DEATH ROW U.S.A.
Winter 2012

A quarterly report by
the Criminal Justice Project
of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.

Death Row U.S.A.
Winter 2012
(As of January 1, 2012)
TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATH ROW INMATES KNOWN TO LDF:
3,189
Race of Defendant:
White 1,380 (43.27%)
Black 1,335 (41.86%)
Latino/Latina 394 (12.35%)
Native American 36 (1.13%)
Asian 43 (1.35%)
Unknown at this issue 1 (0.03%)
Gender:
Male 3,127 (98.06%)
Female 62 (1.94%)
JURISDICTIONS WITH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT STATUTES: 37
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida,
Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico [see note, below], North
Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, U.S. Government, U.S.
Military.
JURISDICTIONS WITHOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT STATUTES: 16
Alaska, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West
Virginia, Wisconsin.
[NOTE: New Mexico repealed the death penalty prospectively. The two men already
sentenced remain under sentence of death.]

Full report available here - http://www.naacpldf.org/files/publications/DRUSA_Winter_2012.pdf

# Deathrow

# abolish the death penalty

# NAACP LDF

# Capital punishment

# racism

THE DOOR BY AVA DuVERNAY

# Emayatze Corinealdi

Washington Post

“Givens worked as a prison guard “saving lives” most of the time, as he put it, but when he took on the role of executioner, he had to become a killer.”

Mumia Abu Jamal interviews Bob Marley in 1979

Bob Marley Interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal, Philadelphia, USA 1979

Diposkan oleh ilhowibowo On 02:27

Just like a seed
Planted on Salomon grave
It was I
Brought down here in slave eh eh eh
eh eh eh eh eh smell so sweet, yeah
Callie weed song,
Jah knows.
(“Callie Weed Song,” More Culture)

Audio link -

http://midnightraverblog.com/2012/01/12/bob-marley-interview-with-mumia-abu-jamal-november-1979/

Mumia :
The significance of the herb, aka, the flower?
Marley :
Herb? herb is the healing of the nation, seen? Once you smoke herb, you all must think alike. Now if you thinking alike, dat mean we ‘pon the same track. If we ‘pon the same track, that mean we gonna unite. Some say ‘don’t smoke herb.’ Dey don’t want us to unite, right, so they say, ‘don’t smoke herb.’ (laughter)…It’s true! So you know, herb is the healing of the nation and people must get herb for dem use. Dem wanna smoke it, let ‘em smoke it. Dem wanna boil it in tea, let ‘em boil it in tea. If dem waan steam it, steam it, if dem gwanna eat a little, eat a little, but dem must det it! True true. Yea, mon, that is why I say, um, you have a lotta liquor store, and because dem know man must smoke, you have plenty cigarette, but dem no waan ya smoke herb, y’know? Because, as ya know, the alcohol kill ya, and herb build ya! Yea, herb make ya live. People I know smoke herb live the longest! Jah know! True, true! Herb smoker live the longest pon earth, mon — true true! I know a man when I a likkle youth who smoke herb and I grown and see, him kyaan change, him is the same mon from ever since! (laughter)…Him a deal with Rasta, ya know? One named Robert. Never change. See him years, never change…It’s Rasta ya know?

Mumia :
Brother, what’s the significance of the song, Exodus?
Marley :
Exodus means coming together…the movement of Afrika, of Black people. Exodus from Babylon, we’re in Babylon, and then a physical exodus to Home. But what we really a say is dat, we waan Black people to unite, with one another, Seen? Now, the only way we can unite is to deal wit truth…the truth is that King Solomon and King David is the root and if we gonna deal with roots, we hafta deal from King Solomon and King David time, Lion of Tribe of Judah, ya know? So, this is what I and I say: time for unity! Cause we’s a people, we have something…and we have to deal with it, seen?

