Six Upcoming Executions in February By agreeing last week to hear the case of a Florida man condemned to die, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide an issue that could slow down executions nationwide. The court agreed to review whether death row inmate Clarence Hill can challenge lethal injection through a civil rights claim. While that is a technical and procedural issue, a victory by Hill could give death row inmates everywhere an avenue to challenge lethal injections as unconstitutionally painful and cruel. This may affect the outcomes of two executions in February, that of Vernon Evans Jr. -- scheduled to be executed the week of Feb. 6th -- and Michael Morales -- schedule to be executed Feb. 21st. On another note, both the Baltimore Sun and the Washington Post carried stories about Vernon Evans' blog. Vernon is on Maryland's death row and is scheduled to be executed the week of Feb. 6th. You can read the stories here: A Death Row Blogger's Advice for Life. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ news.jsp?key=2128&t= Evans' blog gives a glimpse of his life. http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ news.jsp?key=2129&t= ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do Not Execute Vernon Evans Jr.! The State of Maryland is scheduled to execute Vernon Lee Evans Jr., a black man, the week of February 5th for the 1983 shooting deaths of Scott Piechowicz and his sister-in-law, Susan Kennedy. Evans' case involves many troubling issues that are common to capital punishment. Like most of the men and women on death row, Evans lacked the resources to hire an attorney and was appointed one by the Court instead. It often is said that those who are executed in the U.S. are the ones with the fewest resources, not necessarily the ones who commit the worst crimes. This reality is highlighted by several mistakes that Evans' lawyer made, albeit unwittingly, throughout his trial. There are other unsettling aspects to Evans' case. Several of the witnesses at Evans' trial had committed perjury in previous testimonies before a grand jury and similar proceedings. Evans' case also epitomizes everything that is wrong with the death penalty in that he is a black man being executed for the murder of two white people in a state that is notorious for its death penalty's racial disparities. ACT NOW by contacting Gov. Robert Ehrlich requesting that he stop the execution of Vernon Evans Jr.! Read More and Take Action at: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2338 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do Not Execute Michael Morales! Michael Morales, a 46-year-old Latino man, is scheduled to be executed on Feb. 21 for the 1981 murder of Terri Winchell. There are a number of issues surrounding Morales's trial that raise serious questions about his guilt and whether or not the death penalty is appropriate for him. One piece of evidence that seems especially troubling is the confession that Morales is alleged to have made to prison informant Bruce Samuelson. Morales argues that he never made such a confession, going on to claim that Samuelson was strategically placed in order to secure evidence against Morales, and that this all was concealed at trial. What's more, nobody heard Morales make this alleged confession: neither other prisoners, nor guards who routinely listen in via intercom. Michael Morales was convicted with the help of two lying witnesses. He was sentenced to death according to a sentencing scheme that even confuses judges. Certainly the doubt cast on Morales's death sentence by these two facts makes execution of Morales unacceptable. ACT NOW by contacting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and asking that Morales' execution be halted! Read More and Take Action at: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2342 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ See and act on all current Execution Alerts at http://www.ncadp.org/execution_alerts.html February 6-10: Vernon Evans Jr., MD http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=2338 February 7: Glenn Benner, OH http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=2339 February 8: Robert Neville Jr., TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=2340 February 15: Clyde Smith, TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=2341 February 21: Michael Morales, CA http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=2342 February 23: Steve Staley, TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=2343
