A Proposal: Death Row Prisoner Defense Teams
To accelerate progress toward a mora-
torium on the death penalty, it might help to
create a national network of small defense
teams for more of the prisoners on death row.
Defense teams could develop strategic defense plans for individual prisoners,
could work cooperatively in state and regional coalitions, and should involve
as many groups as possible in the political work. A defense strategy should
employ several tactics (legal, direct action, publicity, etc.) and coordinate
them.
Legal actions may be strengthened if outside political pressure is placed
upon the courts; conversely, there may be times when it is wise to reduce
political pressure at a particular moment in a case. Media and information
campaigns are more successful if activists are in regular contact with the
prisoner and attorneys, and attorneys are helped by strong and well-conceived
outside support. Families, friends and clergy can provide direct support
to the captive, and play a key role in maintaining lines of communication
and developing defense plans. Direction from the prisoner is a moral imperative,
and provides focus when those outside are uncertain about how to proceed,
or when there are disagreements over strategic goals and tactics.
defense teams
Each team would consist of:
1. The prisoner: To the greatest extent possible it is the right and the
obligation of the prisoner to make decisions about how the defense is to
be conducted.
2. An attorney or legal expert: This person should either be one of the
attorneys defending the prisoner, or should be a legal expert who is in
regular communication with the attorneys. The purpose of the legal expert
is to provide accurate information about the legal aspects of the case,
to help lay-persons "translate" the legal facts, and to review
publicity materials for accuracy before distribution of information. The
legal expert should also provide guidance so that publicity can be used
to strengthen the position of the legal defense (the courts, prosecutors,
etc. are sensitive to political pressure).
3. An information coordinator. This person should be able to write and distribute
information about the case, to keep an archive of information about all
defense work, to issue press releases, and to serve as a spokesperson and
media contact. The information coordinator should maintain an address list
of contacts and media, and should be in regular communication with all members
of the team.
4. A personal contact of the prisoner: This person could be a family member,
a friend, a spiritual advisor or clergy member, or a volunteer who takes
on the obligation to get to know the prisoner. The personal contact should
be on the prisoner's visiting list, should visit regularly, and should be
in close communication with the prisoner by mail and by telephone. The job
of this contact person would be: provide direct material , spiritual and
emotional support to the prisoner (enough money available for commissary
purchases; funds for stamps, stationary and phone calls; monitoring of physical
health care; reports of any abuses to the prisoner; etc.); maintain communication
with the prisoner so the defense team can get direction, feedback and approval
from the prisoner about actions and strategy.
5. An ex-prisoner to serve as advisor: It is necessary to have input from
prisoners when developing a defense strategy. Interference with a prisoner's
ability to communicate and maintain personal and professional bonds is used
to demoralize and incapacitate prisoners and their outside supporters. For
general strategic planning, and during periods when communication is cut,
the ex-prisoner, who has an insider's experience, can give key advice to
the defense team.
Conclusion
The primary goal of each team would be to save the life of the prisoner.
The secondary goals of each team would be: (a) to publicize the case to
help achieve increased support for a moratorium/abolition; (b) to put the
death penalty into its political context as a tool for repression, control,
genocide, and the development of the prison-industrial complex; (c) to use
the issue of capital punishment as a means for community organizing that
will endure beyond the point when a moratorium is achieved; and (d) to document
the individual case for the historical record (people's history) and for
use as reference in future political actions (people who don't know history
are doomed to repeat it, and it is inefficient to re-invent the wheel).
A variety of defense tactics should be used: legal actions; street demonstrations;
press conferences; rallies and panel discussions; literature hand-outs;
demonstrations at sites of prisons; fax/phone/letter zaps to courts/prison
systems/politicians/media; etc. Execution-night vigils should continue,
but are not enough to halt the killings. All channels of communication should
be utilized (the Internet is great, and so is talking to people at the grocery
store and bus stop).
This proposal is written in response to the state killings of Ajamu and
Ziyon in Indiana. It was their wish that their cases be used in the fight
against lynchings.
-Jackie Austin - POB 259266, Madison, WI 53725; 608/835-3740; austin@itis.com.
BUILD THE UNITED FRONT AGAINST RACISM by Jackie AustinDEATH ROW PRISONER
DEFENSE TEAMS
A Proposal:
Dec Jan 97-98--- N.C.Xpress
-- Archives -- Electrons
to the Editor
