Tag: Texas

Urgent Action: Texas USA


Urgent Action: Billy Wardlow faces execution for a crime when aged 18

Urgent Action 108/20 (AMR 51/2595/2020 USA)

Billy Wardlow’s execution is scheduled for 8 July 2020.  He is on death row in Texas, USA in connection with the 1993 murder of an 82-year-old man when he was just 18 years old.  The jury that sentenced Billy Wardlow was never presented mitigating evidence.  Since 2005, it’s unconstitutional to impose a death sentence on anyone younger than 18 when the crime occurred.  Scientific research shows that development of the brain and psychological and emotional maturation continues into a person’s 20s. Two jurors now believe that he should serve a life sentence instead. We urge Governor Abbott to grant clemency.

Please read this UA for more details and a model appeal.

Please ask Texas Governor Abbott, as the main target, to grant clemency.  Can you also please contact the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, which puts forward recommendations to the Governor on decisions on clemency:

Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
8610 Shoal Creek Blvd.
Austin, Texas 78757
Fax: (512) 467-0945

Further details are available in this link.

The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights and Amnesty International opposes the sentence in all circumstances. As of 2020, 106 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes and more than two-thirds are abolitionist in law or practice. The US has executed 1518 people since 1976, and the State of Texas has accounted for 569 of those executions.

See also the Texas Campaign Against the Death Penalty TCADP.

UPDATE Note that the Governor’s email address is incorrect. 

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Death penalty report


We are pleased to attach the death penalty report for mid March/April 2020 thanks to group member Lesley for the work in compiling it.

Report (Word)

No to the death penalty

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Monthly death penalty report


We are pleased to attach the monthly death penalty report prepared by group member Lesley.  It contains news of death sentences and penalties from around the world.  Note that China does not appear because although it is believed to execute more of its citizens that the rest of the world combined, the data is a state secret.

Reort January/February (Word)

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Death penalty report: Nov – Dec


We are pleased to attach our latest monthly death penalty report compiled by group member Lesley.  In addition to matters around the world, we mention worries about the Conservative government, if, as expected, they assume power on Friday after the election.  The present Home Secretary, Priti Patel is committed to toughening sentencing and has said she wishes to see the reintroduction of the penalty in the UK.  She denies that this is the case.  We quote survey statistics to show that it is still a desired outcome for many people, especially for those who voted leave in the EU Referendum.

Note as ever that China is the world’s largest executioner of its citizens but the data is a state secret.

November – December Report (Word)

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Death penalty report


The death penalty report for October – November is available thanks to group member Lesley for compiling it.  One worrying item is the apparent willingness of the UK government to allow individuals to be sent to the USA with the risk of execution.

October/November report (Word)

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Death penalty report: September – October


Tree of Life. Pic: Salisbury Amnesty

The latest death penalty report produced by the group is available and thanks to group member Lesley for the work in compiling it.  In the report is a link to the Japanese man who has been imprisoned and on death row for four decades and is now of interest again because the Pope has become involved.

Sept – Oct report (Word)

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Death penalty report


The groups latest death penalty report is available here thanks to group member Lesley for the work in compiling it.  As always, we have to note that China is the worlds largest executioner but the statistics are a state secret.

Report (Word)

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Death penalty report – January


Attached is the death penalty report for the mid December – January period prepared by group member Lesley.  Some good news especially in Texas – a state with a high use of this punishment – but elsewhere in the world, a depressing number of countries in the list.

Death penalty report (Word)

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Stay of execution: Texas


Execution of Clinton Young in Texas stayed
Clinton Lee Young. Pic: Vebidoo.com

It is good news that the planned execution of Clinton Lee Young has been stayed by a Texas court due to doubts about the evidence.  It just shows that had the execution gone ahead, any mistakes cannot be undone.  Thanks to all those who wrote on this case.

Urgent action: Texas (pdf)

Read our monthly death penalty report.

If you live in the Salisbury UK area and would like to join us you would be very welcome.  It is free to join the Salisbury group but if you want the benefits of joining Amnesty International UK there is a joining fee for that.

The best thing is to come along to one of our events, which are listed at the end of our minutes, and make yourself known.  Or keep an eye on this site or Facebook and Twitter (salisburyai)


 

 

 

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Yemen


Article in the Guardian today (2 September) on Yemen.  Unfortunately, the newspaper closed the comments section almost as soon as it was published.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/sep/01/disaster-texas-america-britain-yemen

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