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If ever there was a time for Georgia to abandon the death penalty and join a movement the upholds humanity and dignity and rejects the cycle of violence that time is now.We hope that you’ll join us on May 17 as we honor those great leaders who have built a foundation and vision for a better Georgia-a Georgia without the death penalty. |
Friends,
We are so excited to invite you to join us for the Fifth Annual MaryRuth Weir Memorial Dinner and Second Silent Auction.
In 1999,
MaryRuth Weir and other abolitionists resolved that Georgia
needed to organize a statewide anti-death penalty coalition, again.
MaryRuth dedicated her life to shining a light on the injustices of the
death penalty and providing comfort and support to
families who had been discarded and disregarded by virtue of having a
loved one on Death Row. On this night, we remember her spirit and
recommit ourselves to struggling for an end to the death penalty. Please
join us on Thursday, May 17 at 6:00pm to honor
and celebrate her life. Here are the details:
Central Presbyterian Church, Tull Fellowship Hall
201 Washington Street, Southwest, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
$50.00 Individual tickets ~ $500.00 Table (seats ten) Justice Benefactor - $1500
Fairness Patron - $1000 Human Rights Advocate - $750
Please R.S.V.P. with this form by May 8, 2012 The keynote speaker and the recipient of the MaryRuth Weir Human Rights Award is Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock. Pastor of the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Dr. Warnock has continued the legacy of the churches leadership by taking on the contradictions in the criminal justice system through his preaching and through his fierce public advocacy. Most notably he was instrumental in the fight to stop the execution of Troy Davis. This year we are introducing the inaugural
Martina Correia Courage Award. Martina brought thousands
of people to the anti-death penalty movement by her powerful voice and
fiery spirit. The courage and might she exhibited in fighting for her
brother while battling breast cancer, captures
the essence of her incredible strength and passion that will continue
to inspire people.
Our first recipient is the late Lewis Sinclair, a civil rights
hero whose courage in speaking out against the death penalty for decades
remains a standard that we aspire to meet. Lewis’ award will be
accepted by his beloved wife and dedicated freedom
fighter in her own right, Mary Sinclair.
We hope you will join us on May 17
to honor the lives of MaryRuth Weir and Martina Correia, and celebrate
the contributions of Rev. Warnock and Lewis Sinclair.
With hope,
Board of Directors, Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Edward DuBose, Margaret Eskew, Senator Vincent Fort, Terrica Redfield Ganzy,
Kathryn Hamoudah, Peggy Hendrix, Suzanne Hobby-Shippen, Tabatha Holley, Mary Catherine Johnson,
Laura Kagel, Mary Palmer Legare, Em McNair, Bill Moon, Sara Totonchi, and Erik Wilkinson
Evelyn Lynn is GFADP’s Organizer.
Just some of the great Silent Auction Items available:
|
We are so happy to share that the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles granted Daniel Greene a 90 day stay of execution.
We will share more info as we learn it, but in the meantime there will
not be a protest outside Correct Health and vigils are cancelled. |
Friends, We're looking
forward to seeing everyone tomorrow, April 12 for our monthly Atlanta chapter meeting. Please note
the time change; we'll be meeting at 6:30pm
at 730 Peachtree Street; Atlanta, GA 30308 (1st floor meeting room). Also, as many
of you know, Connecticut is well positioned to become the 17th
state to reject the death penalty! The final vote on the bill is expected
today. The House debate is expected to begin around 2 or 3pm and run late into
the evening. Streaming video of the CT House of Representatives session will be
at: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/BroadcastMedia.asp
We wanted to
share this
lovely piece connecting the fight to stop Troy Davis' execution and the
move towards repeal of the death penalty in Connecticut. |
It is with sadness that I write to inform you that the State of Georgia issued an execution warrant for Daniel
Greene. The execution date will be set during the week from Thursday, April 19 to Thursday April 26, 2012. We are reaching out to his attorneys to find out how we can help and to plan clemency actions. We will be in
touch as soon as we can with more info. I’ve included an article below.
