BREAKING: Kansas Votes to End the Death Penalty

Amazing news out of Kansas today:

TOPEKA – The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill Friday that would abolish the state’s death penalty for crimes committed after July 1.

By a vote of 7-4, the bill now goes to the full Senate for discussion.

Senators had considered two bills: Senate Bill 208, which was debated last year, and Senate Bill 375, which replaces the death penalty with the crime of aggravated murder. The new crime comes with a mandatory life without parole sentence.

The committee tabled the first bill and moved forward Senate Bill 375.

Voting yes were Republican senators Dwayne Umbarger, Thayer; John Vratil, Leawood; Mary Pilcher Cook, Shawnee; Les Donovan, Wichita; Chairman Tim Owens, Overland Park, and Democratic senators Laura Kelly, Topeka and David Haley, Kansas City, Kan.

UPDATED: Senate Judiciary panel passes bill to eliminate the death penalty | Wichitopekington | Wichita Eagle Blogs

kansas, death penalty, senate, judiciary committee, capital punishment, abolition, death sentence, death row, execution

Rest In Peace Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn, author of the People's History of the United States, has died at age 87. He was an avid supporter of prison reform and concerned with many prison issues. He volunteered and participated in many prison-related non-profit events and fundraisers. He sat on the board of the Prisons Foundation.

The world has lost an incredible man. I urge you to buy A People's History of the United States It will change how you see the entire world.

howard zinn, prison

Backlogs at HPD Lab

The Houston Police Department has developed a backlog of more than 300 cases in which firearm forensics have not been performed, the third major area of evidence awaiting analysis to build up as the crime lab works to achieve full legitimacy after being engulfed in scandal for years.

Despite years of effort aimed at cleaning up the problems that led to the wrongful convictions of at least four men, backlogs for thousands of cases also have developed in rape kits and fingerprint analysis.

Although the recent issues highlighted in an audit of HPD's fingerprint unit do not involve the crime lab — the two are separate entities — police in both instances have cited ongoing staff shortages, retirements and training requirements to explain the backlog of evidence.

“We're not sitting back here and twiddling our thumbs,” said Crime Lab Director Irma Rios.

Labs across the country have backlogs, and the department has added staff, upgraded facilities and procedures, and is poised to begin using robotics in about 15 months to decrease the number of cases, she said.

“We're accountable, we realize we have a tremendous responsibility ... These backlogs didn't occur overnight, they took many, many years,” Rios said.

Backlog woes continue at HPD lab | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

hpd, rape kits, crime, law, prison, wrongful convictions, dna test, forensics

Texas Forensic Science Commission to Meet Tomorrow: Willingham not on Agenda

The Texas Forensic Science Commission is meeting tomorrow for the first time in six months. This is the commission's first meeting since Gov. Rick Perry suddenly replaced its chair and several of its members while it was in the middle of an investigation into the case of Cameron Todd Willingham.

The Innocence Project will stream live video of the meeting on its website at:
http://www.innocenceproject.org/tfsc.

NCADP - The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

cameron todd willingham, innocence project, innocence, wrongful conviction, wrongfully convicted, death penalty, death sentence, death row, capital punishment, arson, forensics, texas, execution, crime, law, prison, murder

Ohio Inmates to Get Email

Welcome to the 21st century, Ohio!

A new system that allows Ohio inmates to get e-mail could help save the state money and cut down on contraband, which often arrives in regular mail, prison officials said.

The state is setting up a system to allow inmates to view e-mail messages from friends and family.

Ohio will become the 13th state, along with Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania, to use the e-mail system, which will debut Feb. 23 at the Madison Correctional Institution in London and expand to all 31 state prisons a month later.

“We very strongly believe that contact with friends and family, community involvement, helps inmates stay engaged and prepares them for re-entry to the community,” said Julie Walburn, spokeswoman for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

The system will dramatically reduce the 14.7 million pieces of mail flowing in and out of the prisons each year and relieve pressure on staff members handling mail, she said.

