Campaign Update - Week of 12/12/2011

Listen to Bernie Hayes Show on Thursday, December 15
It’s the Campaign’s 6th Anniversary. Vera and Jamala will be on Bernie’s Show at 7 am on WGNU 920 AM. Redditt Hudson of the ACLU will be joining us to talk about where we’ve been and where we’re going.

Coordinated Partners for Reggie
A recent meeting of the partners has the Campaign excited about the momentum-building activities leading up to the March 5, 2012 hearing for Reggie. Our partners are ACLU, Amnesty International, MADP and the NAACP.

In addition to the events and programs that we will be letting you know about soon, between now and March 5 we will need your help to:

-Collect 10,000 signatures
-Help distribute fact sheets about Reggie’s case
-Prominently display Reggie’s case on website
-Assist in securing 100 new members to Reggie’s List of Influentials

“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 12/5/2011

Amnesty International Write-a-Thon
This Saturday, DECEMBER 10TH (Human Rights Day), please join us for the Annual Amnesty St. Louis Write-a-thon at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Ave. Maplewood, MO 63143) to write letters on behalf of prisoners at risk. Once again, AI has selected Reggie’s case. Stop in anytime between 3:00 PM -9:00 PM to: write, meet local members, and enjoy the food and beverages offered by the Bottleworks. For more info, click here.

Petition Signatures
We are escalating efforts for local signatures so that we match our national and international support. There are a number of opportunities this weekend and this holiday season. Please take a petition* with you (attached). Petitions are also downloaded from Reggie’s website.

Good News on the Justice Front
Prosecutors have ended the 30 year pursuit of trying to execute Mumia Abu Jamala for the 1981 murder of a Philly police officer. This opens up the space for Mumia and his supporters to pursue justice without the threat of execution looming over him.

Recently, a Chicago judge overturned the convictions of the four men based on DNA evidence of their innocence. Michael Saunders and Harold Richardson both served 17 years in prison for a crime they didn’t commit. Co-defendants Terrill Swift, who is on parole, was cleared, and Vincent Thames, who completed his sentence, was released. All four had been wrongfully convicted in a 1994 murder.

*Reminder, this is not a legal petition so anyone can sign it regardless of residency, age, or voter eligibility.

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

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC5TWB1K5ug?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=375]

Campaign Update - Week of 11/1/2011

Guardian News UK
The media’s interest in Reggie’s case is growing. Last week, the Guardian News (United Kingdom) came to Missouri to interview Reggie and others. The Guardian plans to follow the case up to the March 5 hearing.

Teach in at Occupy St. Louis
The ACLU is doing a teach-in on Reggie’s case downtown at Keiner Plaza, 7th & Market on Wednesday, November 2 from 5:00-6:00 PM. Check it out if you can or let others know about it.

Justice Derailed
Please view and circulate the latest video on Reggie’s case put together by our partner, Amnesty International: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC5TWB1K5ug

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

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Campaign Update - Week of 10/17/2011

Radio Interview Today
Jamala and Ernest Covington (Amnesty International) will be guests on Jaws for Justice to talk about Reggie’s case today at 7:00 pm CST. You can tune in the live stream with host KKFI’s Sista G by clicking www.kkfi.org.

AI Midwest Regional in Kansas City, October 28-30
Join Amnesty International, ACLU, Missourians Against Death Penalty and the Justice for Reggie Campaign for a Kick off Rally for Reggie!!!! The rally is Friday, October 28 at 5:30 pm at the J.C. Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main. Reggie’s parents will be speakers.

If you are in or near the Kansas City area next weekend, make plans to attend the Regional as we intensify our efforts to save Reggie and end the death penalty in Missouri. For those in St. Louis, it’s about a 3-½ hour drive. For information regarding the conference, visit the AI website at www.amnestyusa.org/events/regional-conferences/midwest-regional-conference.