By Bill Rankin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A judge has signed an order
scheduling the execution of a former high school football star from
Taylor County for the week beginning April 19.
Daniel Greene was sentenced
to death for the 1991 killing of 19-year-old Bernard Walker, who was
trying to help a convenience store clerk who had been robbed and stabbed
by Greene.
The clerk survived.
Greene, a 6-foot 5-inch, 350-pound former high school football standout, was tried in Clayton
County in 1992 because of pretrial publicity. He was convicted of other crimes in Houston and Macon counties.
After killing Walker,
Greene later drove to the home of a Macon County couple who had
previously employed him as a farm laborer. Greene burst into their home,
got their car keys and
then stabbed Willie and Donice Montgomery multiple times. The couple
survived.
Greene then drove to
another convenience store in Warner Robins and pulled a knife on the
store attendant, who gave Greene money from the cash register. Greene
stabbed her in the
back of the shoulder before fleeing. He was later arrested at a
relative's home and confessed to the crimes in a videotaped interview,
saying he needed money for crack cocaine, according to court records.
The Georgia Department of Corrections is soon expected to pick a date and time for Greene's execution. |
The Georgia legislature is
rapidly advancing SB 469, a bill that aims to destroy fundamental
constitutional protections for anyone engaged in
first amendment protected protests. SB 469 would criminalize forms of public pickets, effectively de-fund Georgia’s unions, and further penalize political non-violent civil disobedience. SB 469, simply put, seeks to squash dissent. Read the entire bill here: http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2011_12/sum/sb469.htm
As
many of you know, the day before a scheduled execution in Georgia, GFADP
members protest outside Correct Health, which is owned and operated by Dr.
Carlo Musso, whose company Rainbow Medical Associates is contracted with the
state to carry out executions. If SB 469 passes, it would
make it illegal to picket or protest outside of any non-government building.
Those that choose to participate in a nonviolent protest could be fined $1,000
per day, and organizations that supported such actions could be fined $10,000
per day. To make matters worse anyone who is involved with planning civil
disobedience actions that result in a criminal trespass charge (this is usually
what the charge is for nonviolent sit-ins) would be charged with a high and
aggravated misdemeanor punishable up to one year in prison.
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO
DEMONSTRATE WHAT WE BELIEVE.
It is critical that we
join in the statewide opposition to this bill. Please join the mass
demonstration that is planned for Saturday, March 17, 11:00am at the Capitol.
SB 469 passed out of the
Senate and is currently in the House. Please contact your Representative and
tell them to vote NO on SB 469 if it comes to a floor vote.
To
identify the member of the Georgia House of Representatives that represents
you, please visit: VoteSmart.org and
plug in your 9-digit zip code. To look up your 9-digit zip code, please visit: USPS.com ZIP Code Lookup.
Spread
the word about this event far and wide and we’ll see you on Saturday!
For those of you on Facebook,
here is the event link: http://www.facebook.com/events/188917167885268/ |
Georgians For Alternatives to the
Death Penalty Presents:
From Jim Crow to Death Row
Understanding the relationship
between racism and
the prison system from slavery to
present.
With Kung Li, Human Rights attorney and writer and Terrica Ganzy, attorney at the Southern Center for Human Rights and GFADP Board member
Thursday, March 22nd
at 6pm
Phillip Rush Center
1530 Dekalb Avenue
1 block from Edgewood – Candler Park
MARTA Station
Please RSVP to Evelyn @
404-602-2856 or at evelyn@gfadp.org Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/events/189099444537362/ |
On Monday March 5, 2012, the Georgia House of Representatives will
vote on two important bills that will provide funds for the state’s
public defender system, House Bill 648 and House Resolution 997.
Please take a moment to contact your State Representative and ask for them to vote in favor of these two pieces of legislation!
We include some history on our public defender system as well as
explanations of the legislation below to help guide your advocacy. Thank
you so much for taking action on this important legislation!
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INFORMATION & TALKING POINTS
History: In 2003, the Georgia General Assembly passed the
Georgia Indigent Defense Act which created a statewide public defender
system and the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council. In 2004, the
General Assembly passed 1EX,
a bill that created the Indigent Defense Fund by enacting a $15 civil
filing fee as well as surcharges on criminal fines and bonds.