Ohio Prison Watch: New system to allow Ohio inmates to get e-mail

email, ohio, doc, inmate, prison, crime, law, mail, letters

Governor O'Malley and the Death Penalty

Awesome editorial on Maryland Governor O'Malley's stance on capital punishment. Thanks @executedtoday!

But I wonder: If O’Malley is so courageous, and this is such an issue of principle for him, why are there still five people on death row in Maryland? Why doesn’t he commute their sentences to life imprisonment, as Maryland’s constitution and laws empower him to do? It would certainly be a more permanent -- and forthright -- approach than this indirect foot-dragging routine with the lethal injection protocols.

To be sure, clearing Death Row wouldn’t achieve his ultimate goal of abolishing the death penalty. But it would save the lives of five people sentenced under what the Commission on Capital Punishment has told the governor was an irretrievably flawed process -- and whose executions, according to O’Malley, would serve no purpose even if that process had been absolutely pristine.

PostPartisan - Why doesn't O'Malley clear death row?

maryland, death penalty, o'malley, death row, death sentence, capital punishment, execution, prison, crime, law

Take Action: Free Efrén

Follow the link below to sign the petition:

Efrén Paredes, Jr. was arrested at age 15 and wrongly convicted in 1989 for a murder and armed robbery he did not commit; a crime to which others have admitted guilt. He has been imprisoned now over 20 years. The crime occurred in St. Joseph, Michigan (Berrien County), USA.

Efrén had no criminal history previous to his arrest and was a high school honor student at the time. He was tried and convicted only three months after his arrest on March 15, 1989 and convicted by 11 White jurors and one Black juror in a city whose racial composition was 95% White. The judge, prosecutor, and all the investigating police were also all White.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Berrien County ranks among the top 25 most segregated metropolitan areas in the country. It is also important to note that all the youth in Berrien County who have received life without parole (LWOP) sentences have been children of color. Efrén is also the only Latino youth in Berrien County history to receive a LWOP sentence.

Actions | Criminal Justice | Change.org

prison, crime, law, wrongful conviction, wrongfully convicted, murder, armed robbery, convicted, innocent, efrén paredes, governor granholm, michigan

Dope is for Dopes

Interesting: This is the program my friend at Grafton is hoping to be part of soon:

Recently, Coach Cullin had inmates from the Grafton Correctional Institution come and talk to students here at CHS. For many years now, Coach has coordinated it so that inmates come each trimester and try to influence students to make the right choices.

For most of the students, it is just a time to get out of class, but for others it is a great opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes.

The prisoners that came were from the “Dope is for Dopes” program and get no reward for coming and speaking. On this trip, there were two speakers both with very different stories.

The first speaker was serving a five-year prison sentence for producing methamphetamine. He had come from Akron, and had a very difficult childhood. When younger, his stepfather used to abuse him and his mother. His stepfather and mom were both drug and alcohol users, who had no intention of quitting.

The Observer: Cloverleaf Inside and Out - Cloverleaf High School - Grafton Inmates Visit CHS

prison, crime, law, dope, drugs, inmate, sentence, high school

New Blog: Prisoner's Soul

This blogged is based on the book, "Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul" as wel as other books and experiences helping prisoners. It's run by Tom Lagana. From the blog:

Tom Lagana is a professional speaker, trainer, author, and engineer. He is a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service in Delaware. He is coauthor of "Chicken Soup for the Prisoner’s Soul," "Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul," "Serving Time, Serving Others," "The Quick and Easy Guide to Project Management," and "Serving Productive Time." He presents workshops and seminars for inmates and volunteers.

Check it out: http://www.prisonersoul.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to follow them on Twitter: @prisonersoul

blog, tom lagana, chicken soup for the prisoner's soul, book, prison, crime, law

RIP Captain Dave

This is from the music blog that my boyfriend (Drummer John) and I run:

Many of you know that Drummer John played with a band called the Playa Dawgs when we lived in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. But what you don’t know is that they played at a bar on the beach called Bad Boys. This place is magical. You sit at a table with your feet digging into the soft, talcum-white sand, looking out at the Ocean and the lights of Cozumel, palms hovering over you and you listen to the Nasty Bastards band or Playa Dawgs cover some of your favorite tunes. It has hosted many Peanut Pet Shelter fundraisers, and every year they put on their infamous smoked turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. The absolute coolest thing about this place, however, was the fact that the owner, Captain Dave, paid to get less fortunate Mexican men out of prison, trained them to work in his bar, and gave them all good paying jobs with tips. Hence the name, Bad Boys.

