Amnesty International 'Write for Rights' Campaign

Every year thousands of people across the world mark International Human Rights Day on Dec 10th by taking apart in Amnesty International's Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon - the largest letter writing event in the world. It's all about writing letters to demand that the rights of individuals are respected, protected and fulfilled - rights which many of us take for granted. Your words can have real power so it's a great thing to get involved with.

One case which caught my eye was that of Reggie Clemons, just one more example of the flaws in America's death penalty system. Here is what AI has written about Clemons case:


Reggie Clemons was sentenced to death in St. Louis as an accomplice in the 1991 murder of two young white women, Julie and Robin Kerry, who plunged from the Chain of Rocks Bridge into the Mississippi River. Two other black youths were also convicted, including Marlin Gray (executed in 2005). Clemons has consistently maintained his innocence. His case illustrates many of the flaws in the U.S. death penalty system.

At the time of the trial, the prosecution conceded that Clemons neither killed the victims nor planned the crime; there is no physical evidence that ties him to the crime itself or the events leading up to it. Clemons alleges that he confessed under the pressure of police brutality to raping one of the victims. He never confessed to the murders. He subsequently retracted his confession. Two other suspects independently alleged mistreatment by the police. Witnesses attest to Clemons' face being swollen after his interrogation.

Four federal judges have agreed that the prosecutor's conduct was "abusive and boorish." The prosecutor had a history of criticism from both state and federal courts, and compared Clemons to two convicted serial killers, despite Clemons' clean record. Clemons' lawyer had experienced some past complaints as well. His co-counsel had a full-time job in another state during her representation of Mr. Clemons, resulting in poor preparation for the trial.

Of equal importance when considering the case of Mr. Clemons, is the question of race; not only were the murder victims white, but the two crucial witnesses were as well. The three convicted defendants were black, and during jury selection, blacks were disproportionately dismissed, resulting in an unrepresentative jury, given St. Louis' sizeable black population. The jury's flaws were also noted in 2002 by a U.S. District Court judge who ruled Clemons' death sentence should not stand because six prospective jurors had been improperly excluded at jury selection.

 
If you have even the slightest shred of doubt about Clemons' guilt or oppose the death penalty period, I'd urge you to join in with the write-a-thon. It'll take a few minutes and the cost of a postage stamp. I'll be writing from the UK. You can also send messages of support and hope to Reggie Clemons. All the postal information and other details are on the campaign website.
Click Here for more information.