Since 2004, those filing fees have annually generated between $41
million and $44 million. However, the General Assembly has appropriated
only $35 million to $38 million per year for the indigent defense
program, some $4 million to $8 million
less than the amount collected in fees each fiscal year. Governor
Deal’s proposed budget is much better, allocating $40 million, but there
is no assurance that future administrations would follow suit.
This funding gap has persisted, even though the indigent defense
system was plagued by serious shortfalls that caused lengthy lawsuits
and resulted in costly settlements. While the public was told the
increased fee would be used for indigent
defense, a sizeable chunk of the proceeds was actually spent on other
state budget items.
To correct this problem, Chairman Rich Golick, with strong
bipartisan support, has proposed a constitutional amendment (HR 977) and
enabling legislation (HB 648) that, if adopted by the General Assembly
and approved by a majority of voters
in the next general election, will guarantee that all fees collected
for indigent defense will be used for that purpose and will not be
siphoned off to fund other programs and activities of state government.
House Resolution 997 – Sponsored by Chairman Rich
Golick of the 34th, Chairman Wendell Willard of the 49th, Majority Whip
Edward Lindsey of the 54th, Minority Leader Stacey Abrams of the 84th,
Representative Matt Ramsey of
the 72nd, and others.
This resolution amends the State
Constitution to allow the General Assembly to earmark all funds that are
collected for indigent defense so that they may only be spent on
indigent defense. Amending
the Constitution is the only way to earmark funds for a certain
purpose. It would prevent the General Assembly from being able to skim
from the funds collected and use the money for other purposes. This
would guarantee a steady source and predictable amount
of money for use for indigent defense. It would ease the burden on
counties who are currently paying more than the State for indigent
defense.
House Bill 648 -- Sponsored by the same legislators as HR 997
What it Does
The purpose of this bill is to dedicate funding collected through
specified court costs to indigent defense by sending these funds to the
Georgia Public Defender Standards Council (GPDSC).
Why it is Necessary
The reason why this bill is necessary is because not all funds
collected by the designated fees are being appropriated to the GPDSC by
the General Assembly. Here’s how the system currently works: the funds
are collected in the General
Fund and are then to be appropriated during the budget process to the
GPDSC, but not all of the money collected for indigent defense is
appropriated to fund indigent defense. Since funding began in 2005,
more than $29 million have been skimmed from the fees
collected and used for purposes other than indigent defense. This has
left the agency and public defender offices around the state
bootstrapped and barely getting by. The funding shortage has resulted
in vacant positions not being filled; training programs
for lawyers being gutted; use of low-bid, flat-fee contracts by private
attorneys for representation of conflict cases. Under HB 648, all
specified court costs designed to fund indigent defense will actually go
to their stated purpose.