Last night Captain Dave passed away. I know that he will be sorely missed and I hope that his memory lives on in this amazing bar in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

Poor Treatment of Inmates in Kentucky

Things like this do my head in. What purpose does it serve, treating another human being like an animal, other than to prove you are no better than anyone who's ever been locked up and to continue the cycle of violence and hatred?

My dad is in Marion Adjustment Center and had to be placed in Protective Custody due to being mistreated by guards. He spoke out against the guards after 5 new inmates came into the prison. They were not given a mat to sleep on, sheet, towels, wash cloths, or any change of clothes. They were made to sleep on the floor with just a small blanket. He said that they went 4 days without a shower.

He stated on the phone that guards were not breaking up any fights between inmates. He has since been harrassed and threatened verbally by several guards. Also a guard ask another inmate to hurt my dad, but the inmate (even though he did not know my dad very well) informed my dad that the guards were out to get him and to watch his back.

Marion Adjustment Center - Unfair & Inhumane Treatment of Inmates - Prison Talk

prison, inmate, human rights, crime, law, kentucky, marion adjustment center

Former Governor George Ryan Nominated for Nobel Prize

If I could nominate anyone for the Nobel Peace Prize, it would definitely be Former Governor George Ryan of Illinois, who declared a moratorium on the death penalty in 2000. He then commuted the sentences of 167 Illinois death row inmates to life in prison.

University of Illinois law professor Francis Boyle said Wednesday he'd forwarded Ryan's name to the Nobel committee based on Ryan's halting of executions in Illinois.

"I said, look, if you want to get rid of the death penalty in America ... then you give the Nobel Peace Prize to Ryan," Boyle said.

Daily Herald | George Ryan again nominated for Nobel Prize

governor george ryan, george ryan, nobel prize, nobel peace prize, nomiation, death penalty, capital punishment, death row, death sentence, moratorium

Round-Up From Facebook: 27 Years Later, Donald Gates is Declared Innocent

A round-up of prison-related links from my Facebook Friends:

Facebook | Innocence Project: 27 Years Later, Donald Gates is Declared Innocent

Facebook | Innocence Project of Florida: Innocent Chicago Man Tortured into a False Confession, Now Free

Facebook | Students Against the Death Penalty: Abolition Movement at Houston's 32nd MLK Parade

Facebook | Innocence Project: Sunday on Lifetime: "The Wronged Man"

Facebook | Innocence Project of Florida: James Bain to Ring Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and Receive Award on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Facebook | Innocence Project: Sunday on Lifetime: "The Wronged Man"

prison, crime, law, innocence, wrongful conviction, wrongfuly convicted, innocence project, death penalty, capital punshment

Round-Up From The Feeds: Oklahoma State Senator Files Wrongful Conviction Bill

A round-up of links from feeds I subscribe to:

Oklahoma State Senator Files Wrongful Conviction Bill | KJRH.com

Florida Issues: Fewer Florida juries voting for death — why is unclear

National Public Service Council To Abolish Private Prisons: Acts of cruelty to immigrants

wrongful-convictions: Exonerated Death Row Inmate Speaks To Students

Correctional Officers Fighting for Jobs - KGPE - CBS TV47

Florida Issues: Man convicted in 1991 slaying gets new sentencing phase

Conn. closes Webster prison in Cheshire - Courant.com

Florida Issues: Court vacates Polk killer's death sentences due to prosecutor's misconduct

WKMS: Kentucky prison goes 'all-girl' (2010-01-15)

ACLU keeps Wyo prison system accountable

Death penalty repeal stalls

Capital Punishment...

