Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison 10.2.19

                      Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison 10.2.19

The positive reactions to Ghosts Over the Boiler: Voices from Alabama’s Death Row continue and here is one of them: “This exhibition is a powerful display to bring awareness of Alabama’s death penalty to young people, the future of the country. Thank you Dr. Katie Owens-Murphy for standing up for justice!” We couldn’t agree more and hope that it is possible to find a permanent home for the exhibit on our website. Thank you too to Lifespark for sharing the exhibition on Facebook with photo which not only made it easy for me to copy but which also attracts more viewers.

On Friday Esther attended the Freedom Fund Banquet of the Barbour County NAACP Branch in Eufaula. It was a well planned and thoroughly enjoyable event. Not only was it an opportunity to make new contacts for us but it is always heartening to hear of all this Branch does which coincides with its theme: “Do the RIGHT Thing”. Esther was honored to receive the 2019 Membership Service Award which gave her the opportunity to bring greetings from our Chairman and Board, remember our founder Jesse Morrison who came from Eufaula and to pass on his motto “Be the Other Voice” and “Execute Justice not People”. We are hoping that the banquet will lead to further opportunities to expand on being the other voice. As always newsletters and business cards were shared. And finally while on the topic of the NAACP we can’t say enough how much we appreciate all this organization does and thank its President Benard Simelton for being unfailingly supportive and for never missing an opportunity to lift us up. Thank you, President Simelton! And thank you Barbour County NAACP Branch 5075!

Another great article by Lauren Gill in The Appeal: “DNA Testing Could Save This Texas Man’s Life. Prosecutors are Opposing it.” In the article the following quote: “This was the case for Darrell Grayson, who was executed in Alabama in 2007 for the 1980 rape and murder of an elderly woman, despite requests from his attorneys, including Potkin, to test clothes and sheets from the crime scene that they said would show he was not present. Then-Attorney General Troy King said that because Grayson had confessed to the crime and never asserted his innocence, he did not have a right to the testing. (Grayson, until his death, maintained that he didn’t remember the evening because he was intoxicated.) Not only did Darrell Grayson maintain that but we had an affidavit from someone who he had been drinking and drugging with that night. Darrell was passed out on the floor. It is good that this terrible injustice is not forgotten!

We continue to thank anonymous donors who gave by going to our website and using the “donate” button and of course also those who gave directly. We thank all who believe in what we do and stand with us. You make a difference!

                                                                 Esther