Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action

TCADP Lunch Discussion in Austin: November 13

The Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is launching a bi-monthly luncheon series in Austin, and we want to see you there!  Please join other TCADP members and supporters in Austin, on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 from 11:45 to 1:00 PM for lunch at The Clay Pit Restaurant, 1601 Guadalupe St., Austin, TX 78701! The restaurant has a great lunch buffet to make service easy for us.

The guest speaker will be Dr. Kate Allen.  She has been a clinical social worker, professor of social work, psychotherapist, and trainer since 1973.  Dr. Allen is professor emerita from California State University, Sacramento.  Licensed in Texas and California, she has testified in and worked on dozens of cases in six states, including capital murder trials, 1^st degree murder trials, and “failure-to-protect” civil cases.

Dr. Allen is known as an Attachment Specialist, providing consultation, testimony, and training in that area. She will talk with us about her experiences as an expert witness in death penalty cases. This is a great opportunity to meet other TCADP supporters and learn about our priority initiatives for the coming year.  We’ll also want to hear your ideas for future activities in Austin.

Two New Reports Shed Light on Flawed Administration,
Arbitrary Application of Texas Death Penalty

In September, the American Bar Association’s Texas Capital Punishment Assessment Team released the results of its more than two-year study of the fairness and accuracy of the death penalty system in Texas. The report finds that from top to bottom, the Lone Star State is significantly out of step with practices in other states that allow the death penalty. Learn more at www.ambar.org/texas.

On the heels of the publication of the ABA Assessment, the Death Penalty Information Center released a compelling new report that illustrates the geographic isolation of the death penalty both in terms of executions and death sentences: The 2% Death Penalty: How a Minority of Counties Produce Most Death Cases at Enormous Costs to All.  Read the full report at http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/twopercent

Duane Buck– Have you heard of Duane Buck? His death sentence hinged on testimony from a psychologist who testified that because he is Black, he was more likely to be dangerous.  Sign the petition urging the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to agree to a new, fair sentencing hearing. Sign and Share today!