New DNA test cited in bid for Dechaine retrial

prison, crime, law, wrongful conviction, wrongfully convicted, exonerated, dna testing, innocence, innocence project, death penalty, death sentence, death row, capital punishment, lethal injections

Twitter Round-Up: Speak out Against Lethal Injection

Prison-related links from the people I follow on Twitter:

ACLU of Northern California: Speak out against lethal injections!

Help Exonerate the Wrongfully Convicted - Petition Spot

Texas Death Penalty Blog: Execution Watch: On the execution of Kenneth Mosley

Prison Reform Community Center

Texas Moratorium Network: Anti-Death Penalty Activists: Make a Video for this Contest Run by the State Bar of Texas

Johnson Files Wrongful Conviction Bill - FOX23 News

Medill Innocence Project Fights Subpoenas of Student Records -- Politics Daily

twitter, prison, crime, law, lethal injection, petition

Facebook Round-Up: Texas State Bar Video Competition!

Here's a round-up of prison-related links from my Facebook friends:

DNA evidence prompts charge in 1972 cold case murder - RocNow.com

Facebook | Texas Moratorium Network: Anti-Death Penalty Activists: Make a Video for this Contest Run by the State Bar of Texas

MyPrisonSpace — Blog — Inmates & Parolees can now vote in Washington

Facebook | ACLU of Northern California: Say NO to lethal injections in California

Facebook | Students Against the Death Penalty: Statesman: "it's time to address state's flawed system"

facebook, prison, crime, law, video, competition, texas, bar

Round-up from the Feeds: Is the Death Penalty Dying?

A round-up of prison-related links from feeds I subscribe to:

Is the Death Penalty dying? - National Corrections Oversight Coalition

Death penalty up for debate - GreenwichTime

The Innocence Project - News and Information: Innocence Blog: The Cost of Faulty Forensics

Florida Issues: A plea to learn from past injustices

A voice from Devil's Island : Dreyfus notebooks published

DNA proved you were wrongfully convicted. after 30 years in prison, ...

The Long Vindication: After 35 years and a lengthy sentence for robbery, Ronnie Barrs remains determined to prove his innocence

Law students offer counsel to needy

Newsvine - $12 million wrongful conviction settlement is hailed

innocence, wrongful conviciton, wrongfully convicted, dna testing, exonerated, innocence project, death penalty, death sentence, death row, capital punishment, prison, crime, law

Piece on Timothy Cole on Mysanantonio.com

It won't bring him back, salvage the dreams he had or undo the irreparable pain his family has endured for a quarter of a century, but let the words continue to be trumpeted: Timothy Cole was an innocent man.

All that he, his family, friends and defense attorneys said about him was true: Timothy Cole was an innocent man.

Yet bittersweet is his exoneration because Timothy Cole died an innocent man while still imprisoned for crimes he didn't commit.

Cary Clack: Exoneration came far too late for Cole

timothy cole, innocence, wrongfully convicted, wrongful conviction, prison, crime, law, rape

John Maki: The Rape That Wasn't

If you know the history of racism in the United States, you'll be familiar with what happened to Jarrett Adams, an African American from the South Side of Chicago who in 1999 was wrongfully convicted of raping a white woman.

In The Rape That Wasn't: The Wrongful Conviction of Jarrett Adams, Jarrett and his lawyer from the Wisconsin Innocence Project, Keith Findley, describe his case and how he was ultimately exonerated in 2007.

John Maki: The Rape That Wasn't: The Wrongful Conviction of Jarrett Adams

prison, wrongful conviction, innocence, wrongfully convicted, jarrett adams, john maki, exonerated, crime, law, rape

The Return

Yes, I am back. Things have been hectic and they still are somewhat but I've shuffled some things around and made time to post again. Hopefully all will work out. I would still love to have some guest bloggers though! Let me know if you're interested.

Anyway, the title of this post has two different meanings. Obviously one is that I'm back, and two is that, and this is huge for me, my friend who is locked up and who inspired this blog and who I haven't heard from in two years, finally wrote me!

I am ecstatic! I'll post again later! I need to do a few laps around my apartment!

prison, letter, locked up, inmate