Monday, January 30, 2012

Former Death Row prisoner Tim McKinney has a new trial date - April 9, 2012

 
The struggle to stop the execution of Troy Davis last fall showed the brutal reality of innocent, African-American men on death rows across this country. Now we face yet another urgent case: the time is now to stand with Tim McKinney. Tim McKinney is an innocent man who was on Tennessee's death row for over a decade
He is going to be re-tried for murder on April 9, 2012.

We are seeking help negotiating this new stage in Tim’s struggle for justice and would appreciate your advice and contribution.  How can we PACK THE COURTS April 9th?!

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            Mr. McKinney is former prisoner of TN’s Death Row.  This past year Tim was granted a new trial and he is now in the Memphis County jail awaiting an April 9, 2012 hearing.  I have worked with Tim in cooperation with the Campaign to End the Death Penalty since 2002. 

Our efforts include securing pro-bono counsel for his appeals process with the international law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell (read more at http://www.davispolk.com/pro-bono/practices/death-penalty/) and being featured at the CEDP annual conference on multiple occasions.  We have put together a substantial website at www.timmckinney.org.  The case is also featured on the Tennesseeans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty’s website at http://www.tennesseedeathpenalty.org/?page_id=156.

At this time we are reaching out to the TN community to get support in anticipation of a challenging process in the courts.  Being granted a new trial is a huge victory but Tim has faced additional challenges in Memphis. 
  
We kindly ask that you take the time to look over Tim’s case and consider how you or other TN activists and professionals might help our cause.  Please let me know what I can do to assist you in joining our campaign.  We know your time is valuable.

How can we PACK THE COURTS April 9th?!


                                    Thank you for your consideration,
                                    Katharine Bawa Smith
                                    Chairwoman
                                    Timothy McKinney Innocence Committee
                                    smith.katharine@gmail.com
                                                (703) 336 3440      

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I am inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words: "I do not think that God approves the death penalty for any crime, rape and murder included.  Capital punishment is against the better judgment of modern criminology, and, above all, against the highest expression of love in the nature of God."

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