“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 10/10/2011

Jamala Rogers on Sunday Morning Live Radio Show
Join the conversation about Reggie Clemons with Jamala and Jade Harrell on KMJM 104.9 FM Sunday, October 16 at 7:00 A.M.

World Day Against the Death Penalty
St. Louis was part of an international wave to recognize the fallacies and injustices of the death penalty. Our national partners –ACLU, Amnesty International (AI), MADP and the NAACP—all helped to bring the local rally together on October 10 to uplift Reggie’s case. Laura Moye came in from AI’s national office to connect the dots between Reggie and Troy Davis’ cases. We appreciated all the supporters who came out. There is much work ahead for us on this battlefront.

March 5, 2012 Is The New Hearing Date
We will be intensifying our efforts on the ground from now until March 5 to talk about Reggie’s case. We will be using the traditional media, social networking, petitioning, speakers’ bureau, etc. to get our message out. Please join us, our partners and friends as we bring Missouri to the forefront.

“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 10/3/2011

World Day Against the Death Penalty
Our Coordinated Team of National Partners (ACLU, Amnesty. MADP and NAACP) will be planning a weekend of activities leading to the World Day Against the Death Penalty being recognized throughout the civilized world. The highlighted text represents action needed by you.

See scheduled activities below:

Saturday, Oct 8, 11 am – 1 pm Petitioning for Reggie
Forest Park, Central West End, The Loop and the Civic Center MetroLink stops have been targeted for collecting signatures. We need people near each of these to gather signatures or to distribute Reggie’s literature.

Sunday morning, Oct 9 “Faith, Fairness & the Death Penalty”
We encourage faith leaders to talk about the death penalty and its flaws using cases like Troy Davis’ and Reggie’s. Please let us know if your church will be participating so we can add them to the list of participants.

Monday, Oct 10, 7-8 pm World Day Against the Death Penalty
The rally will be held at the Gateway Classic Foundation, 2012 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in St. Louis, MO. It will be a part of a worldwide effort to bring attention to the failures of the death penalty system. There will be speakers and cultural performances to bring up the energy and give us the vision. We need you to help get out as many people as possible by circulating the attached flyer.

“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 9/26/2011

Execution of Troy Davis
September 21 was a sad day in the history of American justice. The execution of Troy Davis, despite the litany of high profile people and mass support along with the gripping doubts in the case, should have been enough to stop his execution. We cannot be discouraged; we have our work cut out for us.

World Day Aginst the Death Penalty
Our Coordinated Team (ACLU, Amnesty and MADP) will be planning a weekend of activities leading to the World Day Against the Death Penalty being recognized throughout the civilized world. See scheduled activities below:

Saturday, Oct 8, 11 am – 1 pm Petitioning for Reggie
Forest Park, Central West End, The Loop and the Civic Center MetroLink stops have been targeted for collecting signatures. We need people near each of these to gather signatures or to distribute Reggie’s literature.

Sunday morning, Oct 9 “Faith, Fairness & the Death Penalty”
We encourage faith leaders to talk about the death penalty and its flaws using cases like Troy Davis and Reggie. Please let us know if your church will be participating so we can add them to the list of participants.

Monday, Oct 10, 7-8 pm World Day Against the Death Penalty
Our rally will be a part of a worldwide effort to bring attention to the failures of the death penalty system. There will be speakers and performances to bring up the energy and give us the vision. Venue to be announced soon.

“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 09/05/2011

Flaws of the Judicial System
We know that the contradictions of the U.S. justice system are many. We also know that the wheels of justice turn very slowly and in too many cases, they grind to a screeching halt. Here’s news to share on 3 cases:

Troy Davis has now received an execution case of September 21 by the Georgia State Supreme Court. Troy’s case is wrought with problems and has received international attention. Despite recanting of witnesses and other issues, the state seems bent on killing another innocent man. In the days ahead, we will let you know the best ways to support Troy.

