The Campaign to End the Death Penalty's 13th Annual Convention

Beyond the Walls: Fighting for Justice from the Inside Out!

November 1-3 in Austin, Texas

Register now at nodeathpenalty.org 

The Campaign to End the Death Penalty is excited to announce our 13th Annual Convention "Beyond the walls: Fighting for justice from the inside out". Download the full event program here.

This year's convention will once again coincide with the 14^th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty – an event that will be at the heart of the weekend on Saturday November 2, at 2PM at the Texas State Capitol. We'll also be co-sponsoring a book launch event for I Am Troy Davis, new from Haymarket Books - we are honored to have De'Jaun Davis-Correia speaking about his uncle Troy who was innocent and executed in Georgia on September 21, 2011.

Former prisoners, family members, and veterans of many of the CEDP's battles will be represented at this year's convention as we highlight voices of those most affected by the death penalty and strategize next steps for fighting injustice in the prison system.

We are so thrilled to welcome Timothy McKinney to this year's convention! Tim was recently released from prison after being wrongfully incarcerated for 15 years. We are so happy that he is finally free and are looking forward to hearing from him over the weekend. And we will be joined also for the first time by Airicka-Gordon Taylor who will be speaking about the racist murder of her cousin Emmett Till during the Civil Rights era.

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Featured Speakers will include:   

FORMER PRISONERS:  

Lawrence Hayes – Former New York death row prisoner 

Mark Clements – Former Illinois juvenile life without parole prisoner and police torture victim  

Shujaa Graham- Former death row prisoner in Illinois

*Several other former prisoners from Witness to Innocence 

FAMILY MEMBERS: 

 De'Jaun Davis-Correia – Nephew of innocent and executed Georgia death row prisoner Troy Davis. De'Juan fought alongside his mother Martina Correia and the Davis family to save the life of Troy.

Sandra Reed - mother of Texas death row prisoner Rodney Reed 

Jack Bryson – Whose son was on the platform with Oscar Grant when Oscar was shot and killed by Oakland transit police 

Barbara Lewis – Mother of Delaware death row prisoner Robert Gattis  

Delia Perez Meyer - Sister of Texas death row prisoner Louis Castro Perez

Lawrence Foster, Sr. – Grandfather of former Texas death row prisoner Kenneth Foster, Jr. whose sentence was commuted to life in 2007 

Airicka Gordon-Taylor – Cousin of Emmett Till and the Executive Director of the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation, activist against police brutality and the new Jim Crow

The Kids Against the Death Penalty - young family members of Texas death row prisoner Jeff Woods, convicted under the unjust Law of Parties

OTHER SPEAKERS:

Liliana Segura - Journalist and editor at The Nation Magazine and CEDP Board member and activist

Lily Hughes - National Director of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty

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Among the meetings:

I Am Troy Davis! Book launch and panel event! * Voices From the Struggle * Eyes on the Prize: New challenges for abolitionists

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DONATE TO THE COSTELLA CANNON FUND

Every year we make a special fundraising appeal to help raise money to send family members, exonerated and former prisoners to our annual national convention-folks who would otherwise not be able to afford to come. And every year, so many of you are so very generous in helping make this a real possibility.
 
Please help if you are able--your donations really do make a world of difference. Even if you're not able to donate much, it really does add up and we appreciate every dollar we receive! 
 
You can donate online here: http://nodeathpenalty.org/make-donation.

Those preferring to mail a check can make it out to CEDP and mail it to: CEDP, P.O. Box 25730, Chicago, IL 60625.
 
Here is an excerpt from the Costella Cannon letter this year, written by Timothy McKinney:

"The CEDP did so much for me while I was on death row. They heard the call when I was in need. They published an article about my case and, when I wrote a thank you note, they published that too. All the while they were struggling and fighting for others. And even when people lost their lives, they stayed in there and continued to go strong.Since I walked out of Shelby County Jail in May after almost 16 years, I have had these 'Wow' moments. I had one the other day, talking to friends on the phone. I can talk to them without getting cut off every 15 minutes. I can sit at my family’s home and watch TV. And I can travel to Austin, Texas for the annual convention of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty.
It’s been a dream. I used to read the stories about guys coming home, then going to speak at the convention. Now, I feel I’m a member of the Campaign, as well. I’ve become a part of the struggle. I have to keep speaking about my experience, and my life. I can pull more people in.
That is why I'm asking for your help to bring myself and other family members and former prisoners to the CEDP’s annual convention in November. Every year, the Costella Cannon Fund helps former prisoners, family members, and activists come together to share our stories and strategize about the next steps in our struggle."

REGISTER NOW FOR THE CONVENTION!

Registration for the weekend is $10 for family members and former prisoners and $15 for everyone else. The registration includes Saturday dinner - a special event at convention this year. Register online here or you can send a check made out to CEDP and mail to: CEDP, P.O. Box 25730, Chicago, IL 60625.
 Hotel rooms available by calling the Ramada Inn: 512.454.1144 (mention the CEDP for a discounted rate). 

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