Campaign Update - Week of 5/23/2010

Petitioning Opportunities
We still need a few volunteers for Reggie’s table at the African Arts Festival on Saturday through Monday.
There are many opportunities this week for gathering signatures for Reggie’s clemency petition: African Arts Festival, Black Dance USA, Shakespeare in the Park and other Memorial Day events. Please download a petition from Reggie’s website to take with you. Thanks to all of you who have mailed in completed forms.

Commutation News from NCADP
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry commuted the death sentence of Richard Smith to life without possibility of parole. Smith had been convicted and sentenced in the 1986 shooting of John Cederland during an alleged drug deal. Smith insisted that his trial attorneys mounted a poor defense, which did not include his history of mental illness and drug abuse, or his childhood marred by abuse and neglect. Some jurors later said if they had known of Smith’s struggles with mental illness and drugs they would not have voted to execute him.

“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 5/17/2010

Amnesty International Press Conference
Read the report: Amnesty International: Clemons Report

Petitioning
The recent media generated by Amnesty International’s report on the Reggie Clemons case has been signficant. Because more and more people are hearing about the case, it helps in our continued storytelling about the Chain of Rocks Bridge tragedy as well as making it easier to get signatures for the clemency petition.

Please let us know if you can help at our table or collect signatures at the upcoming African Arts Festival May 29-31 from about 12:00 noon until 8:00 pm daily.The festival is in Forest Park at the World’s Pavilion. (Note: The Fest kicks off Friday but we will not have a table on that day).

Death Penalty News
The final days of the Missouri legislature saw no movement on the moratorium or abolition bills but the amendment to narrow proportionality review of death penalty cases died in the dust. Please thank Senators Jolie Justus, Joan Bray, Rita Days and Joe Keaveny for their successful efforts on putting this amendment to rest.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today in a long-awaited case declaring that life without parole is unconstitutional for juveniles convicted of crimes other than homicide. The case before the High Court was that of Terrance Graham of Florida where 60% of juveniles are locked up for life for crimes other than homicide (now that’s immoral!). As with the ruling that exempted juveniles from execution, Justice Anthony Kennedy upheld that “children are different” in the majority opinion because they really are different than adults in their development and decision-making.

“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 05/10/2010

AI Press Conference
The Amnesty International press conference went very well. We are excited about AI’s commitment to Reggie’s struggle for justice and look forward to working with them in the future. Representatives from the major news stations came out. Help us to monitor the tone and accuracy of their coverage, such as referring to Reggie as a “convicted rapist” when he never was convicted of a rape charge.

Program on Death Penalty Challenge
An informational program on the forthcoming federal civil rights action challenging the Missouri death penalty on the basis of its effects on the families at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 13 at Christ Church Cathedral’s Schuyler Hall, 1210 Locust Street (13th & Locust) in downtown St. Louis. There will be a PowerPoint presentation by Attorney John Simon and a panelist of family members familiar with having a loved one on death row (Paula Skillicorn, Mary Mifflin, and Lillie Cole). This event is free and open to the public.

Opportunities for Petition Signatures
Volunteers are needed to cover events like the Annie Malone Parade this Sunday (May 16) and the African Arts Festival (May 28-31). At the Festival, the Campaign will have a table telling Reggie’s tee shirts and buttons so we need supporters to sign up for shifts during the 4 days.

“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 05/03/2010

Please take note of the important upcoming events:

Sunday, May 9
The Clergy Coalition is hosting a Mother’s Day Service of Thanksgiving at Lane Tabernacle CME Church at 7:00 p.m. Film Maker and Public Speaker Reggie Bullock, the producer of “WAR FOR YOUR SOUL” will be the Keynote Speaker. Vera Thomas will be a special honoree. This event is free and open to the public.

Tuesday, May 11
Join us in welcoming the national reps from Amnesty International as they release their report on Reggie’s case entitled USA: Model criminal justice? Death by prosecutorial misconduct and a ‘stacked’ jury. The press conference will be at 11:00 am on the steps of the old Municipal Courts Building, 14th & Market.

Thursday, May 13
An informational program on the forthcoming federal civil rights action challenging the Missouri death penalty on the basis of its effects on the families will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, at Christ Church Cathedral’s Schuyler Hall, 1210 Locust Street (13th & Locust) in downtown St. Louis. There will be a PowerPoint presentation by Attorney John Simon and a panelist of family members familiar with having a loved one on death row (Paula Skillicorn, Mary Mifflin, and Lillie Cole). This event is free and open to the public.

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