Lawrence Foster, Grandfather of Kenneth Foster, Jr. on Jeff Wood

The following video is from last Monday's death penalty panel discussion at the Monkeywrench books in Austin. Visit Stop Executions blog for Mr. Foster's statement that was read at the Save Jeff Wood rally in San Antonio on August 2, 2008.

Texas Injustice: Family Members Speak Out

Monday, August 4, 8:00 PM
MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop Blvd.

Family members of death row inmates tell their stories about the criminal injustice system. Featuring Sandra Reed, mother of Rodney Reed, innocent on death row; Lawrence Foster, grandfather of Kenneth Foster Jr., who came within hours of an execution before winning a commutation of his sentence; Jeannine Scott, wife of wrongly convicted Yogurt Shop defendant, Michael Scott; and Delia Perez Meyer, sister of falsely accused death row inmate, Louis Castro Perez.

This event is part of a series of events sponsored by MonkeyWrench Books called Beyond the Bars: Local struggles against the Prison Industrial Complex. During the weekend of September 26-28, Oakland, California will play host to Critical Resistance 10, celebrating a decade of struggle against the Prison Industrial Complex. In the month before Critical Resistance, Monkeywrench Books will be hosting a series of prison-related events every Monday in August, featuring films, local organizations, and individuals directly affected by the prison industrial complex. For more information visit monkeywrenchbooks.org.

Youth Summit on the Death Penalty

Contacts: Sherri 832-236-3960
Courtney 832-704-8900

On October 13th 2007 the Outreach Committee of the 8th Annual March to Stop Executions will present "Old School Meets New School: Bridging the Gap from Freedom Riders to Freedom Writers. Topic: the Death Penalty."

There will be a panel discussion hosted by Fox 26 news personality Darian Ward that includes Ester King and other veteransb of the Civil Rights Movement. After luch there will be an open mic hosted by locally-recognized poet Equality and DJ Zin on the wheels of steel.

This event is to prepare our community, particularly the youth for the 8th Annual March to Stop Executions on October 27th 2007. Community service hours will be provided.

The 8th Annual March to Stop Executions will take place on Saturday, October 27, at 2:00 at Emancipation Park, 3018 Dowling at Tuam. The ending rally will be at 3:30 PM at SHAPE Community Center, 3815 Live Oak at Alabama.

Speaker include Lawrence Foster, grandfather of Kenneth Foster; Clarence Brandley, released after 10 years of unjust imprisonment on Texas death row, and Houston city councilwoman Ada Edwards. Also speaking will be Scott Cobb, with the Texas Moratorium Network, speaking about the filing of an ethics complaint against the Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller for closing the CCA's clerk's office at 5:00 PM on Sept. 25, preventing Michael Richard's attorneys from filing an emergency request to stay his execution.

There will also be the mothers of three innocent people executed by the state of Texas--Shaka Sankofa, Frances Newton and Joseph Nichols.