March 13, 2002: For those in Nashville - Please Support a Metro Council Moratorium on Executions Resolution

Dear Friends,

On Monday, March 19, Councilwoman Brenda Gilmore of Metro City Council will introduce a resolution supporting a moratorium on executions. This is an important grassroots effort in Tennessee - the first of what may be many such efforts across the state if we are successful here in Davidson County. We need to do everything we can to support Councilwoman Brenda Gilmore. Please read the history and take the actions necessary to make Nashville the first city in Tennessee to join other cities in the country in the call for a moratorium on executions.

History - On February 19 - Brenda Gilmore introduced a resolution to the Rules Committee calling upon Governor Sundquist to commute the sentence of Abu-Ali to life in prison and supporting a moratorium on executions. The resolution was held in committee by Gilmore because there was no support by committee members. Committee members are: Williams, Lynn, Chair; Ferrell, Chris; Greer, Ronnie, Vice Chair; Hart, Lawrence; Holloway, Saletta; Nollner, Ron; Summers, John; and Waters, Leo. Based on feedback in the Tennessean article about the resolution and from council members Gilmore decided to re-write the resolution dropping the references to Abu-Ali and the request for commutation to focus only a moratorium. This strategy has been successful for 63 councils nationwide (http://www.quixote.org/ej/).

Action - Please call your councilperson and urge them to support the resolution. Let us know where they stand. If they don't support the resolution try to find out why. You can use the attachments below to address their concerns.

Study the issues on the attached documents. This is not about whether you support or oppose the death penalty, the issue is fairness within the system.

Contact your district person and all 5 at-large members.

Ask your neighbors, family, and friends who live in Metro to do the same. We have 35 district council members and five at-large seats to work on.

Write letters to the editor of The City Paper, The Urban Journal, and The Tennessee Tribune.

Pack the chamber on March 19th. Wear moratorium buttons (not abolition!) Come to the Meeting - We need the Council to see that this is an issue that their constituents support!

Many thanks for your grass roots actions and please keep us informed of what you hear!

Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director