Patrick Knight, Texas Death Row

Patrick Knight has an execution date of June 26th 2007. He will be executed by lethal injection. He has asked me to let everyone know he will die laughing, and I have created a Myspace about this, "Dead Man Laughing". Pleases add yourself to his page.
http://www.myspace.com/prisonuprise

Timothy Atkins, Free after 23 Years Wrongfully Incarcerated

On Feb. 9, Timothy Atkins became the fifth wrongfully convicted prisoner released thanks to the work of the California Innocence Project of California Western School of Law.
"This never gets old," said Professor Justin Brooks as he watched Atkins hug his mother for the first time in 23 years. Atkins' conviction was overturned by Los Angeles Judge Michael Tynan after the project attorneys presented new evidence, including a witness who recanted her trial testimony, proving Atkins' innocence.
"This is the pinnacle of our existence," said Brooks, who founded the California Innocence Project at California Western in 2000. "This is the whole goal: freeing the innocent." Read On...

http://abolishmentmovement.mywowbb.com/forum22/2956.html

Cases Heard in Court

Read on for Capital Defense Weekly Reports..
http://abolishmentmovement.mywowbb.com/forum41/2955.html

$82.00 a night, Booking a Cell in a Five Star Jail

SANTA ANA, Calif., April 25 — Anyone convicted of a crime knows a debt to society often must be paid in jail. But a slice of Californians willing to supplement that debt with cash (no personal checks, please) are finding that the time can be almost bearable.
For offenders whose crimes are usually relatively minor (carjackers should not bother) and whose bank accounts remain lofty, a dozen or so city jails across the state offer pay-to-stay upgrades. Theirs are a clean, quiet, if not exactly recherché alternative to the standard county jails, where the walls are bars, the fellow inmates are hardened and privileges are few. Read on..
http://abolishmentmovement.mywowbb.com/new_topic.php?forum_id=22

Riot Inmates Transferred

New Castle Inmates Transferred To Make Room For Riot Suspects April 28, 2007 09:13 PM
NEW CASTLE, Ind. - Prison officials have transferred a total of about 220 inmates from the New Castle Correctional Facility in the wake of Tuesday's riot.
The decision was made in part to free up room in segregation units for inmates who took part in the disturbance.
Officials say eighteen inmates who had been in segregation cells at the New Castle prison were transferred to the Miami Correctional Facility near Kokomo.
Officials had earlier moved about 200 inmates to other prisons after watching videotapes of Tuesday's disturbance. About 500 inmates from Arizona and Indiana took part in the riot, damaging housing units, burning mattresses in a courtyard, breaking windows and damaging sinks and toilets.
http://www.wishtv.com/global/story.asp?s=6441539&ClientType=Printable

U.S. Sentencing Commission votes for changes to crack cocaine sentencing guidlines

WASHINGTON, D.C.: For the first time in 12 years, the U.S. Sentencing Commission has approved guideline changes to federal crack cocaine penalties, tonight by a 6-1 vote. The amendment affects approximately 78 percent of defendants convicted of crack cocaine offenses, reducing their sentences by an average of 16 months. It will now be sent to Congress on May 1, 2007, along with other proposed sentencing amendments. Read on...http://abolishmentmovement.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=2954&forum_id=22

Kenneth Foster Jr. Texas Death Row

This is a post from one of Kenneth's supporters. He needs everyones help at this point, family, friends, aquaintences, and even strangers. Read about the unjustice being done to this man..

From Adam:

You probably know by now but Kenneths appeal to the Supreme Court has just been denied. He has only one appeal left and that is to the lower courts in a Subsequent Writ. Lisa & I have compiled a list of politicians, media outlets, and celebrities who we feel may be able to help Kenneth in some way (if you have contacts to add please send them to me). The plan is for everyone to send the entire list out once a week. Hopefully the frequency will catch their attention. Because there are such a large number of politicians I have broken it down to 5 groups (so we need 5 of us who will sign up for doing this every week). Please let me know if you want to be one of the 5 and only do so if you will have 1-2 hours every week to email out the list. I want to make sure that these politicians are getting hit at least once a week. If you don’t want to commit to doing it every week please send out the list whenever you have free time.Below is the letter we have been using, and the list of contacts. You can copy and paste the letter in the emails and if you are not comfortable with including your contact info at the bottom feel free to use mine. Thanks for all your help!Adam(732) 796-5230adama@dealmakers.net

Kenneth has a thread on The Abolishment Movement, Read on (scroll to the end for the rest of this post)

http://abolishmentmovement.mywowbb.com/forum54/2587.html

This Is Cathy Henderson, convicted for the murder of a baby that was in her care with Sister Helen Prejean. Cathy is scheduled to be executed in June. She was originally scheduled for April, but recieved a 54 day stay. This case is highly contraversal. I did a story about Executing Women...