What it Isn’t
It is important to realize that this is not a tax. This bill will
not increase anyone’s taxes. Rather, it specifies the money already
collected by fines and fees created for funding indigent defense go to
the state agency responsible
for indigent defense, the GPDSC. |
We're looking forward to see you all tomorrow, Thursday, February 16 from 9-1pm for GFADP’s Annual Lobby Day. We
will be talking to our legislators about SB 342,
which would repeal Georgia’s death penalty; HR
250 and SR
155 which urge district attorneys not to seek the death penalty and instead
direct those funds to services for victim families and general public safety measures;
and we’ll urge legislators to support HR 977
and HB
648, which provide for dedicated funding for the public defenders
system. Schedule
9:00am to 10:00am Lobby Training (201 Washington St SW; Atlanta, GA 30303) 10:00am to 11:45am Lobby your Legislators 12:00pm Press Conference in Capitol Rotunda Please make sure you bring an ID as it's required to get into the Capitol. For more info and to RSVP: 404-250-3540/info@gfadp.org/www.gfadp.org |
GFADP Board member, Senator Vincent Fort is sponsoring a Hearing on Georgia’s Death Penalty on Thursday February 9, 2012 at 2-4pm at Tull Fellowship Hall, Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St SW,
Atlanta 30303. This will be the first legislative hearing on this topic in Georgia following the execution of Troy Davis. At
the hearing, attorneys and experts will provide testimony on the many
issues facing Georgia’s death penalty system including: race, eyewitness
testimony, mental health, developmental disabilities, providing
attorneys, and disproportionate sentencing. Let’s
pack the room and send a message that our state can do better and that
more and more Georgians believe that we can live without the death
penalty! Thursday, February 9, 20212 2:00-4:00pm Tull Fellowship Hall, Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St SW,
Atlanta 30303(across the street from the State Capitol). MARTA - get off at Georgia State Station. One suggestion for parking is garage next to Trinity United Methodist Church at the corner of Trinity and Washington Streets 1 block passed the Capitol. |
We wanted to remind you all that this Saturday is the Death
Penalty Abolition Summit. If you haven't already sent in your RSVP, you can do so at info@gfadp.org. We are thrilled about all of the energy and work that
has been put into the event and hope that you’ll be able to attend. The day is
packed full of incredible workshops and speakers. Check out the program using this
link. See you on Saturday! |
|
For
those of you who couldn’t make it out to the Human Rights Atlanta Visualize
Human Rights art exhibit at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, please note
that the show will be on display through early January. Atlanta based organizations have
created pieces that illustrate and represent one of the articles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. GFADP will depict Article 5: No
one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
or punishment.
Wednesday,
December 14 -Screening of TOO MUCH DOUBT- Tribute Lofts; 480 John Wesley Dobbs;
Atlanta, GA 30312-7pm-10pm
Cerebral Motion
Productions, is producing a three part series entitled, Corruption: The
Politics of Crime. The first in this series is TOO MUCH DOUBT: The Story of
Troy A. Davis, which looks into the international campaign to stop his
execution. It features Martina Correia, Kim Davis and other members of the
Davis family as well as Big Boi and prominent leaders in the campaign and
includes, GFADP Board members, Sen. Vincent Fort, Sara Totonchi, Terrica
Redfield-Ganzy and Kathryn Hamoudah.
Important
Information:
There is first floor parking for guests in the
parking garage, and plenty of road side parking for overflow. Please dial code
083 to gain entry into the building. The screening will take place on the 7th
floor roof top. There will be a greeter in the lobby to welcome guest and
plenty of food and soft drinks. A Q&A on the "Too Much Doubt"
Documentary and the Death Penalty will take place starting at 8:15 PM.
Also, please join us for a day long summit on
the death penalty in January (info below).
A
Call to Action: Uniting to End Georgia's Death Penalty
Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:30am-3:30pm Ebenezer Baptist Church 407 Auburn Avenue Northeast; Atlanta, GA 30312 Troy
Davis and his most fearless advocate, Martina Davis-Correia, always said that
this fight was more than just about Troy. Let’s honor their wishes by
continuing the fight to abolish Georgia's death penalty.
On
January 28, 2012, join Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GFADP)
and Amnesty International USA for a state-wide death penalty abolition summit
held at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta! This summit is the
first major gathering since the execution of Troy Davis which galvanized people
worldwide. It will include powerful speakers, skill-building workshops, and
more!
Please forward this far and wide – Free and lunch will be provided
RSVP is appreciated – info@gfadp.org, (404) 250-3540 or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/138092539633828/ |
Friends, I just wanted to pass on the news that our dear friend and founding member Martina Davis Correia passed away earlier this evening, surrounded by family and friends. Thousands of people all over the world have been touched and moved to action by her powerful voice and fiery spirit. The courage and might she exhibited in fighting for her brother while battling breast cancer, captures the essence of her incredible strength and passion that will continue to inspire people. I have been consistently moved by her courage and commitment to speaking the truth she spoke. As many of you, I feel blessed to have had the privilege to join her in her struggle. I wanted to share this incredible photo essay in memory of Martina. http://blog.scottlangleyphoto.com/2011/12/in-memoriam-martina-davis-correia.html
Please keep Kim, Lester, Ebony, Dejaun and the rest of the Davis family in your thoughts and prayers. -Kathryn |
In lieu of our December meeting; we'd
like you to join us for our annual Holiday Party with Amnesty
International’s Southern Regional Office on Thursday, December 8, 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the Phillip Rush Center; 1530 Dekalb Avenue, Suite A; Atlanta, GA 30307 (One block from the Candler Park
MARTA Station next to Radial
Cafe). Beverages and wine will be provided. Please bring a dish to share.
