March Details

March for Freedom of Wrongful Convictions 2010

RAISING AWARENESS OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS

AND THE NEED FOR JUSTICE REFORM

 

WHAT:                 

MARCH FOR FREEDOM OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS 2010  --

On Oct 2 2010, demonstrators are gathering in locations across America to raise awareness of wrongful convictions, spotlight the need for criminal justice reform, and support for a death penalty moratorium.  

National Event Information:  http://freedommarchusa.org/

   

EVENTS:            

Demonstrations / events will take place at these locations:

                               

1. Phoenix, AZ -- Coordinator:  Camille Tilley - justice4courtney@mac.com 

2. Los Angeles, CA - Coordinator: Gloria Killian - acwip@yahoo.com

3. Boise, ID - Coordinator: Gary Adams. Boise, ID  - garyadams@getmpi.com / gla1949@hotmail.com

4. Lansing, MI -  Coordinator: Ursula Armijo at ubarmijo@comcast.net

5. Poughkeepsie, NY - Coordinator: Patricia Borden  pmborden@gmail.com. 

6. Pittsburgh, PA – Coordinator: MaryAnn Lubas -- mlubas2@yahoo.com

If there is no event in your area, you can support this cause by:

1.      Spreading the word about wrongful convictions and the need for criminal justice reform to your circle of friends, co-workers and acquaintances.

2.      Sending an email, letter or calling your elected representatives to say that you are concerned about wrongful convictions and our justice system.

                                       

                                                              

WHO:                  

Demonstrations organized by grassroots volunteers representing these organizations:

§  Freedom March USA, Marching for Awareness of Wrongful Convictions - http://freedommarchusa.org/

§  National Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform - http://www.reformingjustice.com/

                   

                               

CONTACT:        

For information on a specific event, contact the coordinator listed above.

 

In Texas, the following organizations and individuals support this cause and serve as an information resource on wrongful convictions and the need for criminal justice reform: Information on Oct 2 Events & Criminal Justice Reform: National Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform  - http://www.reformingjustice.com/ Texas chapter: Lucy Frost justicereform@gmail.com   Americas Wrongfully Convicted - http://www.americaswrongfullyconvicted.com/ Roger McClendon America’s Wrongfully Convicted roger@americaswrongfullyconvicted.com   Information Resource on Criminal Justice Reform: Dr. LeRoy Gillam, president Southeastern Christian Association (SECA) 832-228-3207   In The Interest of Justice (ITIJ) http://www.itij.org/   Pastor Rod Carver Supporters of Hannah Overton www.freehannah.com   Terri Been, Kids Against The Death Penalty http://www.freewebs.com/kadp   Kristin Houle Exec Director Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (TCADP) www.tcadp.org/   Jeff Blackburn or Cory Session Innocence Project Of Texas http://ipoftexas.org/   Lily Hughes, Campaign To End The Death Penalty http://www.nodeathpenalty.org/content/index.php

BACKGROUND

MARCH FOR FREEDOM OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS 2010 aims to raise united voices for justice. 

Modern science and technology have shaken the strong faith many once placed in the accuracy of judgments made by our criminal justice system.

Thanks to DNA analysis of biological evidence, hundreds have been exonerated—many after spending years on death row. 

Research by Seton Hall law professor D. Michael Risinger indicates that 3.3%-5% of those convicted of crimes are factually innocent. Those who value justice demand that the criminal justice system apply the lessons to be learned from the many cases of wrongful conviction, and support policy initiatives that:

1.             Raise the accuracy rate in judgments of guilt and innocence.

2.             Resolve credible post-conviction claims of innocence.

3.             Remedy the tragic impact of wrongful convictions.    

For those who are guilty of crimes, we support enlightened approaches to incarceration that nurture genuine rehabilitation and reintegration of productive citizens whenever possible.   

 

FACTS ABOUT AMERICA’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM:

-          The United States incarcerates more people than any country in the world, including the far more populous nation of China[1].

o    One in 100 Adult Americans is incarcerated in a prison or jail.

o    One in 31 Adult Americans is incarcerated, on probation or parole.

o    Incarceration rates heavily concentrated among men, racial and ethnic minorities, and 20-and 30-year olds

§  1 in 9 Black men 20-34 years old , 1 in 15 Black men 18+, 1 in 36 Hispanic men 18+.

-          Texas is one of the leading states in verified wrongful convictions.  To date, more than 38 people have been exonerated in Texas using DNA.

-          Nationally, more than 133 people have been exonerated from death row since 1973[2].

-          Expert estimates of wrongful convictions range from 3% to 12%, based on data from DNA & other exonerations[3].

-          Executed But Possibly Innocent:  Of the cases frequently cited as those executed despite strong evidence of innocence, 6 are Texas cases[4].

-          How many innocent people are in prison?  No one knows, but experts agree that “any plausible guess at the total number of miscarriages of justice in America in the last fifteen years must be in the thousands, perhaps tens of thousands.”[5]

 

Senator Jim Webb’s page about the problem and legislation he has introduced: http://webb.senate.gov/email/criminaljusticereform.html

“America's criminal justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a national disgrace. Its irregularities and inequities cut against the notion that we are a society founded on fundamental fairness. Our failure to address this problem has caused the nation's prisons to burst their seams with massive overcrowding, even as our neighborhoods have become more dangerous. We are wasting billions of dollars and diminishing millions of lives.” – Senator Jim Webb

 

 

 

Each state can create their own flyer if desired.