The United States as well as other countries executes female inmates. Over forty women have been executed in the US since 1976. High profile cases of women executed include Karla Faye Tucker, executed by the state of Texas by lethal injection on February 3, 1998, Aileen Wouorness, executed by lethal injection by the state of Florida on October 9, 1992, and recently Frances Newton, executed by the State of Texas, by lethal injection on September 15, 2005.

The newest female to be given an execution date is Cathy Henderson, Texas. According to the Save Cathy Henderson website, and to Sister Helen Prejean, " Cathy was condemned to death for murdering a baby. That's what the Texas prosecutor claimed. But I believe Cathy's version of what happened. Cathy was baby-sitting with little Brandon and, to stop him from crying, was swinging him around when, barefooted, she stepped on a sharp toy, lost her balance, and the baby flew out of her arms, hit the wall, and died. It was an accident, but at trial there was miserable defense for Cathy to tell her story and examine forensic evidence to show that the baby could have died as a result of such an accident. The plight of the poor: no defense for Cathy, who sits on death row, and a venal prosecutor, who presented her as a monster and now sits in the legislature." http://www.cathyhenderson.org/ Cathy is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on April 18, 2007, unless a stay of execution is issued by Rick Perry, the Governor of Texas.

read on:http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/115111/executing_women_what_message_does_this.html

ATTENTION

Do You Have A Prison Related Link You Would Like To Add Here?
Please Email It To Me.

UPCOMING EXECUTIONS

Scheduled Executions for May
3 AL, Aaron Lee Jones
4 IN ,David Leon Woods
8 NE ,Carey Dean Moore - Volunteer
9 TN, Philip Workman
9 TN, Steven James Rollins - Stay Likely
10 TX, Jose Moreno
16 TN, David Ivy - Stay Likely
16 TX, Charles Smith
22 AZ, Robert Charles Comer
23 TN, William Glenn Rogers - Stay Likely
24 OH, Christopher Newton - Volunteer

Carey Dean Moore, To Be Electrocuted By Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. - When the state of Nebraska tries to kill death row inmate Carey Dean Moore with 2,450 volts in the electric chair May 8, some expectmovement after the jolt _ from Moore's heart.The macabre image of an inmate in the chair with a beating heart possiblyseveral minutes after the state tries to put him to death isn't drawn bysomebody trying to scuttle the execution....read on

http://abolishmentmovement.mywowbb.com/forum133/2952.html

Interview With Mel, A Female Corrections Officer

I met Mel on Myspace. Mel is female prison guard. She sent me a message after viewing my anti-death penalty page. She stated she was not trying confront me, but she did have legitimate questions to ask me.

I asked Mel if she would do an interview with me and she agreed. Read about her interview, her life as a prison guard here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/219075/interview_with_mel_a_female_corrections.html

Interview With Capital-"X", Hip Hop Artist

Capital-"X" is a hip Hop artist that advocates for death row inmates and prison reform through his music

Raised in the streets and in prison, Capital-"X" turned his life around through his music he calls Reality Hip Hop, or Raptivism. A strong supporter for death row inmates, and activist for prison rights, Capital-"X" brings awareness to people through his music, and lyrics. Like he has stated, "My music speaks for itself", this powerful interview with Capital-"X" does also.

Read on.....http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/219037/interview_with_capitalx.html

Supreme Court Rejects Three Death Sentences

T he following story is about Texas Courts, and making big mistakes. Three inmate's death sentence cases were thrown out of court Monday because the Courts were at fault.

Texas has executed twelve defendents already this year. How many of those executed were denied a fair sentencing? How many of those had "migrating" factors, that could have resulted in life sentencing rather than death?

