Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

PADP's Lobby Day: Tuesday March 16th at the state capitol

What does ABOLISH really mean? What will that victory look like in Pennsylvania? How will you participate in making it happen?

ab•o•li•sh (verb):

1. To end the observance or effect of: annul
2. Destroy

The time is now and it is urgent. We are close to our goals, but we
cannot pass Senate Bill 1110 without your help, your presence, your
power, and your voice. We need YOU in order to destroy the death
penalty in Pennsylvania!

Please join us on TUESDAY MARCH 16 as we harness our collective effectiveness and educate our lawmakers about the
truth behind the broken system of capital punishment. The reality is that it is up to us. It is our job to TEACH,
to ORGANIZE, to SHOUT what we know about innocence, cost, racial disparities, and the impact on murder victims' families in order to make permanent change. Will you help us amplify these truths?

Etymology of 'abolish': from Latin abolere; probably akin to adolescere to grow up — to become more adult.

We must encourage growth toward justice, it is our turn to demand that Pennsylvania 'grow up' and SUSPEND, STUDY,
and ABOLISH capital punishment.

Details:

10:00 AM: Meet at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church located at 118 State
Street (block and a half from the main entrance of the capitol
building). Coffee and a light breakfast will be provided. A brief
training on talking points and meeting assignments will be offered.

11:00 AM: March to the capitol, gather in the rotunda.

11:30-3:00 PM: Lunch on your own, meetings with legislators (meetings will be set up in advance).

PADP will have a table set up in the main rotunda. This area will
serve as our base, please visit the table with any questions and to
return feedback forms following your meetings.

PLEASE R.S.V.P. to ashelton@PADP.org and include the following information:

1. Your name and contact info
2. If you are willing to act as a "Lead Volunteer" or Driver on the day of the rally

3. Your senate and house district numbers or your mailing address so that we can schedule your legislative appointment



Tell your lawmakers the truth about capital punishment!
Innocent people on death row!
  • The Pa Bar Association reported that we are at risk of executing an innocent person - this is not a risk that we should be willing to take.
  • Six people have been released from Pa’s death row due to innocence and an astounding 135 have been exonerated nation wide.
  • Cameron Todd Willingham was executed in Texas in 2004 despite the overwhelming amount of evidence that leads to his innocence. Click here for a link to view the full story.
    • The cost of capital punishment is too high!
  • New Jersey found that it is as much as three times more expensive to execute someone than to keep them in prison for life.
  • We have alternatives to executions in Pennsylvania; we can keep our communities safe by handing out strict sentencing. All the money we save can go toward policing, safety measures for our prison guards and a host of other preventative services.
  • At this time of national economic crisis and a statewide budget freeze - now is a good a time as ever to halt this wasteful system and look for ways to make our society a better place. Click here for a link to a New York Times editorial about the cost of capital punishment.
    • Racial, geographic and economic disparities!
  • African-American defendants in Philadelphia are four times more likely to be given a death sentence than white defendants.
  • Although Philadelphia’s murder rate is only 3 times great than that of Harrisburg, the proportion of those condemned to death is 11 times greater in Philadelphia.
  • Pennsylvania provides no funding for indigent defense services, opting instead to rely on county-funded indigent defense systems. As a result, the quality of Pennsylvania’s capital indigent defense system varies widely among counties and fails to afford uniform, quality representation to many capital defendants.
    		•

    12345next ›last »
    Syndicate content