We just received the following from Ursula Malchau, one of our valued supporters in Germany. It is a great example what can be done from abroad! Thank you Ursula, for not “missing the opportunity to point out the problem! “

 For your information: When I heard  that Mobile's Mayor Sandy Stimpson is over here to meet with Airbus representatives I decided to write the following email to EADS, the parent company of Airbus:

 Dear Dr. Ohler,

 Unfortunately I have no other email-address than yours to turn to for the following purpose:

          Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison, 12.4.2013.

 We enjoyed our Thanksgiving party last Wednesday, graciously donated by our friends in Stuttgart, Christa and Christoph. While celebrating, we also gave thanks for all of our supporters and our families, on the outside as well as our phadp family here at Holman.

In an Op-Ed in today’s L.A Times entitled Politics, not Justice in Alabama Death Penalty Cases Andrew Cohen lists the failure of the U.S. Supreme Court to act on Alabama’s jury override as Washington’s 5 Biggest Fails of 2013.

CHRISTMAS AN INVITATION TO EXPAND OUR PERSPECTIVE

          Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison, 11.20.2013.

The Dissent by J. Sotomayor in Woodward v. Alabama is at:

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/13-5380_08l1.pdf

Gary Drinkard said he was surprised by legislation Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange proposed at a joint meeting of the state House and Senate Judiciary Committees in Montgomery Nov. 1. Strange, with the support of state prosecutors, will ask the legislature to consider a bill to speed up the death penalty appeals process when it convenes in January.

November 14, 2013
Senator Cam Ward
Chairperson
Senate Judiciary Committee
201 1st St. N.
Alabaster, AL 35007
 
Dear Senator Ward,In the 1980's, Bo Cochran was found guilty of murdering an assistant manager of a grocery store. The judge sentenced him to die in Alabama’s electric chair.
 

          Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison, 11.13.2013.

The articles for the Christmas edition of our newsletter On Wings of Hope are due today. Now comes the hard work of editing, typing and putting the newsletter together. We applaud all who manage to put out such a fine product again and again!

          Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison, 11.6.2013.

The first topic of discussion was the bill to be filed in the 2014 legislative session which would significantly limit the effectiveness of the Rule 32 appeals as they would be filed concurrently with the direct appeals. The intent of this bill is to speed up the post-conviction appeals process in capital cases. This would bring Alabama in line with Texas and Virginia, hardly states to emulate!

In light of the proposed legislation by the State of Alabama, promoted by the Attorney General and District Attorneys to have post-conviction appeals run concurrently, in order to speed up executions, let us not forget our good friend Bo Cochran who spent 18 years on Alabama’s death row. During that time Bo was one of the first members of our organization, and after his release Bo was tireless in speaking out, whether before the legislature or a city council. I could always count on Bo, as well as his wife Shirley who was a murder victim’s family member.