Mumia :
What kind of feeling do you get when you come through a city like Philadelphia, with almost a million Black people?
Marley :
When I come into this city here, in Philadelphia…sometime, I wonder if I am on time, ya understand? ‘Cause the think is to be on time. When I come here I want, I really desire, fe really get thru to the people I don’t wanna come here for joke! When I leave I wanna see people dreadlock, or say I’m Rasta, and get the thing rebellious, dat, we can’t live, you know, we can’t continue going thru this same thing, over, over and over again, when the problem is, our people must be united. And then all problem solve, and then every problem solve. ‘Cause if the Black man check it him have the knowledge, wisdom and understanding enuff to do it. Seen? While the next one get the gift of technology, and the next one get the gift of dis and dat, Black man get the rootical gift him maintain the God business, dat purpose why earth was created. I and I have to maintain dat…

Mumia :
One of the songs that you do, brother…that touches me, and I’m sure it touches most Afrikans globally, is the song that comes from the words of His Imperial Majesty, speaking to the United Nations War, right? Touches me, man, touches us.
Marley :
That the truth, you know? You see, what His Majesty say is the truth…now when we listen, when His Majesty say that, we look out ‘pon the earth, and we know dat, when alla these people who say dem is leaders, for people ‘pon the earth, agree to what His Majesty say, then ‘til today, you have no more war, and no more problem. Because, what HIM say is true. Until the philosophy that hold one people higher than the other one is no more, then if it continue, ya gwanna have war! When it done, problem over, seen?

Mumia :
Until Rhodesia is free, South Afrika is free, Philadelphia is free, you know what I mean…Kingston is free…Wherever we are, that’s the message…
Marley :
That’s it! Because Christ government shall rule the earth, ya know? And Christ is Rastafari! Over a period of time, people think, and hafta get over thinking that Christ was White. But Christ a Black mon! Just like the Bible tell ya, say Christ Black, Solomon, say him Black, Moses, tell ya, say him Black, Jerimiah, say him Black, Haile Selassie Black. So Christ no white. Christ Black, you know? So that’s how our people get tricked, dem show us a White Christ, people say, what we wanna deal with the Bible for, me know Christ no White. But the Bible say, Christ Black. If the Afrikan think Christ White, that’s dangerous. It’s a waste of time. Everytime you know we say “Rastafari Our God,” you move one cornerstone outa Rome, and Rome must cripple. Really! Because Rome is the enemy, you know? Rome is the enemy of the people. Dem is the Anti-Christ, and dem walk around and tell people dem a deal with Christ. But naturally, dem is Anti-Christ, for Christ is Haile Selassie — and just like how I know, the Pope coulda know too! Cause plenty people know. What, I’m a gonna hide it? The Pope know, everyone know, all dem people know, say Haile Selassie I God, you know? But dem hide it cause, dem die, and next guy come take dem space, and the people suffer the same, you know, so it’s the people really have to make the decision and don’t care for who dem say is the leader to make it God. Leader nobody. No leader not there, you know?

Mumia :
This city, Philadelphia, has the highest Black unemployment rate than anywhere in America…Now this is the same city that the Pope came to a couple of days ago. You were talking about the anti-Christ, right? Doing his work, right?
Marley :
Yeah. You see, I don’t like the Pope, I don’t like none of them? Seen? That is the truth. Because, him gwan come tru here, really, and tell ya: “Yes, live in peace. Live in this, live in that.” Live in that under him society! You know? You must agree to live in peace as long as Pope there. No. No Pope. No Pope, and we live in peace! You see, if there were no Pope, we’d a live in peace. Because him come wit the anti-Christ ting, and tell the people dem all kinds of foolishness, seen? But me really deal wit’ them. Pope Paul bless Mussolini for attack Ethiopia. Ethiopia carries the oldest history of Christianity. So wha’ Rome jus’ come the odder day, Rome is nothin’. You know? Rome is nothin! That’s why we a say, you know, when the Pope dead…the best ting that ever happen to we is two Pople dead the other day. (laughter) True, true. That’s one of the sweetest ting ever happen, you know. Rastaman in Jamaica pray every for more Pope dead, you know. Yeah! Dem is a people who PRAY for the Pope them dead. So you see one time one pope get a heart attack, you can just imagine the joy in Jamaica. So we get a likke joy down here. We happy! But this one, you know, is a dangerous one. You know? Because him a fool a lot of people. Dangerous.

