From Families Against Mandatory Minimums (http://famm.org/): On September 24, FAMM members from across Pennsylvania came to the Capitol to tell lawmakers to pass probation reform this year — and our message is still echoing in the halls! More than 100 … Continued
From PA Post (https://papost.org/): ‘Do you believe in a second chance?’ Gov. Tom Wolf commuted Robert Wideman’s (right) life sentence for felony-murder—also known as second-degree murder—last spring. Wideman now spends most days with his girlfriend of seven years, Vivian Carter (left). … Continued
Posted at https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/pennsylvania-death-penalty-supreme-court-unconstitutional-20190910.html Ray Krone and Kirk Bloodsworth, for the Inquirer On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania will hear oral arguments on whether to strike down the state’s death penalty as cruel and therefore impermissible under the state constitution. … Continued
Updated Sep 10, 5:30 PM; Posted Sep 10, 5:13 AM By Jillian Atelsek, Special to PennLive On paper, Chris Kimmenez has every tool you’d think he needs to recover from the ordeal. He’s a former Marine with a hardened shell, a … Continued
Posted at https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/09/05/vision-justice-117-rights-groups-offer-roadmap-transform-us-criminal-legal-system Published on Thursday, September 05, 2019 by Common Dreams “We simply cannot live up to the values we profess if we don’t end mass incarceration and eliminate the deep racial bias entrenched in the current system.” By … Continued
From the Courage Campaign (https://www.couragecampaign.org/): People shouldn’t be punished just for being poor, but that’s exactly what the U.S. bail system does. While awaiting trial, accused individuals are sometimes eligible to be released after posting bail — a cash deposit … Continued
From Moms Rising (https://www.momsrising.org/): Earlier this year thousands of MomsRising members celebrated a major victory when then Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam granted clemency to Cyntoia Brown, a sex trafficking victim sentenced to life in prison at only 16 years old.[1] … Continued
From Moms Rising (https://www.momsrising.org/): Over the past few weeks and months, we’ve seen the heartbreaking photos of children and families being kept in inhumane conditions by the Trump Administration’s horrific policies. MomsRising members have swung into action — holding protests … Continued
National Public Radio The U.S. government is poised to carry out the death penalty for the first time in nearly two decades, the Justice Department announced Thursday. U.S. Attorney General William Barr has instructed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to … Continued
From Families Against Mandatory Minimums (http://famm.org/): This past week, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) introduced the Second Look Act. The law would create a second look sentencing mechanism, which would allow judges to resentence people with … Continued