I know of one already, that of Roy Pippen, whose lawyer claimed his migrating evidence was "kill or be killed". But that was overlooked and Roy was executed on March 29, 2007.

I suppose if every case was looked over thourougly, they will find many lives that could have been spared.
Heres the story:

The Supreme Court rejected three death row sentences on Monday. The ruling 5-4 stated that the courts reviewing the cases failed to follow the guidance of the high court. Both the New Orleans based 5th circuit court and the Texas Court of Appeals incorrectly analyzed "whether faulty jury instructions prevented Texas jurors from considering migrating evidence that might have persuaded them to spare the men from execution," as reported by the Houston Chronicle, Washington Bureau. The three men involved were Jalil-Abdul-Kabir, Brent Brewer, and LaRoyce Smith.

Read on...http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/226492/three_death_sentences_rejected_more.html

Texas To Execute Another Inmate Tonight

Texas is to execute another inmate by lethal injection, Ryan Dickson for the shotgun murders of an elderly couple. This will be the thirteenth execution this year by Texas. Days ago The Supreme Court threw out 3 death sentence cases because of court negligence. Ryan was just 18 at the time of his crime, and had he been 13 days younger, he would have been taken from death row and incarcerated in another unit, because he would have been a juvenile when his crime occurred. I will do a follow up on Ryan.

Contact Information To The Governor of Texas:

TEXAS Governor Rick Perry

Office of the GovernorP.O. Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711-2428

USAFax: (512) 463-1849

Phone: (512) 463-1782

Email: http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact

UPDATE:

Ryan Dickson, 30 years old was executed by lethal injection in Texas last night. He was the thirteenth inmate executed by Texas this year, and the 152nd inmate executed under the Governorship of Governor Rick Perry. This amount of executions equals the same amount by President George Bush, when he was Governor of Texas.
Ryan was 18 at the time of his crime, and fell short just 13 days of being a juvinile. Texas does not executed juveniles, and Dickson would have served life in prison. A troubled youth, Dickson was in trouble with the law at an early age for assaults and burglery, and at the age of nine was on probation for stealing bikes. Ryan served time in the Texas Youth Center.
Ryan was convicted for the shotgun murders of Carmelo Surace, 61, and his wife, Marie, 60. Dickson claimed it was a robbery gone bad when he wrestled with Mr. Surace for the gun, and the gun went off killing Surace. He also claims shooting Mrs. Surace was an accident. Former Potter County District Attorney Rebecca King, who prosecuted the two capital murder cases against Dickson, disputed his story of the shootings, especially Marie Surace's death. The woman was trying to make a phone call, she said, according to MICHAEL GRACZYK reporter, and posted from The Star Telegram. Dickson's brother and two other companions stood outside the store as "look outs" when the robbery of $20.00 of beer took place.
When asked if he had any last words, Dickson was reported to have said "I am sorry for what I did, and I take responsibility for what I did," "I do apologize to the Surace family," Dickson said in the seconds before he died. "I am responsible for them losing their mother, their father, their grandfather and their grandmother. I never meant for them to be taken." There no witnesses on either side, Dickson's family or the victims family.
Just days ago, three Texas inmate's death row cases were rejected from the court because of court negligence in guiding the jurors, concerning migrating factors. It is disputable wether or not there were any migrating factors in Dickson's case. An estimate 50 more Texas cases stemming from 1991 are expected to be reviewed and possibly resentenced.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/226492/three_death_sentences_rejected_more.html
Sources:Michael, staff reporter

Ohio Executes Inmate

James Filiaggi 41, was executed by the state of Ohio on April 24, 2007 for killing his wife Lisa in 1994. He was executed by lethal injection just days after a study on lethal injection showed the lethal cocktail was cruel and unusual.

Lethal Injection, Chemical Asphyxiation?

Lethal Injection, the method most states use for executions has been under a lot of controversy lately. Eleven states have halted lethal injections claiming it is indeed cruel and unusual. Now, if eleven states feel it is cruel and unusual, then why isn't it cruel and unusual for the remaining states? In Texas, lethal injection on animals is not allowed unless the technician is fully trained and licensed, but yet the execution team in Texas are not licensed, or medically trained.