Come any time between 6:30 and 9 and stay for whatever time you
can. We will be signing Christmas cards for the 103 people on Georgia’s
death row and Amnesty will have letters to send to people in prisons
around the world and to world leaders asking for political prisoners to
be released. Saturday, December
10 - Human Rights Atlanta- Anniversary of the Declaration of Human
Rights – 5pm - 7 pm at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. Please join us for the opening of the Visualize Human Rights
art exhibit. Atlanta based organizations have created pieces that
illustrate and represent one of the articles of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. GFADP will depict Article 5: No one shall
be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment.
Saturday, December 10 -Screening of TOO MUCH DOUBT- Tribute Lofts; John Wesley Dobbs; Atlanta, GA 30312-7pm-10pm
Cerebral Motion Productions, is
producing a three part series entitled, Corruption: The Politics of
Crime. The first in this series is TOO MUCH DOUBT: The Story of Troy A. Davis,
which looks into the international campaign to stop his execution. It
features Martina Correia, Kim Davis and other members of the Davis
family as well as Big Boi and prominent leaders in the campaign and
includes, GFADP Board members, Sen. Vincent Fort, Sara Totonchi, Terrica
Redfield-Ganzy and Kathryn Hamoudah. The screening
is free and open to the public. Please note that the release date is Dec. 12, but the screening will be on the 10th. For those of you who haven’t yet thanked Gov. Kitzhaber for halting an upcoming execution and granting a moratorium in Oregon, you can do so here. |
Dear Friends, Our movement to end the death penalty in Georgia is in an exciting new phase. People who have been troubled by, but ultimately supportive of, the death penalty have come to realize that the legal system in Georgia is more interested in finality than truth--and now reject the death penalty outright. High school and college students are mobilizing, faith leaders are speaking out against the atrocities of the death penalty in increasing numbers, and conservative voices and murder victim family members are saying there is another way to bring justice and healing. Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GFADP) has always gone out and educated the public about the unfairness and cruelty involved in Georgia’s capital punishment system. GFADP board members have been interviewed in recent months by the New York Times, Washington Post, as well as Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! The public is coming to us in large numbers and asking: what can we do to end this madness? GFADP is the statewide coalition with the expertise, experience, and gumption to bring these diverse voices together to influence public opinion and the legislature and bring an end to the death penalty. With your financial contribution, we can keep the eyes of the world on Georgia as we continue to expose the unfairness of the system in the media and press for an end to the death penalty.
With sadness we report that in 2011 four executions were carried out in our state. Emmanuel Hammond, Roy Blankenship, Andrew DeYoung, and Troy Anthony Davis all died by lethal injection. We responded with vigils around the state on the nights of executions, and many of you were there with us, using our bodies to take a stance in opposition to government involvement in pre-meditated killing. The work of GFADP is not only to let people know, but to move them into action--to demand an end to the death penalty.
Over the past year, GFADP also brought disturbing issues surrounding Georgia’s lethal injection protocols to the attention of the public. We believe that Georgians need to know about illegally obtained execution drugs, untested protocols, and the objections of a foreign manufacturer to use of its drug to execute people. GFADP’s campaign of public education drives the growing skepticism in our state about vesting government with the power to kill its citizens. We will not let executions, carried out by paid medical professionals, be mistaken for justice. With your help we can tell a different story in 2012 and beyond. The conversation about capital punishment in our state has changed. The eyes of the world were on Georgia when Troy Anthony Davis was executed amid doubts about his guilt, and people who were once silent or ambivalent about the death penalty were forever awakened to its unconscionable inequities and exorbitant monetary and human costs. Abolition is suddenly a topic for legislators, community leaders, and members of the media who are coming to recognize that the flawed capital punishment system in Georgia cannot be fixed, drains vital resources from public programs, and brings embarrassment to our state. Seizing the moment, State Senator Vincent Fort, a GFADP board member, will introduce legislation in the 2012 session calling for an end to the death penalty. This will provide a forum for publicizing the intractable problems with the justice system that led to Troy Davis’ execution. Your support for Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty allows us to continue our campaign to educate the public and our legislators about this inhumane punishment. Please give generously.
