Spree of Executions during Trump's Final Days

In what NBC News has called a "spree" of Federal executions, Donald Trump has ordered the Federal executions of five more people.  Four of them are Black men, including Brandon Bernard, who was arrested at the age of 18.  The government's scheduling timeline violates the federal death penalty law.

This makes Trump the "President" to order the most Federal executions in over 130 years.  The Republican administration had not ordered any executions for 17 years - until July of this year.  

According to a recent report by the Death Penalty Information Center, there is a history of racism in the criminal injustice system which dates back to slavery, lynching and segregation.  Well, we already knew that, but it's still useful to hear it. 

See also:  How to Escape the Prison System.    

See also:  Life Sentence for Stealing $9.  

See also:  83 Days, about George Stinney, who was executed at the age of 14. 

See also:  New Revelations about Emmett Till, who was murdered at the age of 14.  "The system rested on violence, and America let that happen."   The murder of Emmett Till galvanised people to fight racial injustice and ultimately led to the Civil Rights movement.  But today, this racism and criminal injustice continues. 

This story was also covered by The Guardian and the BBC.  

What do you make of all this?  Please leave your comments below and please share this with your networks.  Thanks.  

Black Film: 83 Days

At a recent African Odysseys film event, we were privileged to view the trailer for 83 Days. 

George Stinney Jr. was a 14-year-old boy who was accused of murdering two white girls in South Carolina in 1944.  They had asked him where they could pick flowers and he had given them directions. 

A number of people were rounded up once the girls’ bodies were found, but they were all let go after George admitted he had seen the girls and given them  directions. 

George’s family were first taken out of the County, then out of the State.  So there he was, all alone, with no one to support or advise him.

The officials said he had confessed to the murder of these two girls, but they did not produce a confession.  When he was put on trial, his court-appointed lawyer was a tax attorney with no trial experience, who offered no defense.  There was no evidence against George, but he was convicted.   To this day, there is no transcript of the trial. 

So, at the age of 14, George Stinney Jr. became the youngest-ever person to be executed in the United States.  (However, we are still imprisoning children.) 

The producer, Ray Brown, said they had come up against opposition while researching this film.  As a result of their efforts,  George Stinney Jr. has now been pardoned.  

This is a story that needs to be told, and I am glad the film will be released next year.  Unfortunately, we need to remember that this was just one of a long line of State-sponsored murders of people of African heritage – and not just in the U.S.A. 

 Click here for more details of 83 Days. 

Troy Davis Denied Clemency

In case you have not heard, Troy Davis has been denied clemency. He is scheduled for execution tomorrow, Wednesday the 21st of September

This is just one more case of the criminal justice system being used to murder a Black man legally. Troy Davis is being treated as guilty until proven innocent.

Amnesty International is urging us to take action. It is not too late to stop the execution of Troy Davis. Click here to read more.

Click here for the Amnesty International blog.

Seven of the nine witnesses who testified against him have now recanted on their statements. Click here to view a video from the Huffington Post.