Kevin Cooper Update

Dear Fellow Abolitionists,

Good news! The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has granted all 10 of Kevin Cooper's "certificates of appealability" (allowing him to pursue all 10 of his claims including Actual Innocence) has set a court date for Oral Arguments in the case. After receiving no justice in the Federal District court, where his case was sent after he received his stay of execution, this hearing is crucial. While we are in no way guaranteed a ruling in our favor, in the current system it is a victory in and of itself for a death row prisoner to have win the right to appeal.

Kevin Cooper wrote the following statement to explain to all of you, his supporters, how important this hearing "on the merits" of the case is. Please note that the date will most likely be changed, so we will send out further details very soon.

In the meantime check out http://www.savekevincooper.org for a new fact sheet with information on the recent developments & injustices in his case and new essays by Kevin. You can also check out his new myspace page http://www.myspace.com/freekevincooper.

Contact me at 510-333-7966 or crystal [at] nodeathpenalty.org to obtain our recent press packet, for more information or to find out how you and/or your organization can get involved. Activism saved Kevin Cooper from execution, we need to keep up the fight to free him and end the racist death penalty!

In Solidarity,
Crystal Bybee
Campaign to End the Death Penalty


"The Merits"

by Kevin Cooper

It is my understanding that on November 2nd, 2006*, a three-Judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will have Oral Arguments in my case, and do so "on the Merits!"

If this is truly the case, then it will be the very first time in over 20 years, or since I was first arrested in 1983, that this will happen.

All I have ever asked, and all that I have a right to ask, is that the whole truth be told about this case. So far, despite what the state claims, this has never happened. I am not asking for just my side to be told in this, and I most definitely don't want just the state's one-sided side to be told as it has been with the help of the mainstream news media.

I want both sides to be told, I want the truth to be told! I want this case to truly be heard "on the Merits" this around! So far the state has lied about evidence, destroyed evidence, withheld evidence, ignored evidence, tampered with evidence, contaminated evidence, used a lying jailhouse snitch/informant and even allowed the D.A. who helped convict me to lie in Federal District Court when he was under oath!

Yet despite all of this, the attorneys who are representing me are, for the very first time, about to be heard "on the Merits!" Maybe there is justice after all.

In Struggle From Death Row

At San Quentin Prison,

Kevin Cooper

*this date is very likely to change