Derrick Sonnier is scheduled to be executed in Texas on Wednesday, July 23. His execution was stayed earlier this summer just minutes before he was set to be executed. The state quickly gave him a new execution date. His appeals have been dismissed and he is scheduled to die this Wednesday. Sonnier was sentenced to death in 1993 for the murder of his neighbor and her son in 1991. The jurors who sentenced him to death heard no mitigating evidence, despite the availability of such evidence. Local and national abolition groups are urging activists to call on Rissie Owens of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles and Governor Perry to grant clemency to Derrick Sonnier and commute his death sentence:
Act Now to Stop the Execution!
Call the Citizen’s Opinion Hotline: (800) 252-9600 [for Texas callers]
Citizen’s Assistance and Opinion Hotline: (512) 463-1782 [for Austin and out-of-state callers]
Office of the Governor Main Switchboard: (512) 463-2000
Fax a letter to the Board of Pardons and Paroles at (512) 467-0945
Send an email message to Rissie Owens and Governor Perry
Past Coverage: Sonnier Gets Stay of Execution | More on Executions: The Innocent Children of Death Row Inmates | Texas Law of Parites | Charles Dean Hood Sends out Plea for Help
Paige Lynn Wood holds a sign for the crowd to read, "If You Kill My Dad, Jeff Wood, Your Killing Me." Her dad Jeff Wood is scheduled to be executed by the state of Texas on August 2008. Paige was only about 3 years old when her dad was convicted for murder under the "Law of Parties" Statue in Texas for the murder of a store attendant. She is now 14.
Her plea for help can be read on a website constructed by Wood's family, "Jeffrey Wood has only one child and that is me. I have been without my father for many years, and I have suffered greatly because of this. I need my father. I need to be able to hug him, and to sit in his lap, and just talk when I need somebody. I have been deprived because of somebody else's crime. Should I continue to be punished? I have has a lot to deal with over these years. I have struggled in school, I have been alone, and I have done it all without my lifeline..my father. Please do not kill him, he did not kill anyone. He is a kind gentle man, and I need him. If you kill him, you are killing me."
Wood was convicted and sentenced to die under the "Law of Parties Statue" in Texas, where you are held responsible for someone else's actions of murder, despite the fact you never touched the gun, never pulled the trigger, or never knew the intentions of your codefendant. Wood's codefendant, Daniel Earl Reneau was executed on June 13, 2003.
Last year, Nydesha Foster, then 11 years old, daughter of former death row inmate Kenneth Foster also pleaded for the life of her father who was scheduled to be executed in Texas on August 30, 2007, and also under the same "Law of Parties" statue in Texas. Foster was convicted of murder and sentence to die by lethal injection for a murder that took place while he was seated in the car, quite a distance from the crime. Foster's family and supporters generated thousands of calls to the Governor and Texas Parole and Pardons resulting in a commutation of sentence for Foster. Foster is now serving time in a Texas prison. Wood's case has many similarities to that of Foster's. You can listen to Nydesha's pleas to save her father from execution here.
From the Open Publishing Newswire: Sedition Books is open for bizness and anti-capitalist evangelization. I dropped by around 6:30 and got to see the space the way it will be laid out, as volunteers were sorting zines as part of the People's Library. At 7 a whole buncha people started arriving for the folks show that kicked off the grand opening. [ full story with photos]
Sedition Books has settled into its new location at 901 Richmond Ave [see a map] just a block from Montrose. It is the second location since the February 2007 arson of Sedition Book's location on Washington Avenue. The new space is open 7 days a week, opening every day at noon and closing at 8 on weekdays and 10 on Friday and Saturday. [Interview with Ben about Sedition Books Grand Opening From HIMC Radio]
Sedition Books on Myspace
From the Open Publishing newswire: Friday Morning at 10am, dozens of community members, activists and victims of the criminal "justice" system came to Houston's City hall to attend, testify and support the field hearing of the House Judiciary Committee looking into Crime, Justice and Race in Harris County. Congress People Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston and John Conyers of Detroit chaired the events and were joined by Texas State Legislators and members of Houston City Council.