Dale Helmig of Missouri has finally received his freedom papers. Helmig had been convicted by an overzealous Kenny Hulshof in the 1996 murder of his mother. Last year Dale was released on bond after a judge overturned the conviction, citing Dale’s innocence. Helmig and his supporters had a long wait but the state recently decided not to retry the case, opening the door for total exoneration.

Reginald Griffin has served 25 years for a murder of a fellow inmate. The Missouri Supreme Court overturned that conviction when it was discovered that prosecutors withheld evidence that would have freed Reggie. Now Reggie must wait to see if the state will retry him. If not, Reggie may be home in a couple of months.

Panel Discussion on Dead Man Walking
Vera Thomas, Reggie’s Mother, will joing of ther family members of murder victims and death-sentenced prisoners on Thursday, September 8 at 7 pm. The panel will discuss issues raised by the recent performance of the opera “Dead Man Walking” by Union Avenue Opera. The panel will be at Christ Church (Episcopal) Cathedral, 1210 Locust. The event is free to the public.

Reggie’s 40th Birthday
Thanks to all who helped Reggie to celebrate his 40th birthday. Our Flashing for Justice was a new and different kind of activity that received measured results. We plan to build on it the concept in the future. There was also a celebration and dinner hosted by Reggie’s parents at their church. Reggie sends his heartfelt appreciation for all the kind thoughts, actions and cards.

“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 08/29/2011

Reminder-MADP Monthly Meeting Tonight
Jamala Rogers will be giving an update on Reggie’s case and its implications for the broader death penalty movement. The meeting will be held at the St. Louis County Library, 7606 Natural Bridge, at 7 pm.

Reggie’s Birthday Celebration
Bishop Thomas and Vera Thomas will host a birthday celebration for Reggie’s 40th birthday on Saturday, September 3 at 4 pm at Life Victory Center, 2922 N. Grand. Come join the festivities.

Panel on “Dead Man Walking”
The ACLU and several other organizations will present a panel on death-penalty issues raised by the recent performance of the opera “Dead Man Walking” by Union Avenue Opera. The panel will be at Christ Church (Episcopal) Cathedral, 1210 Locust, on Thursday, September 8, at 7:00 p.m. It will include family members of murder victims and of death-sentenced prisoners such as Vera Thomas, as well as clergy who have counseled death-sentenced prisoners.

All of these events are 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

Campaign Update - Week of 8/8/2011

Opportunities for Gathering Signatures
This weekend, the Midwest Uprising Convergence will be at the University of MO’s JC Penney Building. The conference is from August 12-15. If you have an hour or two to collect signatures, these will be our kind of people–open to social justice issues.

Next weekend is the Missouri Black Expo at the downtown Convention Center. Thousands will be coming through the Expol August 20-21.

If you can collect signatures at either of these events or any other upcoming event, please let me know and we can get you a petition board and information leaflets.

Reggie’s 40 Birthday Celebration
Plans are being finalized for Reggie’s 4-0 on August 30. We will give you details next week. Meanwhile, mark your calendar!

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

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Campaign Update - Week of 5/16/2011

New Hearing Date
The hearing with Judge Manners is now Monday, November 7, 2011 and will be here in St. Louis. We will keep you abreast of any new developments.

Petition Push
As previously stated, the Campaign would like to add 5,000 new signatures to Reggie’s current collection. These would be local, face to face contacts as we build for the hearing. Of course, the online petition is always available for people’s convenience.
We need volunteers to collect signatures at the upcoming African Arts Festival on May 27-30 (Sat-Mon). The Festival is at the World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park and goes pretty much all day. If you can volunteer for a ½ hour, an hour or two, that would be fantastic. If you want to cover other events that you will be attending, that’s fine too. Either way, please let us know ASAP.

New Collaborations on the Horizon
We have some exciting projects in the works and look forward to sharing them as they get finalized.

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

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Campaign Update - Week of 5/16/2011 - ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Campaign Update - Week of 5/30/2011

No News is Good News
There is no news on Reggie’s case. Both the legal and community support components are continuing their work as we move towards the November 7 hearing date. Thanks to the Reggie supporters who collected signatures over the weekend at the African Arts Festival.