Mumia :
What’s your hope, brother, for the future of Black people in America, and Black people in the world.
Marley :
Way I see, you seen, it looks simple but it’s true. RASTA FOR THE PEOPLE! Rastafari! For the people, seen? Capitalism and communism are finished. It Rasta now! The Blackman way of life. That’s what we a say now dread. We a say: give the Black man fe him way of life now. Mek him show you how government run and how people care for people. Who you think have the Love. Who sing the tune inna the church. Black people a sing them, you know. Whose the spiritual people pon earth. The Black people. Dem a deal wit God. And God no let dem down. God always dere. And God say dem fe unite! Because when you unite, that is the power of God, you know. God love Love, which is unity. So when you unite, you get the whole power of God. That’s what him want. Until Black people unite…if the Black people don’t unite, the world, no one, no one can live good.

Cause the white man not living good, you know. The China man naa live good, either. Why? Because the Blackman is not united. Because the Blackman, him are the cornerstone pon earth! When time him shaky, the whole earth shaky. You see? When him solid, everything solid. And it a long while since we have been solid. You know. It’s been a long long time. So you find out how much war, fight and dem tings, go on. You know where dem fight? In Africa! Our motherland. So anybody can see that war will start over here in America, man. REAL war. European pass over here and boom dis raas claat. True true. You mus’ remember, dem have all of dem atomic business. So, you know. We not afraid for it, but Africa is the best. Africa for Africans, at home and abroad. African can be developed man. Africa have sea, river, everything. And clean. You have more land, more everything. You have good good everything. The best climate. The best land. You have the best everything! That’s why today, His Majesty God more than yesterday, you know. Because we see that His Majesty never sell out to Russia, nor sell out to America. HIM uphold Black dignity, seen? So tell dem you can proudly say RASTAFARI, and naaw deal wit no traitor. That the sweet part ‘bout it.

5.02 PM
DEPOK, 28/06/10

Sumber :
Timothie, White. Catch a Fire : The Life of Bob Marley. NY : Holt Paperbacks. 2005
Prahlad, Anand SW. Reggae Wisdom : Proverbs in Jamaican Music. University Press of Mississippi. 2001
http:// www.marleysite.com

Why Police Lie Under Oath

By MICHELLE ALEXANDER

Published: February 2, 2013

THOUSANDS of people plead guilty to crimes every year in the United States because they know that the odds of a jury’s believing their word over a police officer’s are slim to none. As a juror, whom are you likely to believe: the alleged criminal in an orange jumpsuit or two well-groomed police officers in uniforms who just swore to God they’re telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but? As one of my colleagues recently put it, “Everyone knows you have to be crazy to accuse the police of lying.”

Enlarge This Image

Wesley Allsbrook

But are police officers necessarily more trustworthy than alleged criminals? I think not. Not just because the police have a special inclination toward confabulation, but because, disturbingly, they have an incentive to lie. In this era of mass incarceration, the police shouldn’t be trusted any more than any other witness, perhaps less so.

That may sound harsh, but numerous law enforcement officials have put the matter more bluntly. Peter Keane, a former San Francisco Police commissioner, wrote an article in The San Francisco Chronicle decrying a police culture that treats lying as the norm: “Police officer perjury in court to justify illegal dope searches is commonplace. One of the dirty little not-so-secret secrets of the criminal justice system is undercover narcotics officers intentionally lying under oath. It is a perversion of the American justice system that strikes directly at the rule of law. Yet it is the routine way of doing business in courtrooms everywhere in America.”

The New York City Police Department is not exempt from this critique. In 2011, hundreds of drug cases were dismissed after several police officers were accused of mishandling evidence. That year, Justice Gustin L. Reichbach of the State Supreme Court in Brooklyn condemned a widespread culture of lying and corruption in the department’s drug enforcement units. “I thought I was not naïve,” he said when announcing a guilty verdict involving a police detective who had planted crack cocaine on a pair of suspects. “But even this court was shocked, not only by the seeming pervasive scope of misconduct but even more distressingly by the seeming casualness by which such conduct is employed.”

