Post by thinkinkmesa on Oct 7, 2008 11:18:14 GMT -5
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM OTSE:
On October 14, 2008 Richard Wade Cooey III is scheduled to be executed by the state of Ohio by lethal injection. Rick's execution marks the first time Ohio will execute since May 2007 when Christopher Newton’'s execution took more than 90 minutes. This was the second botched execution in one year by the state. Ohio should not resume any executions while serious problems have yet to be addressed.
Ohio's rush to resume executions is ill-conceived when known flaws and errors pervade the capital punishment system. In September 2007 the American Bar Association (ABA) released its findings of Ohio’s death penalty system. The non-partisan study and ensuing report found that Ohio fails to meet 93% of the guidelines set forth to ensure fairness and accuracy by the ABA.
Since the time the ABA report was released, state officials have not addressed any of the issues or flaws reported. To date, geographic and racial inequities still exist, Ohio risks executing wrongfully convicted and innocent individuals, prosecutorial misconduct remains unchecked, the cost of executions in Ohio is unknown, and the drug cocktail has been ruled to violate the state constitution.
Governor Strickland should NOT RESUME EXECUTIONS, rather he should commission a comprehensive study of Ohio’'s broken death penalty system. All Ohioans agree that our system needs to be transparent, free of error and in the best interest of Ohioans, not politicians.
Please write, call and fax messages to Governor Strickland letting him know that we Ohioans want him to address the known problems with Ohio'’s death penalty through a bi-partisan study commission. Ohio should not resume executions at a time when too many flaws and errors riddle the system.
WHAT:
Write to the Governor'’s office today. Let the Governor know you have serious concerns with:
- Geographic and racial bias;
- Risk of executing the innocent and wrongfully convicted;
- Prosecutorial misconduct through concealed evidence and false testimony;
- Unknown costs at a time of financial uncertainty;
- Risk of unnecessary pain and suffering;
Misuse of county resources which should go to victims’ families.
Let the Governor know you want a system that is free of error, bias and which reflects our values of fairness and providing resources for victims and their families.
HOW:
Send your hand or type-written letters to:
Governor Ted Strickland
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 S. High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
Call the Governor’'s office at 614-466-3555 and ask to speak to someone in the constituent affairs office. Let them know that you have a message that you want to get to the governor, which is not to resume executions, rather you want to see the governor commission a study of the death penalty.
Fax messages to 614-466-9354 with the subject line "don't resume executions; commission a study" followed by your message.
E-mail your message to Governor Strickland.
SAMPLE LETTER:
October 7, 2008
Governor's Office
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
Dear Governor Strickland:
I am writing to express my concerns to you about Ohio resuming executions on October 14, 2008.
As I am sure you are aware, the American Bar Association released a report last September which found that Ohio falls well short of having a system that is free of error. The ABA found that Ohio risks executing innocent and wrongfully convicted inmates, is geographically and racially biased, is not cost effective and fails to address the needs of victims’ and their families.
I urge you to halt executions until your office commissions a comprehensive study of Ohio’'s death penalty system so that we Ohioans can be sure that known flaws have been identified and addressed.
Again, I urge you to NOT resume executions. Surely we all agree that fairness and accuracy are values we wish to promote. Please respond to my letter in writing.
Sincerely,
Your name (signed)
Your name (printed)
Your full mailing address (printed)
TIP: Make sure your letters to the Governor are addressed by hand. Often letters with handwritten envelopes are the first correspondences to be opened.
On October 14, 2008 Richard Wade Cooey III is scheduled to be executed by the state of Ohio by lethal injection. Rick's execution marks the first time Ohio will execute since May 2007 when Christopher Newton’'s execution took more than 90 minutes. This was the second botched execution in one year by the state. Ohio should not resume any executions while serious problems have yet to be addressed.
Ohio's rush to resume executions is ill-conceived when known flaws and errors pervade the capital punishment system. In September 2007 the American Bar Association (ABA) released its findings of Ohio’s death penalty system. The non-partisan study and ensuing report found that Ohio fails to meet 93% of the guidelines set forth to ensure fairness and accuracy by the ABA.
Since the time the ABA report was released, state officials have not addressed any of the issues or flaws reported. To date, geographic and racial inequities still exist, Ohio risks executing wrongfully convicted and innocent individuals, prosecutorial misconduct remains unchecked, the cost of executions in Ohio is unknown, and the drug cocktail has been ruled to violate the state constitution.
Governor Strickland should NOT RESUME EXECUTIONS, rather he should commission a comprehensive study of Ohio’'s broken death penalty system. All Ohioans agree that our system needs to be transparent, free of error and in the best interest of Ohioans, not politicians.
Please write, call and fax messages to Governor Strickland letting him know that we Ohioans want him to address the known problems with Ohio'’s death penalty through a bi-partisan study commission. Ohio should not resume executions at a time when too many flaws and errors riddle the system.
WHAT:
Write to the Governor'’s office today. Let the Governor know you have serious concerns with:
- Geographic and racial bias;
- Risk of executing the innocent and wrongfully convicted;
- Prosecutorial misconduct through concealed evidence and false testimony;
- Unknown costs at a time of financial uncertainty;
- Risk of unnecessary pain and suffering;
Misuse of county resources which should go to victims’ families.
Let the Governor know you want a system that is free of error, bias and which reflects our values of fairness and providing resources for victims and their families.
HOW:
Send your hand or type-written letters to:
Governor Ted Strickland
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 S. High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
Call the Governor’'s office at 614-466-3555 and ask to speak to someone in the constituent affairs office. Let them know that you have a message that you want to get to the governor, which is not to resume executions, rather you want to see the governor commission a study of the death penalty.
Fax messages to 614-466-9354 with the subject line "don't resume executions; commission a study" followed by your message.
E-mail your message to Governor Strickland.
SAMPLE LETTER:
October 7, 2008
Governor's Office
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6108
Dear Governor Strickland:
I am writing to express my concerns to you about Ohio resuming executions on October 14, 2008.
As I am sure you are aware, the American Bar Association released a report last September which found that Ohio falls well short of having a system that is free of error. The ABA found that Ohio risks executing innocent and wrongfully convicted inmates, is geographically and racially biased, is not cost effective and fails to address the needs of victims’ and their families.
I urge you to halt executions until your office commissions a comprehensive study of Ohio’'s death penalty system so that we Ohioans can be sure that known flaws have been identified and addressed.
Again, I urge you to NOT resume executions. Surely we all agree that fairness and accuracy are values we wish to promote. Please respond to my letter in writing.
Sincerely,
Your name (signed)
Your name (printed)
Your full mailing address (printed)
TIP: Make sure your letters to the Governor are addressed by hand. Often letters with handwritten envelopes are the first correspondences to be opened.