Other Death Penalty News
The Missouri Supreme Court has denied the appeals for Rod Nunley and Michael Taylor. Both are co-defendants in the 1989 rape and murder case of Ann Harrison in Kansas City. The court ruling opens the door for execution dates. We will keep you posted.
Meanwhile, across the country critics of the death penalty are challenging the use of thiopentone and thiosol sodium as substitutes for sodium thiopental, one of the drugs needed in the lethal injection cocktail. The last manufacturer of the sodium thiopental shut its doors due to international pressure. Now some states are by-passing the Food and Drug Administration to order the generics drug coming from India in order to continue their executions. We’ll keep our eyes on this issue, especially on the state of Nebraska, who has already been hit with a legal challenge.

Our good friend, Attorney Sean O’Brien in Kansas City, shared another one of former prosecutor Kenny Hulshof’s tragic cases of prosecutorial misconduct. The 1990 case of Mark Woodworth, then a teen, got a raw deal from the overzealous Hulshof who preyed on under-experienced prosecutors in rural communities. Woodworth, now serving a life sentence, will get a new hearing to present unheard evidence. Two of Hulshof’s cases have already been overturned (Josh Keezer and Dale Helmig), and more cases are in the queue.

“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 04/11/2011

April 4 Commemoration Photos
We should have photos of the event up this week.

Campaign Projections
The Campaign has agreed to bump up our outreach efforts over the next several months leading up to the September 19 hearing date for Reggie. We will be asking that you help us collect 5,000 new signatures for Reggie’s clemency petition. Each month, we will be identifiying possible activities for getting signatures and soliciting volunteers to cover those events. We also want to increase our List of Influentials so if your elected official is missing or if you know a businessperson, faith leader, etc., please get their permission to be added.

Special Thanks
The Human Relations Club hosted the Campaign last week. The club showed Conviction, a commercial movie about the real wrongful conviction of Kenny Waters. We had a good discussion about Reggie’s case.

Missouri Supreme Court Reverses Bowman Death Sentence
Another case has come to light that exposes flaws in the death penalty system. Gregory Bowman was taken off death row yesterday but will remain in prison for the 1997 murder of Velda Rumfelt. This ruling will give Bowman’s defense team the time and opportunity to work on his case; his claims of innocence in this case have been echoed by his attorneys. Bowman received the death sentence in the Rumfelt case because prosecutors improperly informed jurors of two previous murder convictions by Bowman. Both of those convictions were later overturned after the sheriff’s deputy in the case admitted he had tricked Bowman into confessing.

“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 03/28/2011

April 4 Commemoration
April 4 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Chain of Rocks Bridge tragedy. The Campaign will hold a commemoration on Monday, April 4 from 6:00-7:00 pm at North Riverfront Park, just south of the Bridge. Keep on Riverview Drive and turn at Spring Garden Drive into the park. Look for green balloons at the entrance; once in the parking lot, look for Reggie’s banner. In case of bad weather, Legacy Books and Cafe will host us at 5249 Delmar Blvd.

Please download the attached leaflet on the April commemoration event which also includes details about the two King programs.

2010 Newsletter
For those of you requesting a link to the newsletter on Reggie’s website to share with others or to put on your group’s website, you can use this: http://tinyurl.com/4rxc3th

“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 3/21/2011

April 4 Commemoration
April 4 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Chain of Rocks Bridge tragedy. The Campaign will hold a commemoration on Monday, April 4 from 6:00-7:00 pm at North Riverfront Park, just south of the Bridge. Keep on Riverview Drive and turn at Spring Garden Drive into the park. Look for green balloons at the entrance; once in the parking lot, look for Reggie’s banner. In case of bad weather, Legacy Books and Cafe will host us at 5249 Delmar Blvd. Spread the word because although it is a solemn occasion, we want to build momentum towards the September 19 hearing date.