Medical doctors and nurses are not allowed to perform executions because of the oath they have taken to preserve life, so therefor untrained prison staff do the dirty work. The following is an article that will keep your eyes wide open. Please take the time to read this, and share it with your friends.

You see, the inmate does not "just go to sleep" as they want the public to believe.

http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0040156

Interview With A Condemned Man, Roy Pippin

From his "death watch" cell, this interview was conducted by mail for The Abolishment Movement

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/176719/interview_with_a_condemned_man.html

Scott Panetti, Mentally Ill On Texas Death Row

Dressed in costume like one of the actors in an old Western Movie, with a big brimmed cowboy hat hanging on his shoulders by the strap, plaid shirt, bandana, fancy cowboy boots, and spurs, Scott Panetti proceeded to defend himself, playing out the role of lawyer. The prevailing judge, Ables allowed his court to be turned into a three ring circus as jurors watched, stunned at what they were seeing and hearing, some fearing the man they watched before them.
No, this isn't the makings of a Hollywood movie, this is a Texas courtroom in 1995, with defendant Scott Panetti on trial for the shot gun murders of his parents-inlaws, attempting to play the role of attorney, in his own Capital murder trial. The trial resulted in a death sentence.

Read on:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/211156/scott_panetti_mentaly_ill_on_texas.html

Interview With Shemonster, Vikki Panetti

Vikki Panetti is "Shemonster". Vikki's brother Scott Panetti is on Texas death row. Vikki is a prison rights activist, among many other things. Read Vikki's interview here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/192366/_interview_with_vikki_panetti_shemonster.html

Sex Predators Can Recieve The Death Sentence In Texas

http://www.kdhnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=15539

Add Your Voice

Information is power, Help The NCADP

http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/signUp.jsp?key=28

Statistics On The Death Penalty

Interview With Jav'lin

Jav'lin is a Hip Hop Artist, married to a death row inmate, Kenneth Foster Jr.
Read all about her interview here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/206021/interview_with_javlin_hip_hop_artist.html
Thanks for reading, more about Kenneth Foster Jr. On this page.

When Death Row Inmates Request To Die

A South Dakota man Elijah Page was scheduled to be executed by the state of South Dakota in August of 2006. Page was a convicted killer, who tortured his victim Chester Allen Poage before brutally beating him to death. There were two other codefendants in the case, Briley Piper, who is also on death row, and Darryl Hoadley who was sentenced to life.

According to Associated Press and court testimony, "Hoadley said Page and Piper planned to steal a stereo, a television and other property from Poage's mother's house in Spearfish. A prosecutor said Poage was killed so there would be no witness.

Hoadley said Piper stabbed Poage three times in the head and neck, and Page kicked Poage 30 to 40 times in the head, tearing his ears off, then hit him on the head with large rocks.

Hoadley said he hit Poage with two large rocks near the end of the attack, which lasted at least two hours. He said he was afraid Piper and Page would kill him if he interfered or tried to leave."

Elijah Page had a long history of abuse as a child, and was often molested as a child for drug money. Neighbors of the family testified in court on his behalf, and at one point were gathering together to get the Page children removed from the house.Warren Johnson, the judge who presided over Page's punishment trial, stated, "Most parents treated their pets better than your parents treated you." The millions of dollars spent on the death penalty system could be much better spent on treating and preventing drug use, which may have spared Page a twisted childhood and saved the life of Allan Poage. continued at:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/210140/when_death_row_inmates_request_to_die.html

Still On Death Row After Another Has Confessed

I am a prison rights activist/advocate concerned about the case of Gregory Wright, who is claiming his innocence on Texas Death Row, and who has information and evidence that proves his innocence. Yet he awaits execution by lethal injection. How does this happen in a Capital Murder case?

Read more about it here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/126989/still_on_texas_death_row_despite_confession.html

Interview With Sandie, Death Row Advocate

I met Sandie on Myspace. We clicked on each others page to become friends. We had one thing in common right from the start. We were both prison reformists. Sandie had one of the most effective activist pages I had seen, and it was loaded with Capital offense information. Sandie is also an advocate for death row inmates, and began doing pages for them also, to make their cases known.
Sandie is a 44 year old beautiful women who lives in the UK. A mother of two children, a daughter and a son. She is interested in UK criminal and employment law, and also interested in the prison system.

