: NCADP May Execution Alert

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

e - @ b o l i t i o n i s t

May 2006


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Seven Executions Scheduled in May

There are seven execution dates spread throughout the month of May, with four of them scheduled in Texas. The cases of two death row inmates scheduled for execution on May 17th raise serious concerns.

One of these is Sedley Alley, who is scheduled to be executed by the state of Tennessee on May 17th. There is substantial and reasonable doubt as to the credibility of Alley’s conviction and death sentence.

Another, Jermaine Herron, awaits execution on Texas' death row. Crucial to the prosecution’s case against Herron were the statements he made to police without an attorney present---even though he had explicitly requested one. This fact ties into a larger problem of ineffective assistance of council.

Read more about these and the other five cases below -- and ACT!




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Do Not Execute Sedley Alley!

The state of Tennessee is scheduled to execute Sedley Alley despite serious concerns about the reliability of his conviction. Evidence withheld from the defense at trial indicates that police had Alley under surveillance at the time of the homicide. This evidence, which had been withheld for 20 years, seriously calls into question Alley’s guilt, since the police’s own records show that he was not present at the time of the victim’s death.

Physical evidence exists that could establish, once and for all, whether or not Alley is guilty or innocent. This evidence has never been tested for DNA evidence. The testing can be done quickly, with no cost to the state and no delay of the execution, should it, in fact, point to Alley as the killer. But the state has opposed all attempts to have this evidence tested.

Other problems likewise call the conviction into question. Under these circumstances, the burning question becomes, what are Shelby County and the state of Tennessee so afraid of that they would fight against a fair and just examination of all evidence?

ACT NOW by contacting Gov. Phil Bredesen requesting that he stop the execution of Sedley Alley!

Read More and Take Action at: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3439





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Do Not Execute Jermaine Herron!

Jermaine Herron, a black man, awaits execution on Texas’ death row. Crucial to the prosecution’s case against Herron were the statements he made to police after surrendering himself for arrest. What is troubling is that these statements were made without an attorney present even though Herron had explicitly requested one.

Although the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals admitted that the trial court had made an error by allowing Herron’s statements, they deemed the error “harmless” and refused to grant Herron relief. This begs the question of whether or not the jury would have arrived at the same verdict had the statement been excluded. While we will never know the answer to this question, this case illustrates that human fallibility is a reality in our criminal justice system.

ACT NOW by contacting Gov. Rick Perry and asking that Jermain Herron's execution be halted!

Read More and Take Action at: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3438





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See and act on all current Execution Alerts at

http://www.ncadp.org/execution_alerts.html



May 2: Joseph Clark, OH
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3434

May 4: Jackie Wilson, TX
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3435

May 12: Jerry Conner, NC
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3436

May 16: Derrick O'Brien, TX
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3437

May 17: Jermaine Herron, TX
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3438

May 17: Sedley Alley, TN
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3439

May 24: Jesus Aguilar, TX
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=3440






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