Mark Clements: Abolish the death penalty today

After spending 28 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Mark Clements was finally set free in August. Here, he comments on the case of Reginald Blanton, who is scheduled to be executed on October 27 by the state of Texas.

October 23, 2009

TEXAS IS still under fire for the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham, but on October 27, 2009, the state is scheduled to execute Reginald Blanton, despite his claims of innocence.

In the Willingham case, Texas Gov. Rick Perry carried out the execution. Now that new evidence has surfaced that strongly suggests Perry killed an innocent man, he wishes to insist that he do likewise in the Blanton case.

Gov. Perry has ignored the opinion of millions around this nation who firmly believe that Willingham was indeed innocent. He has called him a "monster" even as he has disregarded key evidence by fire experts that Willingham never set the fire that killed his children, but rather that it was caused by some kind of accident.

In the Reginald Blanton case, Blanton was convicted on faulty evidence--that a shoe print belonged to him. The shoe print is now known to have been two sizes larger than his shoe print. His trial attorneys were ineffective, and there was not one eyewitness in the case. The witnesses against Blanton have since come forward to claim that police forced them to sign statements. The Texas courts once again allowed African Americans to be excluded from the jury.

This is a case that Gov. Perry should be pleased to reexamine, but he has told the media that he will carry out the execution of Reginald Blanton as planned--which amounts once again to a smack in the face of African Americans all across this nation.

No other race has suffered injustice like African Americans in this country. In the state of Illinois, it is a known fact that innocent men have been beaten and tortured by racist police detectives--framed and convicted, and placed on death row.

History is repeating itself once again. Slavery still exists. If you think it does not, then try walking in the shoes of Reginald Blanton, Kenneth Foster, Troy Davis, Rodney Reed, Stan Tookie Stanley Williams, Stanley Howard and many others.

The state of Texas' criminal justice system serves as the spotlight on why the death penalty in this country should be abolished today, not tomorrow.

Source: socialistworker.org, Oct. 23, 2009

Solidarity Call for Reg
Date written: 10-15-09, Thursday

Only 12 days until my comrade and friend Reg Blanton is scheduled to be executed.

I know that I should remain in the present moment. I know that I should cultivate Positive Energy, but it’s hard, very hard. If Reg is executed it will affect me much more than any previous execution or any possible future execution that could take place …

There is something I’d like everyone to do for me. Right after you read this take the time to go to Reg’s MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/freereggieb) and go to the DRIVE site (http://www.drivemovement.org/) and read Reg’s writings. Feel his vibe and then write a letter or note of Solidarity and send it to him.

Do this right away because mail arrives here slowly. Better yet, you can send him an e-mail through the new J-Pay service (https://www.jpay.com/inmateElectronicMail.aspx) which is guaranteed to arrive within 2 days. I’d like everyone to do this.

You don’t have to send him a long letter, it can just be a short note or card. I especially want all of the activist folks out there to do this. Reg has remained vigilant in the Struggle for many years. He’s fought hard and remained unwavering in the face of extreme adversity.

Everyone out there who engages in social justice organizing knows that it’s an art. Reg is a master at this art. Organizing out in the free-world can be challenging but imagine doing so in this environment, an environment designed to break the Mind, Body and Spirit.

Send Reg a note letting him know that his actions in standing up for Truth and fighting against oppression are appreciated. Show him a little Love and Solidarity. He definitely needs as much as possible right now!

Peace:
Rob

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http://www.freerobwill.org/
http://freerobwill.blogspot.com/
http://drivemovement.org/