Death Penalty

David Martinez was executed in Texas on July 28. He had been sentenced to death for the murder of a 24-year-old white woman, Kiersa Paul, in July 1997. Martinez is the 10th person to be put to death this year in Texas, and the 32nd condemned inmate to be executed in 2005 in the United States. Since the United States resumed executions on January 17, 1977, it has executed 976 deathrow inmates, including Martinez.

See "Texas execution is latest chapter in family's ordeal."

Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 – the first international standard to provide that “everyone has the right to life” - more than two-thirds of countries have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. The same trend exists in West Africa where, in little more than a decade, the number of abolitionist countries has increased from one to 10. Despite the fact that no execution has been carried out in Burkina Faso since the end of the 1980s, death sentences continue to be pronounced by the judiciary, most recently in April 2003.

Take action now: Call on Burkina Faso to abolish the death penalty.

The Los Angeles Times reported today that death penalty opponents have sprung into action to try to stop legislation under consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee that would "streamline" the death penalty appeals process.  According to Innocence Project co-founder Barry Scheck:

"[The proposed legislation] threatens to make what is already a torturous, difficult mountain for the wrongfully convicted to climb into a wholly impenetrable steel wall."

See "Bid to Speed Death Penalty Appeals Under Fire."

The Associated Press reported that Kevin Conner was executed by lethal injection in Indiana early this morning.  According to the AP,  Connor was fourth person to be executed in Indiana this year and the 31st in the United States. There have been 975 executions since the United States resumed the death penalty in 1976.

See "Indiana executes killer of three."

The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty's blog, Abolish the Death Penalty, today commented on China's recent steps to enforce tougher procedural standards on cases involving the death penalty.  NCADP blogger David Elliot said of the move:

"When even China is marching towards greater protections to ensure against killing the innocent is the Steamlined Procedures Act all that smart of a thing to do?"

See "China to give increased scrutiny to death penalty."

So far this year, the government of Iran has executed four people for crimes they committed as minors -- three of those executions have taken place in the last few days.

See "Iran continues to execute minors and juvenile offenders."

SCAV reported that artist Randall Sinner spent Wednesday writing down all 345 names of people executed in Texas since 1982 on cards and throwing each card onto the Texas State Flag. Said Sinner:

"My pieces are to inform those that walk by the table. I'm not here to try to convince people to think differently. It's more a question of just thinking and feeling."

See "Artist Protests Death Penalty."

Amnesty International USA's 2005 National Weekend of Faith in Action on the Death Penalty will take place October 21-23. Start planning your event today!  Here are examples of events from last year.

Register now to start receiving helpful information and resources for planning your event.

We need your help to oppose legislation that would expand the use of the Federal Death Penalty. The Gang Prevention and Effective Deterrence Act of 2005 would impose mandatory minimum sentences, prosecute children in adult courts, and expand the number of death-eligible crimes.

Find out what you can do.