Join the growing opposition to the death penalty around the world and make a difference in Georgia.
With hope, Kathryn Hamoudah, Chair GFADP Board of Directors GFADP Board of Directors Martina Correia● Edward DuBose● Margaret Eskew● Senator Vincent Fort ●Terrica Redfield-Ganzy● Kathryn Hamoudah● Peggy Hendrix Suzanne Hobby-Shippen ●Tabatha Holley● Mary Catherine Johnson● Laura Tate Kagel● Em McNair● Bill Moon● Sara Totonchi● Erik Wilkinson
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We are so excited to announce
that GFADP has hired a new Organizer! Evelyn Lynn hails from North
Carolina and for the last ten years has been organizing grassroots
communities to work toward reforms in the criminal justice system.
Evelyn was Campaign Director for Safe Streets/Strong Communities, a
membership-based organization in New Orleans that she helped co-found
soon after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The mission was to
organize those most impacted by police and prison violence and to wage
campaigns to transform New Orleans’ brutal criminal justice system.
Evelyn’s extensive experience in developing membership recruitment
strategies as well as effective grassroots fundraising experience will
be a huge asset to GFADP.
Evelyn will be responsible for organizing
and empowering faith communities from across the state to take
effective action to end capital punishment in Georgia. A note from Evelyn: “I
am very thankful to join GFADP in this moment, when so many community
members, faith leaders and unlikely allies are opening their eyes to how
biased, unjust and brutal the death penalty really is. I know it has
been a long hard fight and that this system will not fall easily, but I
am hopeful we will continue to make significant steps toward abolishing
state sanctioned murder in the immediate future.” We are confident that in the coming
year, Evelyn will work to grow GFADP and build power among
our ranks so we can strongly and strategically challenge the use of the
death penalty in Georgia. Please join us next Thursday, November 10, at 7:00 pm at the Amnesty Office for our monthly meeting to meet and welcome Evelyn to our GFADP family! Amnesty International Office In
addition to joining us at our monthly meeting; we hope to see you at an
exhibit dedicated to Troy Davis. It will be on November 11 from 7-11pm;
Raw Space Gallery; 431 Fair Street|Castleberry Hill. (flyer attached). |
This is a reminder that our monthly meeting is this Thursday, Oct. 13, 7pm at 730
Peachtree
St.; Ste 1060; Atlanta, GA 30308. Come learn about the amazing
organizing that's been happening over the past month and ways you can
get involved in death penalty abolition work in Georgia. |
Our coalition partners at the
Georgia State Conference of the NAACP are having a press conference
and protest today at the business headquarters
of Dr. Carol Musso. As you may recall, Dr. Musso contracts with Georgia
to oversee executions. More information is included in the press
release
below. PRESS ADVISORY
GEORGIA STATE CONFERENCE NAACP and its Coalition
Partners to hold a Press Conference to protest in response to the MURDER of
Troy Anthony Davis
Contact: Edward
DuBose, President
NAACP,
Georgia State Conference
Member,
NAACP National Board of Directors
Stockbridge,
Georgia — On Monday, October 10, 2011 at 12:00 noon the Georgia State
Conference NAACP and its Coalition Partners will hold a Press Conference followed
by a protest to speak out against the MURDER of Troy Anthony Davis. The NAACP is holding Dr. Carlo Musso of
Correct Health and Rainbow Medical Associates, Georgia Board of Pardon and
Parole and the State of Georgia responsible for Troy Anthony Davis’ MURDER on
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:08 p.m.
