Home : Death Penalty : General

Another Troubling Texas Execution: Statement by Diann Rust-Tierney, Director, ACLU Capital Punishment Project (08/27/2002)
WASHINGTON-Today's scheduled execution of juvenile offender, Toronto Patterson in Texas epitomizes that state's determination to proceed with an execution despite mounting concerns.

ACLU Challenges Arizona Law That Censors Anti-Death Penalty Web Sites (07/18/2002)
PHOENIX-Acting on behalf of anti-death penalty and other advocacy groups, the American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in Arizona federal district court seeking to invalidate a state law that bans all information about Arizona prisoners from the global Internet. 

NYCLU Hails State Court's Rejection of Death Penalty For First Person Sentenced Under New Law (07/09/2002)
NEW YORK--The New York Civil Liberties Union today hailed a decision by the New York Court of Appeals vacating the death sentence imposed on Darrel Harris, who was the first person to be sentenced to death under the death penalty statute enacted in New York in 1995.

One Down, Six to Go this Month: Why is Texas in a Rush to Execute? (05/08/2002)
WASHINGTON-Texas once again seems determined to take the lead in the nation's execution race. This month alone, the state had planned to kill eight death row inmates. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, has already stayed the execution of two of those prisoners. 

ACLU Applauds Federal Judge's Intention to Declare Federal Death Penalty Unconstitutional (04/26/2002)
WASHINGTON-The American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project applauds U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff for declaring that he may rule that the federal death penalty is unconstitutional based on the high number of innocent people who have been released from death row. 

ACLU of Illinois Commends Release of Report by Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment (04/15/2002)
CHICAGO--The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois commends the Governor's Commission on Capital Punishment for its diligent work and considerable attention to addressing problems in Illinois' failed death penalty system. The recommendations of the Commission, as reflected in the report released today, demonstrate the seriousness and open-minded approach with which the Commission members approached this process. 

With Oklahoma State Justice System in Crisis, State Poised to Take National Lead in Executions From Texas (12/04/2001)
WASHINGTON - We today call on Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating to impose a moratorium on executions as his state's death penalty system finds itself in uncharted waters with more and more cases involving false testimony presented by former Oklahoma City Forensic Chemist Joyce Gilchrist coming under the scrutiny of investigators and a grand jury. 

ACLU Says McVeigh Error Highlights Larger Problems; Says Errors Widespread in Capital Punishment Trials (05/11/2001)
WASHINGTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today said that the FBI's failure to turn over thousands of potentially crucial documents to defense attorneys for Timothy McVeigh highlights systemic problems with the administration of the death penalty in the United States. 

ACLU Statement on the Execution of Timothy McVeigh (04/16/2001)
WASHINGTON--The impending execution of Timothy McVeigh should not and will not derail the growing call for a moratorium on federal executions. 

ACLU Denounces Oklahoma Governor for Allowing Execution of Mentally Impaired Woman (01/12/2001)
OKLAHOMA CITY -- The American Civil Liberties Union today denounced Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating's refusal to grant a 30-day reprieve to Wanda Jean Allen, who was executed last night despite the fact that she was deprived of adequate legal representation.

Bias and Stereotyping Sent Mentally Impaired Lesbian to Death Row, ACLU Tells OK Clemency Board (12/15/2000)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Citing a "stunning combination" of concerns about bias and injustice, the American Civil Liberties Union today urged clemency for a severely mentally impaired African-American lesbian who is scheduled to be executed on Jan. 11.

At National Death Penalty Conference, ACLU Urges "Unified Strategy" to End Capital Punishment (11/17/2000)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA--I am pleased to be here today with so many others from around the country who are committed to the cause of civil and human rights. 

Texas Resumes Brisk Death Penalty Schedule, Including Execution of Mentally Retarded Man (11/14/2000)
WASHINGTON--Following a welcome hiatus during his presidential campaign, tonight Texas Gov. George W. Bush is resuming his brisk execution schedule with the lethal injection of Texas inmate Stacey Lawton, followed by two executions expected to take place on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

Drop in Minorities' Support for Death Penalty (07/11/2000)
A recent Zogby International poll shows that African-American and Hispanic support for the death penalty in particularly heinous crimes has dropped in the past few months.

ACLU Urges Committee to Broaden Examination of Death Penalty (06/13/2000)
"We must not send another person to the grave without allowing a simple test that could once and for all resolve any questions of whether they committed a crime," said Diann Rust-Tierney, Director of the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project. "But allowing DNA evidence is only one piece of the puzzle. Inexperienced, incompetent -- or even sleeping -- lawyers are often the only thing standing between many Americans and death row." 

In Historic Vote, New Hampshire Lawmakers Pass Bill to Abolish State Death Penalty Law (05/18/2000)
CONCORD, NH -- Responding to emotional testimony from murder victims' families -- two of them state representatives -- New Hampshire's 24 senators today gave final passage to legislation to abolish the state's death penalty law.

ACLU Endorses House Legislation To Protect the Innocent on Death Row (03/30/2000)
"This bill demonstrates that there is growing understanding among both political parties that many people on death row are innocent, and that an inadequate defense is a reason they were sentenced to death in the first place," said Diann Rust-Tierney, Director of the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project. "The only thing that often stands between Americans and death row is an inexperienced, incompetent - or even a sleeping - lawyer. 

ACLU Challenges San Quentin's Secret Execution Procedures (02/14/2000)
SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California goes to federal court today to argue that journalists and public witnesses have a First Amendment right to witness executions in their entirety and that there is no evidence that media presence jeopardizes prison security or the safety of prison personnel.

ACLU Objects to Ohio Proposal to Deny Condemned Prisoners Their Final Words (01/05/2000)
COLUMBUS, OH -- Saying that condemned prisoners should have the right to offer their last words, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio today objected to a proposal that would allow wardens to edit or completely suppress final statements. 

Reporters Expose Cruelty, Flaws in Death Penalty (12/09/1999)
Washington - Activists against the death penalty, including the ACLU, often feel that they are fighting a losing battle. But in recent months, abolitionists have been heartened by articles opposing the death penalty which have appeared in several major newspapers.