NAACP reaffirms opposition to death penalty

EMERGENCY RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING OPPOSITION TO THE DEATH PENALTY


WHEREAS, the NAACP adopted a resolution in 2001 re-affirming our

opposition to the death penalty due to its racially disparate

application; and


WHEREAS, the NAACP has re-affirmed its 1975 resolution opposing
the

death penalty on the grounds that it constitutes cruel and unusual

punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment of the United States

Constitution; and


WHEREAS, many people, including Mumia Abu-Jamal, are incarcerated

on death row and face possible execution; and


WHEREAS, more than 320 people on death row have been exonerated;

and


WHEREAS, though African Americans make up only 12.4% of the U.S.

population, we make up 38% of all the Americans that were sentenced to

death and later freed after being found innocent; and


WHEREAS, African Americans make up 35% of those being found

innocent after being executed; and


WHEREAS, African Americans make up over 80% of those awaiting

execution on federal death row; and


WHEREAS, 145 people have been exonerated based upon DNA evidence;

and


WHEREAS, there is no possible way of restoring the life of an

innocent person killed by the death penalty; and


WHEREAS, the implementation of the death penalty raises concerns

regarding bias identification, police and prosecutorial misconduct,

judicial apathy in protecting the rights of the accused, faulty
evidence,

inadequate defense representation, coerced confessions, and fabricated

testimony, and,


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the National Association for the

Advancement of Colored People reiterates its strong opposition to the

death penalty; and


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NAACP calls on its units
throughout

the United States and the world to support the international call for

Mumia Abu-Jamal to be released from death row; and


BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NAACP reiterate its support of the

international movement for a new and fair trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal; and


BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the NAACP renew its call for new
nation

wide studies on racial discrimination, the adequacy of counsel, access
to

modern research technology such as DNA analysis, the sentencing of

children and women to the death penalty and that the NAACP reiterate its

call for a national moratorium on all executions.


ss: Kweisi Mfume, President and CEO; Julian Bond, Chairman of the

Board of Directors