Correct Health and Rainbow Medical Associates is the single agency that
operates in the State of Georgia and carries out all executions in the State. The Georgia State Conference NAACP is also in
support of a complaint filed by the Southern Center for Human Rights with the
Georgia Composite Medical Board against Carlo Anthony Musso, M.D. seeking the
revocation or suspension of his medical license based upon his involvement in
illegally importing and distributing the drug Thiopental, to be used in
carrying out the death penalty.
In
preparation of Direct Action and respect of the life of Troy Anthony Davis, The
Georgia State Conference NAACP is asking all NAACP Units, Churches and other
organizations to conduct a Prayer Vigil in their own communities across Georgia
on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. in memory of Troy Anthony Davis.
WHO: Georgia State Conference
NAACP and Its Coalition Partners
WHAT: Press Conference to speak out against
the MURDER of Troy Anthony Davis at the hands of Correct Health and Rainbow
Medical Associates where Dr. Carlo Musso is the Owner and Operator and the
Georgia Board of Pardon and Parole and the State of Georgia.
WHEN: Monday,
October 10, 2011 at 12:00 noon
WHERE: Correct
Health and Rainbow Medical Associates, 9020 Peridot Parkway, Stockbridge,
Georgia 30281
HOW: The
Georgia State Conference NAACP encourages all citizens to meet them at the Correct
health and Rainbow Medical Associates location to speak out on the MURDER of
Troy Anthony Davis at the hands of Correct Health and Rainbow Medical
Associates, The Georgia Board of Pardon and Parole and the State of Georgia.
Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights
organization. Its half-million adult and
youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier
advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization
and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors. ### |
|
We are overjoyed to share with you some good news: tomorrow's scheduled execution of Marcus Ray Johnson has been halted! Superior Court Judge Willie Lockette has ordered that DNA evidence found last week by Albany police be evaluated. He will hold a follow up hearing in February, 2012.
|
Last
week Police in Albany, Georgia discovered a box with new,
never-before-seen biological evidence that could allow DNA testing. Lawyers for
Johnson filed "an Extraordinary Motion for New Trial Based on New Evidence
Produced by Albany Police Department" on Friday.
Today,
a DNA expert will testify before the Georgia Board of Pardon and Paroles about
the new box of evidence, and how new DNA tests could identify the perpetrator.
A Forensic Pathologist will also testify that the pocket knife depicted as the
murder weapon at trail did not test positive for blood, and does not match the
wounds.
Tomorrow, lawyers for Johnson will make their case for the evidence
to be tested at a hearing in Dougherty County Superior Court at 9:00 am.
It
has been repeatedly demonstrated that our criminal justice system is not devoid
of error and we now know that 138 individuals have been released from death
rows across the United
States due to wrongful conviction since
1976.
Please
continue to take action for Ray Johnson: http://www.gfadp.org/latestnews/takeactionformarcusrayjohnson
We
will keep you updated on any new developments. |
September 28, 2011 Dear Friends, This past week has been very difficult for those of us who fought to stop the execution of Troy Anthony Davis. Like so many of you, we are outraged and deeply mourning the loss of Troy and this senseless execution by the State of Georgia that took place on September 21 at 11:08 pm. Despite our best collective efforts, we were unable to prevent this terrible moment from happening. Though Troy’s death came as a tremendous blow to what little faith and confidence that we still had in our criminal justice system, it also brought a new surge of commitment to the abolition of capital punishment in our country, and illumination of the atrocities surrounding the implementation of the death penalty. Troy Davis – and his most dedicated advocate, his sister Martina Correia -- inspired people across the globe and across ideological spectrum to speak out for justice. So many of you protested in the streets and took the time to organize signatures for his clemency. Collectively we demonstrated a powerful show of unity and strength that we will carry forward, and we would like to personally thank you for everything you have done to make your voice heard. On the day of his execution, Troy shared his hopes with Amnesty International: "The struggle for justice doesn't end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davis’ who came before me and all the ones who will come after me. I'm