STOP THE EXECUTION OF EMERSON RUDD!
STOP LEGALIZED MURDER!
Socialist Party of Texas member Emerson Rudd is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas on November 15.
We are calling on all of you to take a few minutes to contact the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, and the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole: Please act NOW!
Governor Rick Perry Office of the Governor P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Phone: 1-512-463-1782, 512-463-2000 Fax: 1-512-463-1849
Citizen Opinion Hotline: 1-800-843-5789,
1-800-252-9600
http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact%20%20information/email/email_the_governor.htm
:
Board of Pardons and Paroles Attn: Gerald Garrett Executive Clemency Section P.O. Box 13401 Austin, Texas 78711 Phone: 1-512-406-5852 Fax: 1-512-467-0945
Please help us flood the office of the Governor and of the Board of Pardons and Paroles with your calls, letters, emails, and faxes. The time for the end of the death penalty is now.
David Schulman, attorney for Emerson Rudd, has issued the following statement:
Emerson Rudd is scheduled for execution on November 15, 2001. His case is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Rudd was barely 18 at the time of the crime for which he was convicted. He grew up in a home where abuse and neglect were the order of the day. However, he has developed himself while in prison and is now a very different person than when he was 18.
The legal proceedings in Rudd's case have been flawed in at least three ways:
* The State of Texas has refused to let Rudd's attorney review its file to determine if any exculpatory evidence is in the file. In other cases, exculpatory evidence that led to determinations of innocence, or at least new trials, were discovered in the State's possession many years after the conviction. Refusal of such access prevents effective assistance of consul.
* The jury was not informed as to the minimum time that Rudd would have to spend in prison if given a "life sentence" versus the death penalty. Often under these circumstances, a jury will believe that a person will be out on the streets after a short period of time, and thus will choose the death penalty.
* Mitigating circumstances that could have resulted in Rudd getting a life sentence rather than the death penalty were not presented at trial. Rudd came from a severely disadvantaged background where abuse and neglect were common. His father was a drug addict who stole from the family and beat the children with extension cords and water hoses. Family members who could describe these conditions were not called to testify at trial.
For all these reasons, Emerson Rudd is entitled to a new trial.
>From Michael Skadden of Amnesty International:
I write to ask you to write, call, fax or e-mail the Governor of Texas and the Board of Pardons and Paroles to stay the execution of Emerson Rudd, who is scheduled to be executed November 15, 2001 here in Texas. His case is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. I am not Mr.. Rudd's attorney, but in view of the circumstances of the case I think a stay or clemency in the case is warranted and I believe that your petitions may help stop yet another execution in Texas.
Therefore, I ask that you ask the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, to grant the 30 day stay that he is authorized to grant under Texas law in view of the circumstances of the case and to allow more time for the appeals to go forward. He may be contacted at:
Governor Rick Perry Office of the Governor P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Phone: 1-512-463-1782 Fax: 1-512-463-1849 http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact%20%20information/email/email_the_governor.htm
I also ask you that, in view of the circumstances in this case and those of Mr.. Rudd himself, you ask the Board of Pardons and Paroles to grant him clemency. You may contact the Board at:
Board of Pardons and Paroles Attn: Gerald Garrett Executive Clemency Section P.O. Box 13401 Austin, Texas 78711
Phone: 1-512-406-5852 Fax: 1-512-467-0945
Please send politely worded letters or messages asking the above parties to use their grace and spare Emerson. If you are a public official or civic group indicate this in your appeal. The more personal the letter or message, the greater will be its effect.
Thank you very much for your assistance. I remain,
Very truly yours, Michael Skadden
(sample letter):
Dear Gov. Perry
Please grant a 30-day stay of execution for Emerson Rudd, who is scheduled for execution on November 15th. Exculpatory evidence has been denied to his attorney's and Emerson was given an unfair trial - key character witnesses were not called by his state appointed attorney. Mitigating circumstances that could have resulted in Rudd getting a life sentence rather than the death penalty were not presented at his trial. Rudd came from a severely disadvantaged background where abuse and neglect were common. Emerson was bairly 18 when he committed his crime. PLEASE, grant a stay of execution!
Sincerely Your Name Here
For more information please contact the Socialist Party of Texas at sptx at moment.net and/or the Texas Coalition Against the Death Penalty at dpatwood at igc.org
STOP THE EXECUTION OF EMERSON RUDD!
===== Kevin Dean Buffalo, NY ICQ: 8616001 http://www.yaysoft.com
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