It’s Death Penalty Abolition Day: Take Action!

Today, March 1, is Death Penalty Abolition Day. On March 1, 1847, Michigan became the first state in the union to abolish the death penalty. We will to mark this occasion with a panel featuring Rev. Sharon Risher, whose mother, two cousins and friend were murdered by Dylann Roof in the Charleston church massacre.

March 1 also marks the 40th day of the Biden administration. We want to end federal executions in his first 100 days and we’re nearly at the halfway mark. We’re activating our nationwide network of partners to start organizing their members and writing to Congress (by the way — have you written to Congress?).

Our campaign is featured today in Newsweek. Please have a look and share the article!

Forty days into the first 100 days of the Biden Administration, Death Penalty Action and a coalition of more than 250 organizations are calling on Congress to abolish the federal and military death penalty. Death Penalty Action will launch an invigorated second phase of its campaign with a virtual event at 11am EST on Monday, March 1, 2021.

Register to be part of the Zoom audience or watch live on Facebook here.

The event will feature Rev. Sharon Risher, whose mother, Mrs. Ethel Lee Lance, as well as two cousins and a childhood friend, were among nine church members killed by a white supremacist terrorist at the Mother Emanuel AME Church on June 17th, 2015. Dylan Roof awaits execution on the federal death row at Terre Haute, Indiana. Rev. Risher will speak about her experiences and her conclusion that the death penalty is not the response that murder victim families and other co-victims need.

Among those also participating: Lisa Brown, mother of Christopher Vialva, who was executed in Terre Haute in September as part of the Trump Administration’s killing spree. Check this link to help Lisa raise funds for a proper headstone for her son.