Sandie has taken some time off from work and is planning a return visit to the USA to marry the death row man she has fallen in love with, Chucky Mamou .

Here is my email interview with Sandie:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/126989/still_on_texas_death_row_despite_confession.html

Interview With A Death Row Inmate, Kenneth Foster Jr.

Q. Kenneth, what was your life like before your arrest and conviction?


A. Life before this conviction was intricate. I had parents that ran the streets, but found refuge with grandparents who were righteous people, so I found myself entertaining a bit of both lifestyles. As a conscious and mature man I can look back and see my delinquency, nevertheless we all have stages to grow out of and I was trying.
I had a family, girlfriend and daughter. I was involved in the music industry and at the time of this case was a college student. It was all about finding oneself, but I unfortunately got tangled up in the wrong crowd before I could get before I needed to be meaning (maturity and responsibility wise).

also posted on:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/98902/interview_with_a_death_row_inmate_kenneth.html

Railroad Express

Imagine yourself on trial for Capital Murder. Imagine your jury is an all-white jury, and here you are a twenty-three year old black man. Your lawyer is state-appointed and barely can remember your name. He has done little research on your case, and you almost think he is on the prosecution side from how your case is being handled. The jury has had evidence withheld from them, and some of the evidence has been mishandled by the crime lab. The jury deliberates for only three hours, and you are found guilty of Capital Murder. The Judge presiding over your case is well-known for the death penalty, and it doesn't surprise anyone when you are handed the death sentence.

Hold on tight; you have just been railroaded onto Texas Death Row.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/93995/are_all_trials_fair_or_do_some_defendants.html

Execution Rituals

I have never been witness to an execution, and quite frankly I never want to be. If I had it my way the death penalty would be abolished. But I noticed that the following day after an execution, it's in all the media.

All the little details about who attended, what the condemned said as his "final last words," what he ate as his "last meal." How the witnesses were pressed against the glass as the condemned took his last breath. There are certain rituals that occur with an execution. These rituals have to be broken before we can ever hope to abolish the death penalty. By allowing these rituals to take place, we are allowing the death sentence to take place. It breeds acceptance.

If these rituals were suddenly viewed as taboo, maybe then will the people of America see that the death penalty is also taboo.Let's begin with the last meal. Why would they offer a last meal to a man who is about to be executed? To give him a last meal of his choice, nurturing food, to only take his life away doesn't make any sense at all. "How polite they were to offer him a meal of his choice." Is this what they expect the public to say? And where did this ritual originate? With the Last Meal of Christ before his crucifixion? Next are the final last words. The condemned has been sitting in a living hell for many years already, thinking about what he has done, or that he never committed the crime. Why does anyone want to hear what he has to say now? By now it's all been said. It's just another ritual. He is expected to say something. An apology, a final good-bye to his family and friends, or maybe a thank you to the correctional officers for his upkeep.

The media is hoping for something out of the ordinary. It sells papers, it sells viewers. I suppose they got their fill when condemned serial killer Danny Rolling, executed by lethal injection on October 25, 2006, by the state of Florida, when asked if he had anything to say, began singing a song, that he most likely wrote himself out loud to the witnesses. Now, this is the first time I have heard of this. He surely gave them something to talk about. This time it was the inmate who participated in this execution ritual. When convicted killer Gregory Lynn Summers, executed by the state of Texas also on October 25, 2006, was asked if he had any final words, he declined. However three of his friends each dressed with a pink shirt and black pants attended the execution. The attire of the three was something to talk about. They too, participated in the execution ritual.

Another execution ritual, is walking to one's execution. Why would anyone want to willingly walk to their own death fate? It's making a statement that they are participating, accepting their own execution. If the inmates are accepting their own executions, it makes it hard for the public not to.

I hope that this is not the newest trend in execution rituals, making the execution stand out amongst the rest. Maybe they see it as a protest? That the execution will get publicity? The execution is already going to get publicity; we don't need for people to sensationalize it. We need for people to stop participating in these execution rituals. We need to change the way people view executions. We need for executions to be seen as taboo.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/92668/execution_rituals.html?page=2