·
No state, including Texas, has met standards developed by the
American Bar Association (ABA) for appointment, performance
and compensation of counsel for indigent prisoners.
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 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 gutted 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 under
the age of 18 at the time of their offenses (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 Governor George W. Bush.
WHEREAS
Texas now leads the nation in executions with nearly 200 since
the death penalty was reintroduced in 1982.
Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED THAT
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calls on
Governor Perry and our representatives to the Texas Legislature,
and President Bush 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 and persons
who were under the age of 18 at the time of their offenses,
and foreign nationals whose consular rights were violated.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution shall
be forwarded to the Governor, the Presiding Judge of the Texas
Court of Criminal Appeals, our state representatives, and to
President Bush and members of our Congressional delegation.
Endorsed
by,
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