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Remembering Innocent Executed People
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
Remembering the Innocent - at Paradise Cemetery on Sunday, 2007-09-09: Friends and supporters joined the families for a graveside commemoration for Shaka Sankofa, Frances Newton, Joseph Nichols.
forjosephnichols.jpg, image/jpeg, 360x480
Friends and supporters joined the families for a graveside commemoration, bringing memories, songs, photos, and poems to share, honoring the memory of these three innocent people who were taken from us by the state of Texas: Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham), Frances Newton, and Joseph Nichols.
Early September is significant for each of these families. Shaka's birthday was September 5; he would have been 47, had he not been executed on June 22, 2000. Joseph's birthday was September 8; he would have been 46, but was executed last March 3. Frances was executed at the age of 40, two years ago on September 14.
All three were the victims of a racist and vicious system that seeks convictions at the expense of truth. Prosecutors and judges alike seem hell-bent on vengeance rather than justice. Evidence gets twisted and/or lost; witnesses, unreliable to start with, are harrassed and/or coached; trials are repeated with multiple people accused of the same crime, and appeals are summarily denied for the least excuses and arbitrary rules.
When will the killing stop? The tide of public opinion has turned, as shown by the recent, if reluctant, addition by lawmakers of Life Without Parole as an option to be given to jurors. And the conservative US Supreme Court has lately handed down restrictions, as against execution of juveniles and mentally impaired people. Even in Harris County, capital sentences decline, yet executions mount in number: 5 last month (August), 5 this month.
JOIN the MARCH to END EXECUTIONS: October 27 in Houston. See the web site.
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Ester King pours a libation
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
esterkingpourslibation.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Brother Kenyha drumming
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
brotherkenyhadrums.jpg, image/jpeg, 360x480
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Conrado Acevado singing
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
conradoacevadosings.jpg, image/jpeg, 360x480
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Graveside gathering
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
gravesidegathering.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480
The ballons are for Joseph's birthday, the day before.
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Remembering
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
remembering.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Six strong women
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
sixstrongwomen.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
Three mothers
by Art B
Sunday, Sep. 09, 2007 at 10:08 PM
browningtx@yahoo.com
threemothers.jpg, image/jpeg, 640x480
Jewell Nelms (Frances's mother), Lee Greenwood (Joseph's mother), and Leonora Graham (Shaka's stepmother)
www.marchtoendexecution.org/
LATEST COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
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These comments are anonymously submitted by the website visitors.
| TITLE |
AUTHOR |
DATE |
| deep gratitude |
c lee |
Saturday, Sep. 15, 2007 at 3:40 PM |
| Time spent |
Art B |
Tuesday, Sep. 11, 2007 at 10:53 PM |
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