The Commemoration is less than an hour long so that those in attendance can support two other events honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, one sponsored by the Universal African People’s Organization and the other by Clergy Coalition.

Please download the attached leaflet on the April commemoration event which also includes details about the two King programs.

“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 3/14/2011

Finally! A New Hearing Date
Judge Michael Manner has tentatively set September 19 for Reggie’s rescheduled hearing date. Mark your calendar now and we will keep you posted on developments.

20th Anniversary of the Chain of Rocks Bridge Tragedy
April 4, 2011 is the 20th anniversary of the Chain of Rocks Bridge tragedy. The Justice for Reggie Campaign will hold a commemoration at the Bridge on Monday, April 4 from 6:00 -7:00 pm. In case of bad weather, Legacy Books and Café will host us at 5249 Delmar Blvd. Please plan to join us on the Bridge to pay solemn tribute to the young lives impacted that day. We will send out details next week, such as about how to get to the Bridge, etc.

Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Assassination
There are two events that we encourage you to join after the Bridge Commemoration on April 4. One is the annual Dr. King Celebration by the Universal People’s Organization to be held at Legacy Books and Café at 7 pm.
The other is sponsored by the Clergy Coalition and features the documentary on Dr. King’s last days, Road to Memphis. A panel discussion will follow the film at 7:30 pm (film starts at 6 pm).

Annual Newsletter
The Campaign’s annual newsletter is out. Each year, we publish a newsletter that chronicles the previous year’s activities and highlights. “2010: The Year of Anticipation” speaks to the anticipated May 10 hearing plus the DNA results from the Kerry rape kit and all the other work by our supporters on behalf of Reggie.

Since everyone on the listserve is not in our database to receive a hard copy of the mailing, we are attaching a copy of the newsletter with this update. Please click here to view the newsletter.

“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 3/7/2011

Chain of Rocks Bridge Tragedy Anniversary
April 4 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Bridge tragedy. This is the fateful day the paths of Reggie and his companions intersected with that of the Kerry sisters and their cousin, Tom Cummins. Please mark your calendar for a commemoration on that day. Details will be coming soon.

Election Day is Tomorrow
Don’t forget to vote. And after you vote, get some signatures for Reggie’s petition.

Good News/Bad News
The good news is that last week, the jury gave Todd Shepard life without parole in the murder of the University City police officer. Shepard confessed on the stand to the murder of Sgt. Mike King. A psychiatrist testified that Todd is delusional, paranoid—the mental state of the perpetrator is one of the mitigating circumstances that must be considered in a capital murder case.

The bad news is that the Missouri Supreme Court has denied the appeals of Ernest Lee Johnson, opening the door for an execution date. We will keep you posted on any developments in this case.

“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 2/21/2011

ACLU Lobby Day
There are still some seats left on the ACLU’s free bus to its annual Lobby Day on Tuesday, February 22. That’s tomorrow so call today to reserve your seat! The bus will leave at 7:30 am from the ACLU office after breakfast is served. A box lunch will be served at the Capitol Building. If you are interested, you need to call John as soon possible to reserve a space at 652-3114, ext 26.

Trial for Todd Shepard on February 28
Shepard is accused of killing a U City police officer and the trial will be personally prosecuted by Bob McCullough, St. Louis County Prosecutor. The trial is scheduled for 9 am on Monday, February 28 at the St. Louis County Court in Judge David Vincent’s courtroom. Get there early to get a seat.

The Importance of Your Voice
Your voice is important. The Associated Press recently wrote about the records they obtained from Governor Nixon’s office through the Sunshine Law related to the Rick Clay commutation. Clay was scheduled for execution on January 12. Apparently, hundreds of people wrote, called, faxed and emailed the Governor asking him to spark Clay’s life. Many of them raised the issue of doubt that has been a shadow on the case for years.

