Home (original) (raw)
"The Case for Universal Clemency in California"
Discussion: Why CA Governor Gavin Newsom must act now to grant clemency to the 620 people sentenced to death in California. Moderated by DPF President Mike Farrell, in conversation with Robert D. Bacon, Natasha Minsker, and Molly C. Sheahan.
Or, click here explore our library of past webinars, all available for free.
World Day Against the Death Penalty • 10 Oct 2024-2025
“Observed every 10 October, the World Day Against the Death Penalty unifies the global abolitionist movement and mobilizes civil society, political leaders, lawyers, public opinion and more to support the call for the universal abolition of capital punishment.
The day encourages and consolidates the political and general awareness of the worldwide movement against the death penalty.
On 10 October 2024 and 2025, the World Day will be dedicated to challenging the misconception that the death penalty can make people and communities safer.”
"Alameda County, CA Prosecutors and the Exclusion of Jewish and Black Jurors."
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 • Noon PT – 3:00pm ET
Moderated by DPF President Mike Farrell, in conversation with attorneys Brian Pomerantz and Ann-Kathryn Tria, this webinar examines how the Alameda County District Attorney's Office systematically excluded people of certain faiths, races, and genders from serving on juries. Pomerantz and Tria, each co-counsel for Ernest Dykes, discuss how his death sentence appeal became the catalyst for the discovery of the practice, and the subsequent order by a federal judge for the DA's office to review 35 death sentences going back 30 years for evidence of jury exclusion.
“The Death Penalty Protects No One”
October 8, 2024 — Moderated by DPF Board Member Philip Hansten, this webinar addresses the myth that the death penalty serves as a deterrent and enhances community safety. Featuring attorney Shelan Y. Joseph, attorney Miriam Aroni Krinsky, and Stephen Oliphant, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan, the discussion explores the flawed logic behind capital punishment as a crime deterrent. The panelists offer insights from legal, research, and policy perspectives, challenging long-held beliefs about the death penalty’s effectiveness in promoting safety and justice.
A powerful Death Penalty Focus (DPF) webinar, “The Death Penalty Protects No One,” featuring four distinguished experts who delve into the failures of the death penalty.
PHILIP HANSTEN, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, is a renowned scholar in the field of drug interactions, with over one million books sold. He became involved in the death penalty debate after being asked to consult on the drugs used for lethal injections. SHELAN Y. JOSEPH is a respected attorney with 29 years of experience in criminal and juvenile law. As Special Counsel to LA District Attorney George Gascón, she advises on death penalty policies, conviction integrity, and resentencing. MIRIAM ARONI KRINSKY, a former prosecutor and national reform advocate, is the founder of Fair and Just Prosecution, working with forward-thinking DAs on justice reform initiatives. STEPHEN OLIPHANT is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan, whose work examines firearm laws and death penalty moratoriums.
The program will last about one hour and is free of charge. We hope to see you there! It promises to be an enlightening, thought-provoking discussion.
News and Updates
Catch the latest death penalty news on the DPF blog...
In brief: October 2024
In Florida, a jury recommended a life without parole sentence for Corey Binderim for the murder of 65-year-old Susan Mauldin...
Headlines
The California Committee on Revision of the Penal Code’s recommendation to eliminate the death penalty is so significant that, “ When the story is told about how the death penalty was abolished in California, the work of a little-known legislative committee will deserve an entire chapter,” DPF board member Stephen Rohde declares.
After Trump's rush of executions, President Biden and a Democratic Congress want to abolish the federal death penalty
Two prominent voices, one a former Democratic US senator, the other a former Republican-appointed US attorney, call on President Biden to commute all federal death sentences, writing that “the death penalty . . . is no longer the polarizing issue it once was.”
Upcoming Events
We are not just names and numbers
I’m grateful to Death Penalty Focus and other organizations, religious and secular, that are faithfully keeping my hope alive. The arc of justice bends slowly — and can sometimes be deflected — but continues to bend toward justice… and mercy.
Chip Sharpe
Supporter of Death Penalty Focus
I believe nobody has the right to take anyone’s life no matter the crime. I believe in redemption & mercy and yes, re integration into society if at all possible.
Gerlind Kennedy
Supporter of Death Penalty Focus
I’m grateful to Death Penalty Focus and other organizations, religious and secular, that are faithfully keeping my hope alive. The arc of justice bends slowly — and can sometimes be deflected — but continues to bend toward justice… and mercy.
Chip Sharpe
Supporter of Death Penalty Focus