Sat, 11 Mar 2000

On March 8 Judge Jan Krocker sentenced community activist Njeri Shakur to 30 days in jail for contempt of court. She will begin serving her sentence March 10. Shakur is a member of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement and a founder of the Texas Death Penalty Moratorium Committee.

Why did Krocker decide to lock up Shakur on International Working Women's Day? As an act of repression and retaliation against an African American woman leader of the movement for a moratorium on executions.

The incident that led to Njeri Shakur's jailing took place Feb. 8. That's when Judge Krocker set an execution date for Ponchai "Kamau" Wilkerson, a young Afro-Asian man and a close friend of Shakur. Judge Krocker cut off Kamau Wilkerson's statement to the court. Then she let bailiffs beat him to the floor. Njeri Shakur stood up in the courtroom and demanded that Wilkerson be allowed to make his statement. Krocker calls this "contempt."

However embarrassing her righteous demand might have been to a reactionary, racist Republican judge, that alone is not the reason Njeri Shakur was sentenced to 30 days instead of the usual 3 to 5 days for contempt. Krocker--and through her Gov. George W. Bush and the wealthy rulers of Texas--want to make an example of this outspoken death- penalty opponent.

Why? Because they fear the growing movement in Texas, across the country, and worldwide demanding a moratorium on executions.

On Feb. 21-22, Kamau Wilkerson and Howard Guidry to a prison guard hostage for 13 hours to dramatize their outrage about the railroading of youth into prison. They also demanded a moratorium on executions. Njeri Shakur was one of three community leaders who met with them, presented their demands to prison officials and secured the guard's release. Now Krocker has told Shakur she cannot be present at her friend's scheduled execution March 14 or even for his funeral.

Who benefits from locking up this mother of six, grandmother of eight, a beloved fighter for decent housing in her community? Only presidential candidate Bush and his allies in both parties who want to continue jailing and executing youths, especially youths of color, rather than give them civil rights and equal access to higher education. Since Bush took office, the number of prisoners in Texas has grown from 40,000 to 150,000!

The movement for a moratorium on executions won't be stopped by these police-state tactics. The list of organizations, churches, student groups, and individuals who want an end to the racist Texas death machine is growing daily.

We are approaching a critical moment in this struggle Everyone who is outraged by the railroading of young women and men to death row, everyone who hates racism and injustice, everyone who believes the death penalty is applied unfairly, everyone who wants Njeri Shakur free, must take a stand.

Endorsements and support are urgently needed for the new Texas Death Penalty Moratorium Committee. Have your organization, community group, tenants association, union, or student body adopt the resolution below. Interfaith and Catholic resolutions are also available. Contact us and get involved today!

Endorsers list (in formation): Madres y Familias Unidas; SHAPE Center; Nation of Islam Mosque #45; Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement; Minister Robert Muhammad, SW regional representative of Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan & the Nation of Islam; Frances "Sissy" Farenthold, human rights activist; Councilperson Jew Don Boney Jr., Houston Mayor pro-tem; Rev. Wilson Ross; Clarence Brandley, innocent man released from Texas death row; Justice for Pedro Oregon Coalition; Rev. Earnest Charles, St. Saviour Baptist Church; National Lawyers Guild Prison Law Project; International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal; Elizabeth Wiser, Mary Africa and Ronna Africa, MOVE 9 political prisoners; Harris County Green Party; Madeline McNeil, mother of death-row prisoner Erica Shepherd; Ada Edwards; Ed Banks; Houstonians United for Mumia; Sis. Marpessa Kupendua, Afrikan Frontline Network; Liz White, mother of death-row prisoner Garcia White; North Coast Xpress; Anarchist Action, Rochester, N.Y.; Mary Delany, SHAPE Elders’ Council; Michael Haggerty, National Black United Front; Sharon Jason, Plight Entertainment; Anthony Freddie, Gary Graham Justice Coalition; Frances Patrick, coordinator of Odell Barnes defense; Andrew Bushard, Federation Without Television.

(organization for identification only)

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MORATORIUM NOW! Not one more execution!

WHEREAS death sentences are reserved for the poor:

About 90 percent of all people facing capital charges cannot afford a private attorney;

No state, including Texas, has met standards developed by the American Bar Association (ABA) for appointment, performance and compensation of legal counsel for indigent prisoners;

WHEREAS there is ample evidence that the death penalty is applied in a racist manner:

In 1987, in McCleskey v. Kemp, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to act on data demonstrating the continuing reality of racial bias;

In 1990, the U.S. General Accounting Office reported "a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in charging, sentencing and imposition of the death penalty";

Nationwide, 82 percent of those put to death had been convicted of murdering a white person, even though people of color are the victims in more than half of all homicides;

The U.S. Congress has failed repeatedly to pass the Racial Justice Act, which would allow prisoners to challenge their death sentences using standards normal in civil racial discrimination cases;

WHEREAS prisoner appeals have been severely curtailed, increasing the risk of imprisonment and execution of innocent people:

In a series of rulings since 1991, the U.S. Supreme Court has drastically restricted the rights of death row prisoners to appeal their convictions and death sentences in federal courts, even in cases where prisoners present compelling evidence of innocence;

In 1996, new legislation drastically limited federal court review of death penalty appeals and removed the most public funding of legal aid services for death row prisoners;

WHEREAS the American Bar Association has concluded that administration of the death penalty is "a haphazard maze of unfair practices with no internal consistency" and has called for a moratorium on executions;

WHEREAS Texas has executed mentally disabled persons, persons who were under the age of 18 at the time of the offenses of which they were convicted (in violation of international law), and foreign nationals whose consular rights were violated;

WHEREAS the Texas legislature in 1999 failed to pass a bill that would ban using the death penalty against mentally retarded persons;

WHEREAS a bill was passed in 1999 by the Texas Legislature which would allow counties to establish a public defender system, but was vetoed by Gov. George W. Bush;

AND WHEREAS Texas now leads the nation in executions with over 200 since the death penalty was reintroduced in 1982;

Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED THAT

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calls on Governor Bush and our representatives in the Texas Legislature, and President Clinton and our representatives in the U.S. Congress, to enact and adopt legislation imposing a moratorium on executions at least until policies and procedures are implemented which

Ensure that death penalty cases are administered fairly and impartially in accordance with basic due process;

Eliminate the risk that innocent persons may be executed;

Prevent the execution of mentally disabled persons, people who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime of which they were convicted, and foreign nationals whose consular rights were violated.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to Governor Bush, to the Presiding Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, to our state representatives, to President Clinton and to the members of our Congressional delegation.

Ratified by

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Please return ratified resolutions and/or personal endorsements to:

Texas Death Penalty Moratorium Committee 3903 Almeda Road Houston, TX 77004 Phone/Fax: (713) 523-8454 or (713) 861-3137 Email: moratorium@juno.com

First adopted in Houston on Feb. 11.

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