In the Senate
"National Death Penalty Moratorium Act of 2000" (S. 2463)
In the Senate
"National Death Penalty Moratorium Act of 2000" (S. 2463)
On April 24, Senators Russell Feingold (D-WI) and Carl Levin (D-MI) introduced the "National Death Penalty Moratorium Act of 2000." The bill would impose a moratorium on executions and establish a National Commission on the Death Penalty. The Commission would review the current administration of the death penalty and make recommendations for ensuring that it is imposed fairly and with due process. A moratorium would be in place until the two-year Commission completes its work and Congress takes action on its final report.
The matters to be studied by the Commission would include racial disparities, disproportionality based on geographic location and income status of the defendant, adequacy of representation of capital defendants, why innocent prisoners are being sentenced to death and other issues plaguing the death penalty’s implementation.
Urge your senators to support the "National Death
Penalty Moratorium Act of 2000" (S. 2463)
Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121
Or write: Sen. _______, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510
Access your senators’ webpages at <www.senate.gov>
Urge Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
and ranking member Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to hold hearings.
(Urge your Senators to press them to do the same.)
Senate Judiciary Committee: 202-224-5225; 224-9102, fax
In the House
"Accuracy in Judicial Administration Act of 2000" (H.R. 3623)
? Introduced by Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) on February 10, the "Accuracy in Judicial Administration Act of 2000" (AJA) would impose a minimum 7-year national moratorium on all U.S. executions until all inmates currently sitting on death row have an opportunity to explore potentially exculpatory DNA and similar evidence.
?Since 1973, 87 death row prisoners nationwide have been found to be innocent – at least eight as a result of DNA evidence. These prisoners spent an average of seven years on death row before proving their innocence. The time between the average capital conviction and execution is eight years. Given drastic new restrictions on prisoner appeals resulting from the Congress’ 1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) and similar state legislation, this timeframe is only expected to shorten. The AJA sets a seven-year moratorium to insure that prisoners will not be executed before they have a chance to prove their innocence.
?Representatives Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Bill Clay (D-MO), Tom Barrett (D-WI), and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) joined Congressman Jackson as original co-sponsors of H.R. 3623. The bill is currently in the hands of the House Judiciary Committee, which will determine whether or not to hold hearings.
Urge your Congressperson to co-sponsor the "Accuracy In
Judicial Administration Act of 2000" (H.R. 3623)
Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121.
Or write: Rep. ________, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515
Access your representative’s webpage at <www.house.gov/writerep>
Urge House Judiciary Committee Chair Henry Hyde (R-IL)
and ranking member John Conyers to hold hearings.
(Urge your member to press them to do the same.)
House Judiciary Committee: 202-225-3951; 225-7682, fax