National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty March 2006 Please forward and cross-post this message widely. If you received this message from a friend, subscribe free at http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/signUp.jsp?key=28 Lethal Injection Challenges Dominate in March The constitutionality of lethal injection protocols has come under challenge in more than a dozen states--California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. As a result, the nationwide pace of executions has slowed, at least for now. Besides Texas, there appears to be no rush to execute inmates with the legal landscape so unsettled. Only one other state, North Carolina, has an execution scheduled next month. In the North Carolina execution, lines would be inserted in each of Patrick Moody's arms by technicians and the drugs administered by people hidden by curtains. North Carolina has already changed drug dosages in response to a lawsuit that Moody may join. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do Not Execute Patrick Moody! Patrick Moody, a 39-year-old white man, faces execution on March 17, 2006 in North Carolina. There are several reasons why he ought not to be executed. First and foremost is one of the aggravating circumstances that made Moody eligible for the death penalty under North Carolina law, specifically, that he had committed the murder for "pecuniary gain." Moody contends that he was not concerned with the money. Ironically, even though Moody likely was acting under the domination of Wanda Robbins, and even though Wanda Robbins was at least as financially invested in Donnie's death as Moody, and even though Wanda had attempted to poison Donnie in the past, Wanda only received life imprisonment for her role in Donnie's murder. This inconsistency in sentencing when a lives are at stake is troubling. ACT NOW by contacting Gov. Easley requesting that he stop the execution of Patrick Moody! Read More and Take Action at: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2605 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do Not Execute Robert Salazar Jr.! Robert Salazar Jr., a Hispanic man, is schedule to be executed in Texas on March 22, 2006. Salazar's execution is one of four scheduled by the State of Texas for the month of March. Salazar was sentenced to death despite evidence that he had been abused and neglected as a child. Moreover, it is alleged by Salazar that the jury who sentenced Salazar to death did so under the assumption that if sentenced to life in prison he would be eligible for parole in twenty years, when in reality, as provided by Texas state law, someone who is sentenced to life in prison is not eligible for parole. Several jurors who were purportedly leaning towards sentencing Salazar to life in prison decided to sentence Salazar to death instead. The jury that sentenced Salazar to death did so believing that if they didn't Salazar would not serve the time they felt he deserved. Furthermore, if the jury had been informed by the court how long it would be before Salazar was eligible for parole ahead of time it is likely that Salazar would not have received the same sentence. ACT NOW by contacting Gov. Perry and asking that Salazar's execution be halted! Read More and Take Action at: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2603 --------------------------------------------------------------------- See and act on all current Execution Alerts at http://www.ncadp.org/execution_alerts.html March 15: Tommie Hughes, TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2600 March 17: Patrick Moody, NC http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2605 March 22: Robert Salazar Jr., TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2603 March 28: Raymond Martinez, TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2606 March 29: Kevin Kincy, TX http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/ campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2607