Remarkably, New York City officers have been found to engage in patterns of deceit in cases involving charges as minor as trespass. In September it was reported that the Bronx district attorney’s office was so alarmed by police lying that it decided to stop prosecuting people who were stopped and arrested for trespassing at public housing projects, unless prosecutors first interviewed the arresting officer to ensure the arrest was actually warranted. Jeannette Rucker, the chief of arraignments for the Bronx district attorney, explained in a letter that it had become apparent that the police were arresting people even when there was convincing evidence that they were innocent. To justify the arrests, Ms. Rucker claimed, police officers provided false written statements, and in depositions, the arresting officers gave false testimony.

Mr. Keane, in his Chronicle article, offered two major reasons the police lie so much. First, because they can. Police officers “know that in a swearing match between a drug defendant and a police officer, the judge always rules in favor of the officer.” At worst, the case will be dismissed, but the officer is free to continue business as usual. Second, criminal defendants are typically poor and uneducated, often belong to a racial minority, and often have a criminal record. “Police know that no one cares about these people,” Mr. Keane explained.

All true, but there is more to the story than that.

Police departments have been rewarded in recent years for the sheer numbers of stops, searches and arrests. In the war on drugs, federal grant programs like the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program have encouraged state and local law enforcement agencies to boost drug arrests in order to compete for millions of dollars in funding. Agencies receive cash rewards for arresting high numbers of people for drug offenses, no matter how minor the offenses or how weak the evidence. Law enforcement has increasingly become a numbers game. And as it has, police officers’ tendency to regard procedural rules as optional and to lie and distort the facts has grown as well. Numerous scandals involving police officers lying or planting drugs — in Tulia, Tex. and Oakland, Calif., for example — have been linked to federally funded drug task forces eager to keep the cash rolling in.

THE pressure to boost arrest numbers is not limited to drug law enforcement. Even where no clear financial incentives exist, the “get tough” movement has warped police culture to such a degree that police chiefs and individual officers feel pressured to meet stop-and-frisk or arrest quotas in order to prove their “productivity.”

For the record, the New York City police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly, denies that his department has arrest quotas. Such denials are mandatory, given that quotas are illegal under state law. But as the Urban Justice Center’s Police Reform Organizing Project has documented, numerous officers have contradicted Mr. Kelly. In 2010, a New York City police officer named Adil Polanco told a local ABC News reporter that “our primary job is not to help anybody, our primary job is not to assist anybody, our primary job is to get those numbers and come back with them.” He continued: “At the end of the night you have to come back with something. You have to write somebody, you have to arrest somebody, even if the crime is not committed, the number’s there. So our choice is to come up with the number.”

Exposing police lying is difficult largely because it is rare for the police to admit their own lies or to acknowledge the lies of other officers. This reluctance derives partly from the code of silence that governs police practice and from the ways in which the system of mass incarceration is structured to reward dishonesty. But it’s also because police officers are human.

Research shows that ordinary human beings lie a lot — multiple times a day — even when there’s no clear benefit to lying. Generally, humans lie about relatively minor things like “I lost your phone number; that’s why I didn’t call” or “No, really, you don’t look fat.” But humans can also be persuaded to lie about far more important matters, especially if the lie will enhance or protect their reputation or standing in a group.

The natural tendency to lie makes quota systems and financial incentives that reward the police for the sheer numbers of people stopped, frisked or arrested especially dangerous. One lie can destroy a life, resulting in the loss of employment, a prison term and relegation to permanent second-class status. The fact that our legal system has become so tolerant of police lying indicates how corrupted our criminal justice system has become by declarations of war, “get tough” mantras, and a seemingly insatiable appetite for locking up and locking out the poorest and darkest among us.

And, no, I’m not crazy for thinking so.

Michelle Alexander is the author of “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/opinion/sunday/why-police-officers-lie-under-oath.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0&hp