority or other group to collect 15 completed clemency petitions.

April 4 is the 15th anniversary of the Chain of Rocks Bridge tragedy. Please mark your calendar for a planned event on that day.

“Enough Already!”
Jamala Rogers, Coordinator
JUSTICE for Reggie Campaign
P. O. Box 5277
St. Louis, MO 63115
(314) 367-5959
www.justiceforreggie.com

Campaign Update - Week of 3/3/2008

Moratorium NOW! Campaign
ACTION ALERT: WE NEED YOUR HELP

Speaker of the House, Rod Jetton, has not assigned HB1870 to a committee. We must flood his office with calls to do so or we will never get a hearing on the bill.

MESSAGE:
Urge him to assign House Bill (HB)1870 to the Crime Prevention and Public Safety (CPPS) Committee THIS WEEK. HB 1870 is the bi-partisan bill calling for a death-penalty study and execution moratorium (CPPS is the committee which has traditionally considered such criminal-law measures).

WHEN:
Contact his office Wednesday, 5 March NO LATER THAN Thursday, 6 March at 12 Noon…

CONTACT:
Speaker Jetton’s office
Fax a letter: 573-526-9804 Call: 573-751-5912 OR
E-mail: Rod.Jetton@house.mo.gov
(listed in order of greatest effectiveness; use what means you have available though)

–14 Republicans and 44 Democrats have co-sponsored HB 1870 (1/3 of the
House), but it is stalled by not being assigned to a committee. Without a
committee assignment, the bill cannot receive a public hearing and further
considered by legislators. Late Thursday, March 6, 2008, Speaker Jetton will report which
bills will be referred to the various committees. Let’s make sure HB 1870 is
among the bills moving forward!

MAIN MESSAGE for Speaker Jetton:
–As a Missouri citizen, you want HB 1870 assigned to the CPPS Committee, so
there can be a public hearing and hopefully, later deliberation by the
full House. Explain that you are committed to having a fair and just criminal
justice system in our state, especially when considering such an
irreversible punishment. HB 1870 is a reasonable bill to help ensure that
fairness.

OTHER Optional points:
–You can mention your concern that people in Missouri have been wrongly
convicted, sentenced to death and even executed in Missouri; that you are
concerned by journalistic and academic reports of apparent arbitrariness and
unfairness with how the death penalty is being applied. Please DO NOT
express moral objections or a desire you may have to abolish the death
penalty;
–There is significant interest among legislators with the issue: more than
a third of all members of the House of Representatives are co-sponsors of
the measure;
–There is bi-partisan support for HB 1870 14 Republicans and 44 Democrats
have co-sponsored the bill;
–Such legislative support reflects extensive public concern with this
measure as more than 100 concerned citizens from across the state attended
the Feb. 20 Rally and Lobby Day in support of the bill;
–HB 1870 was introduced on January 28, well over a month ago. Forty-nine other
bills were assigned to the Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee late
in the day, this past week on February 28. The time for the bill to be
assigned has arrived.

PLEASE REMEMBER
In any contact with Speaker Jetton, or more likely, with his staff, please
be polite, respectful and grateful for their attention — while being
assertive.
Again, emphasize you want the bill to PLEASE be assigned to the CPPS
Committee THIS WEEK.

Thank you in advance for your actions and please feel free to share forward
this alert with any colleagues or other concerned citizens. You are also
welcome to contact me if you have other questions and/or concerns.

Sincerely,
Jeff Stack, convener
Moratorium NOW! Campaign
573-449-4585
jstack@no2death.org

“Enough Already!”
Jamala Rogers, Coordinator
JUSTICE for Reggie Campaign
P. O. Box 5277
St. Louis, MO 63115
(314) 367-5959
www.justiceforreggie.com