in good spirits and I'm prayerful and at peace." Later, just moments from execution, Troy used his final statement to reach out to his supporters to ask that we “continue to fight this fight.” Everywhere we go we encounter people like you who heard Troy’s call to action, and now want to know how to get involved. GFADP is your organization on the front lines of the anti-death penalty movement in the State of Georgia, and we need your help. GFADP was there for Troy and his family throughout every stage of his multi-year fight to stop his execution, gathering signatures demanding clemency, lobbying those with decision-making power, and supporting our national coalition partners. GFADP was there when the Department of Corrections rescinded contact visits for Troy and all the men on Georgia’s death row, not resting until we scored a significant victory in getting clergy contact visits restored as well as limited family contact visits. And GFADP will be there next week when the State of Georgia is scheduled to execute Marcus Ray Johnson, and for every execution from now until the time that we succeed in stopping this barbaric practice in our state. We invite you to pledge to continue this fight with GFADP because it is far from over. The best way that we can remember Troy and honor his life is by re-affirming our commitment to abolish the death penalty. GFADP remains steadfast in building this movement to abolish the death penalty. We have the coalition partners already in place to move toward abolition, and your contribution adds to a strong base of support. Our diverse coalition of human rights activists, murder victims’ family members, law enforcement professionals, members of the clergy and legislators have the enthusiasm and experience to keep this movement alive. In addition, we gain expertise and resources from our coalition organizations, including the Southern Center for Human Rights, Amnesty International, and the NAACP. But we also need your generous financial support in order to achieve our goals, including the introduction of a death penalty repeal bill in the Georgia legislature. Join us today – we need you to continue to fight this fight. We can live without the death penalty in Georgia! With hope, Kathryn Hamoudah, Chair and Laura Kagel, Vice Chair On behalf of the Board of Directors Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Follow us: http://twitter.com/gfadp
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Many people have asked about organized transportation from Atlanta to Savannah for Troy Davis' funeral. There will be buses that will depart from Atlanta and return on Saturday, Oct. 1. Details: Please meet at 4:30am; West End Mall, 850 Oak Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. To reserve a spot, call 678-732-0405 or send an email to: tspeight@nationalactionnetwork.net Reminder: See you all tomorrow, Thursday, September 29 at 7pm tomorrow at the Amnesty International office; 730 Peachtree Street, Suite. 1060; Atlanta, GA 30308. |
Many of you have asked about funeral services for Troy Davis. Please
join us on Saturday, October 1
for a Day of Remembrance.
The service is open to the public, but media cameras will not be permitted: October 1, 11:00am “Celebration of Life Service” Jonesville Baptist Church 5201 Montgomery St., Savannah, Georgia For those of you who cannot make it to Savannah, please wear an “I am
Troy Davis” t-shirt or black armband with “Not in my name”
written on it and for those of your on Facebook, change your profile picture to
this image:
Those wishing to send cards or donations to the Davis family: “I am Troy Davis,” P.O. Box 2105, Savannah, GA 31407 Contributions to the Davis children’s college savings accounts can be
made payable to Martina Correia, put “college fund” in the memo. Flowers and plants can be sent to:
Sidney A. Jones and Campbell Funeral Services 124 West Park Avenue, Savannah, GA 31401-6439 (912) 234-7226 Please continue to send letters by mail or fax to the State Board
of Pardons and Paroles Dr. Musso at Rainbow Medical
Associates.
Please download the sample letters, edit to include your name and
address at the bottom, then print, sign, and mail or fax it to:
The State
Board of Pardons and Paroles
Floyd Veterans Memorial Building
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, S.E.
Atlanta, GA 30334-4909
Fax: 404-651-6670
Dr.
Carlo Musso, President, and Employees
CorrectHealth 9020 Peridot Parkway Stockbridge, GA 30281 Fax: 770-692-4754 SAVE THE DATES:
Thursday, September 29, 2011 7pm at 730 Peachtree St. Ste 1060;
Atlanta, GA 30308-Reflection + action meeting
Thursday, October 13, 2011-GFADP Monthly Meeting 7pm at 730
Peachtree St. Ste 1060; Atlanta, GA 30308
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