Help Stop Bustamante Execution (Scheduled for Tues April 27th ) See More Spring thru Fall Updates

" Committed to the Fight for Human-Rights " (And to End the Death Penalty)

See execution alert and suggested actions below...

*State-administered death is always a greater horror than any other by virtue of the methodical reasoning that precedes it. French philosopher Albert Camus wrote that "capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminal's deed, however calculated, can be compared. "For there to be an equivalency, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal who had warned his victim of the date on which he would inflict a horrible death on him and who, from that moment onward, had confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not to be encountered in private life."*

"You can’t have it both ways. A commitment to oppose the death penalty cannot be conditional upon who is the victim or who is to be executed. Conditional opposition is no opposition at all."

Samuel Bustamante is scheduled to be executed on April 27
Sun Apr 25, 2010 16:23
78.35.112.172

Appeal for Clemency for Samuel Bustamante

Samuel Bustamante is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas on April 27, 2010. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of 27-year-old Rafael Alvarado of Richmond in 1998. Bustamante's attorney is filing a clemency petition with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and is seeking letters from the public in support of the petition. Here are some talking points for your letters, from information provided by the attorneys:

-Express concerns that Samuel Bustamante received inadequate representation from his state-appointed appellate attorney, who failed to conduct any additional investigation of his client's background and missed critical filing deadlines.
-The courts have been unable to fully consider the issues in this case because of the poor legal counsel that Bustamante received at the state habeas level.
-This case represents yet another failure of Texas' system of appointing attorneys.
-Urge the Board to correct for the rigidity of the court system by recommending clemency for Samuel Bustamante.

Please send your letters to BOTH Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles AND attorney James Rytting at james@hilderlaw.com (Mr. Rytting will submit them to the Board along with the clemency petition). Your letter should be addressed to the Board of Pardons and Paroles, however:

Clemency Section
Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
8610 Shoal Creek Blvd.
Austin, TX 78757-6814
Fax (512) 467-0945

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More information on contacting the Governor and Board of Pardons and Paroles can be found here

In letters to the Governor and Board of Pardons and Parole (More Talking Points):

State your concern that executions continue to take place despite increasing public recognition of the inherent flaws and failures of the Texas death penalty system.
Express outrage and alarm at the high number of executions already scheduled to take place this year in Texas. Urge the Board of Pardons and Paroles to recommend clemency in this case.

(Note added by this Journey blogger: Be sure also to bring up the poor standard and precedence that has been set in this case and how this has and will effect other cases unless this standard is changed.)

Governor Rick Perry's Office

Citizen's Opinion Hotline: (800) 252-9600 [for Texas callers]

Information and Referral and Opinion Hotline: (512) 463-1782 [for Austin, Texas and out-of-state callers]

Board of Pardons and Paroles Phone (512) 406-5852, Fax (512) 467-0945

here

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(Letter from our own Journey Family Member - Delia Perez Meyer - a faithful working member. Thanx for this letter, Delia. We are praying for you and your family!)

Journey of Hope coming to Cuero, Texas
Sun Apr 25, 2010 14:04

Hello Sister Elizabeth, (and all)

Good Morning !! It was wonderful to see you at death row last night; your loving, warm presence touched us all !! Please let Mr. Bustamante know that we are praying for him, his family, and the victim's family. And thank you Sister, for ministering to him. You cannot imagine how grateful we are to those of you who walk with our loved ones.

As I mentioned, the Journey of Hope will be coming to Texas in OCTOBER - we are in the early planning stages. Our fund-raising efforts are the most challenging - we need to raise the $30,000 that will be needed to successfully bring the 12 folks who will be traveling together. The dates are: October 15-31, 2010. All of you are invited to consider having us come to your city/town - we will try our best to get to everyone - here is the webpage for the JOH. (The Journey of Hope) here

Thank you for inviting the JOH to come to Cuero, Texas - we would be honored! You have helped us so much over the years - your love, your commitment and dedication to this cause is truly an inspiration. My brother, Louis and I, and so many others are so grateful. Thank You.

Please send us all the contact information for your church; and let me know what your vision for the event is. We are really looking forward to working with you again! Please take your time, I know this is a very trying time - God Bless You for taking the time with Bustamante; you are all in our thoughts and prayers. We are praying for a miracle!!

Much Love and Respect,
Delia Perez Meyer
1809 Margaret St.
Austin, TX 78704

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Great Article about UNC Chapel Hill efforts to end the death penalty and other NC and National events! See if there may yet be a venue for speakers to come to your area? here Especially note the ever inspirational Ed Chapman! What a guy who never gives up. His courage, faith, goodwill and tenacity are forever encouraging!

Here are some other sites to check out for possible venues, speakers and events. And/or use these to get your own creative and organizational energy going:

here Plz add any other events or announcements we are likely to have missed to the comments below.

THANX so much for tuning in. Remember to do something to help stop Samuel Bustamante's execution!