“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 2/14/2011

ACLU Lobby Day
The ACLU has a free bus to its annual Lobby Day on Tuesday, February 22. Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will not have a lobby day this year so this is probably the main opportunity that we will have to talk to state legislators about the death penalty. The bus will leave at 7:30 am from the ACLU office after breakfast is served. The location is 454 N. Whittier. If you are interested, you need to call John as soon possible to reserve a space at 652-3114, ext 26.

Trial for Todd Shepard on February 28
For those of you who may be interested in observing a death penalty trial, the trial for Todd Shepard is scheduled for February 28. Shepard is accused of killing a U City police officer and the trial will be personally prosecuted by Bob McCullough, St. Louis County Prosecutor. The trial is scheduled for 9:00 am on Monday, February 28 at the St. Louis County Court. Details on the court room, judge, etc. will be sent in next week’s campaign update.

“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 2/7/2011

Clearing up confusion on hearing for Reggie
We received many calls and emails about information distributed regarding a hearing for Reggie on this Monday. This is NOT the long awaited hearing that will be set up by Judge Manners, the Special Master. The Justice for Reggie Campaign, in conjunction with Reggie’s attorneys, will make sure you get such important information in a timely way. We regret any confusion.

Trial for Todd Shepard on February 28
For those of you who may be interested in observing a death penalty trial, unfortunately a high profile one is coming up this month. Shepard is accused of killing a U City police officer and the trial will be personally prosecuted by Bob McCullough, St. Louis County Prosecutor. The trial is scheduled for 9am on Monday, February 28 at the St. Louis County Court. I will send more details as the date gets closer.

“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 1/31/2011

Bryan Stevenson
(Co-director, Equal Justice& Capital Defender Clinic, N.Y.U. Law School/Executive Director, Equal Justice Institute) will speak on “Poverty, Incarceration, and Injustice in America.” The program will take place Thursday, February 3 at 12:00 noon at Washington University Law School, Bryan Cave Courtroom. The event is co-sponsored by the Black Law Student Association.

Lobby Day for Local Control of the Police
On February 8, Coalition Against Police Crimes & Repression will sponsor a Lobby Day. The car caravan will leave from the ACLU office at 454 N. Whittier at 8:00 am. If you are interested in going to Jefferson City, please respond to John at 652-3114, Ext 26 by this Thursday.

Execution Date for Martin Link
There’s been no change in the execution date. If the execution proceeds, the vigil will be Tuesday, February 8. We will keep you posted.

Meanwhile, it has been uncovered that the Food and Drug Administration has helped a couple of state get access to lethal injection drugs. This is in violation of their own policy which requires that they regulate all drugs coming into the US including sodium thiopental, the drug now in diminishing dosages around the country.

“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 1/24/2011

Chokwe Lumumba to Keynote OBS Anniversary
Attorney Chokwe Lumumba will be in St. Louis on Saturday, January 29 to keynote the 31st Anniversary Celebration of the Organization for Black Struggle. Chokwe is the attorney for the Scott Sisters who were recently released from prison in Mississippi. He is a long-time supporter of Reggie’s and is a member of his List of Influentials. For more information about the dinner program, call 314.367.5959.

Lethal Injections In The US Are At Risk
The company that makes sodium thiopental is discontinuing production at its Italy plant. That puts states like Missouri in a quandary about where to get the drug required in its execution protocol. Their current supply will expire on March 1.

Execution For Martin Link Is Still Scheduled
To date, we have heard no changes in Link’s execution. The attorneys are working on their legal procedures and we don’t know what impact the shortage of sodium thiopental will have on this February 9 execution. We’ll keep you posted.

“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 1/17/2011

REMINDER: Dr. Martin Luther King opposed the death penalty.

Executions
Again, we thank everyone who called in (for some, multiple times!) to ask MO Governor Nixon to commute the execution of Rick Clay. It opens the path for Rick and his attorneys to prove his innocence.

The execution date for Martin Link is still set for February 9 for a 1991 murder. In question is the state’s remaining supply of sodium thiopental, one of the drugs needed for lethal injection. We will keep you posted on any developments.

