Death Penalty
Press Releases
Legislative Alerts
Past Events
Resources
The death penalty is the ultimate denial of civil liberties, and violates the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Moreover, capital punishment is often unfairly and unjustly applied. For example, most death row inmates are poor and could not afford adequate legal representation at their trials. Minorities are more likely to be sentenced to death than whites, and cases involving white victims are more likely to end in a death sentence that cases involving black victims. Additionally, where a death sentence is sought often determines whether a defendant is sentenced to death more than the circumstances of the crime. Studies also show that the death penalty is not an effective crime deterrent, and that captial punishment is more expensive than life in prison without parole. ACLU-TN has long called on the Tennessee General Assembly to institute a moratorium on executions so these serious problems can be studied.
Press Releases
May 14, 2003: ACLU's Rachel King to read from "Don't Kill in Our Names" at Nashville's Davis-Kidd Booksellers
December 10, 2002: ACLU-TN Renews Call for Moratorium on Executions on Int'l Human Rights Day (12/10)
October 8, 2002: Former FL Supreme Court Justice Kogan to speak on death penalty on Oct 17
February 26, 2002: "Wrongful Convictions and the Breakdown of Due Process" panel discussion Monday, March 4
February 4, 2002: February 11 program: "Executing the Mentally Ill"
Legislative Alerts
May 9, 2008: ACLU-TN Chart of 2008 TGA Bills Related to the Death Penalty
April 14, 2008: Voice Your Opinion on Several Pending Civil Liberties/Civil Rights Bills!
May 15, 2006: Contact Governor Bredesen ASAP to stop execution pending DNA testing - Board of Probation Recommends Stay
September 12, 2003: Urge Governor to Grant Clemency for Workman - Virtual March on Monday, September 15
June 6, 2003: Wonderful News - Stay Granted - No Execution for Abu-Ali on June 18
March 23, 2003: FW: Please help Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman
April 22, 2002: Great News -- Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman
April 9, 2002: 100th Innocent Person Released from Death Row!
April 4, 2002: Abu-Ali Insta-Fax Alert **send a free fax instantly**
April 2, 2002: Stop the State from killing Abu-Ali Abdur'Rahman - Urge Governor Sundquist to give him clemency
March 20, 2002: Exciting News - Metro Nashville - first in State to pass resolution calling for Moratorium on Executions
March 13, 2002: For those in Nashville - Please Support a Metro Council Moratorium on Executions Resolution
Past Events
October 14, 2007:
Politics, Religion and Death: ACLU of Kentucky Board Member Discusses Death Penalty at the Southern Festival of Books April 29 - May 1, 2005: THE EXONERATED
January 12, 2005: ACLU's Rachel King to speak at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Nashville
May 20, 2003: ACLU's Rachel King to read from "Don't Kill in Our Names" at Nashville's Davis-Kidd Booksellers
October 17, 2002: Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Gerald Kogan to speak on death penalty on Oct 17 at Vanderbilt
March 4, 2002: "Wrongful Convictions and the Breakdown of Due Process"
February 11, 2002: "Executing the Mentally Ill"
September 9, 2000: ACLU-TN Annual Membership Meeting: "Strategies to End State-Sanctioned Killing"
March 17, 2000: “Does Our System of Justice Work? Wrongful Convictions and the Breakdown of Due Process”
Resources
Death Penalty - National ACLU