NCADP Conference
Bishop and Mrs. Thomas were able to attend the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty conference held last weekend in Chicago. The atmosphere was electric and jubilant based upon the death penalty repeal law passing out of both the Senate and the House recently. It is now on the desk of Illinois Governor Quinn for his signing.

Some of our friends were there including Amnesty International and Sister Helen Prejean, both who are on Reggie’s List of Influentials. Bishop Thomas was asked to give remarks about Sr. Helen who was being honored for her work to abolish the death penalty.

“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 1/10/2011

More on Rick Clay
Now that we can slow it down a bit, I wanted to respond to the number of questions about what commutation means and to explain Governor Nixon’s motivations. First, let me remind you that the execution vigil for Clay will still go tonight from 8:30-9:00 pm at St. Francis Xavier Church on the corner of Lindell Blvd & Grand. We need to savor our victory and stand in solidarity for the next battle (see below).

After the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the Rick Clay’s execution, it was in Governor Nixon’s court to intervene. When he commuted Clay’s sentence, that meant he reversed the death sentence to life without parole. Nixon could have also empowered a board of inquiry to investigate the case and possibly get the recommendation to completely overturn the sentence but chose not to go that route. The victory is that Clay will live to continue his fight for freedom and his attorneys can continue the legal battle to prove his innocence.

The Governor’s action are incredulous on the one hand because of the infrequency of commutations in Missouri. There have only been three such actions since the death penalty was re-instated in 1976. Governor Carnahan is responsible for the other two. One was that of Bobbie Shaw in 1993 who was clearly mentally retarded. The other was Darrell Mease whose commutation was at the request of the Pope who coincidentally was visiting St. Louis at the time of the scheduled execution.

As to why Governor Nixon commuted the sentence when he emphatically states that Clay is guilty, I can only speculate. The most compelling reasons may be the lack of evidence and eye witnesses in the Clay case coupled with the recent unraveling of Kenny Hulshof’s convictions which are rife with prosecutorial misconduct. Josh Keezer and Dale Helmig had convictions overturned in the last 18 months and are both victims Hulshof’s handiwork. Hulshof was then Attorney General Jay Nixon’s chief prosecutor so Nixon’s hands aren’t exactly clean.

Having said that, I would encourage you to call Governor Nixon’s office to thank him for the commutation. We are so used to criticizing our elected officials, sometimes we forget to show our appreciation when they do the right thing. That number again is 573.751-3222.

February 9 Execution Date set for Martin Link
While we were fighting for Clay, an execution date of February 9 was set for Link in the 1991 murder of Ellisa Self-Braun. Some observers are wondering if the fast-paced scheduling of executions is to beat the March 1 expiration deadline of sodium thiopental, a drug necessary for the lethal injection drug cocktail. We’ll keep you posted on developments in this case.

“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 1/3/2011

MO Supreme Court to hear Nunley & Taylor Cases
This week on January 5 at 9 am, the Missouri Supreme Court will hear oral arguments by attorneys for Roderick Nunley and Michael Taylor. They are co-defendants in the 1989 murder of a Kansas City teen. The legal teams are challenging the death sentencing by a judge instead of a jury as mandated by a US Supreme Court ruling. The attorneys are requesting the sentences be commuted to life without parole.

Rick Clay Needs Your Support
Please call Governor Jay Nixon’s office and ask him to grant clemency to Richard Clay. Call the Governor at (573) 751-3222. The execution is scheduled for January 12, 2011 so the call needs to be made this week.

As in a number of death row cases, Clay’s case is rife with contradictions. Clay was convicted on the same kind of “evidence” that has Reggie on death row–no murder weapon was ever found, no DNA or other physical evidence was ever presented to the jury, no eyewitness testimony heard, etc. The case was prosecuted by Kenny Hulshof whose prosecutorial misconduct record is comparable to that of Nels Moss. We can’t send someone to their death on this kind of conviction!

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