They invited people to testify, including The District Attorney of Dallas County who has been trying to reform the office and has began retesting DNA evidence of folks convicted by the office, thus far freeing 8 innocent people. There were also number people who are victims of the Harris County Sheriffs office and other local agencies, including Sean and Erik Ibarra who recently won a 1.7 million dollar settlement from the Sheriffs office following being beaten and facing manufactured charges by the Sheriffs office in 2002. Also the Children of Margarita Savadrea who died in Harris County Jail after not receiving medication to treat her diabetes.
The audience was extremely supportive and frequently broke into applause and cheering in support of those giving testimony. Some people were able to bring signs into the hearing reading: "Houston we have a problem" and "Time to Clean House".
[Read Full Story with photos]
 Victims of Texas Justice speak at field hearing in Houston
from the open publishing newswire: Hundreds of outraged and energetic people rallied in front of the Harris County Courthouse today to demand that Joe Horn be indicted for murder. Horn is the Pasadena, Texas man who shot in the back and killed two alleged burglars as they left his neighbors house in November, 2007..
A Harris County grand jury no-billed Horn two weeks ago, enraging many in Houston's African American community as well as many others of all nationalities throughout the metropolitan Houston area. The two men gunned down by Horn were Afro-Colombians.
Today, the speakers berated the racism that is systemic in Harris County's criminal justice system and demanded that Horn's shooting be taken before another grand jury, one that is made of of all nationalities. [read full story] Interview with Parnell Herbert of Millions More Movement on The Joe Horn Verdict & Protest
from the open publishing newswire: Wednesday July 2nd, around 30-40 people met at the Shell gas station at the intersection of Westpark and highway 59 to protest against the support given by the folks in charge of the gas station to member of the facist group "US Borderwatch," who in the past have intimidated day labores who work hard every day.
With Chant of "Racists,Go Home!" and "Si se puede, si se puede", and the precence of 5 HPD Patrol Cars, the people gathered there demonstrated the there will continue to be support for the workers and that they will respond to any threat or provocation of racist groups. [Read full story with photos] ((Audios)) Chants y gritos at the Shell Protest
At approximately 6:00 a.m. on Jan. 2, 1996, while Jeff Wood waited outside, Daniel Earl Reneau entered a gas station in Kerrville, Texas, with a gun and pointed it at Kris Keeran, the clerk standing behind the counter. Reneau ordered him to a back room. When he did not move quickly enough, Reneau fired one shot with a 22 caliber handgun that struck Keeran between the eyes. Death was almost instantaneous. Proceeding with the robbery, Reneau went into the back office and took a safe. When hearing the shot, Wood got out of the car to see what was going on. He walked by the door and looked through the glass. Then he went inside, and he looked over the counter and ran to the back, where Reneau was. Wood was then ordered, at gun point by Reneau, to get the surveillance video and to drive the getaway-car.
Jeff Wood was convicted and put on death row, despite not commiting murder, under the Law of Parties. Texas is the only state in the nation with such a broad "Law of Parties", allowing the goverment to execute people who have not commited murder, with around 80 people on Texas Death Row (according to the Austin American Statesman).
"My cousin was the person killed by Danny, not Jeff. I say this as a family member who realized long ago Jeff had no part in my cousin's murder and he shouldn't be executed. It's insane to kill another person who did not kill Kris. The video showed Jeff took no part in it. Jeff was one of my friends growing up and someone I think deserves a chance. If he didn't kill him, why should we kill Jeff? This is ridiculous." - Amanda Smith, Cousin of Murder Victim Kris Keeran - June 19, 2008
Please contact Governor Perry and the Texas Board of Pardon and Paroles on behalf of Jeff Wood. Jeff was charged under the Law of Parties and was not the shooter in this crime. The actual shooter in this case has already been executed by the state of Texas. [read full article and take action]
Free Jeff Wood | Interview with Kristin Wood, Wife of Death Row inmate Jeff Wood Kenneth Foster speaks about the Law of Parties | Petition: Save Jeff Wood From the Texas Executioner | Kenneth Foster Jr's execution was stayed: Kenneth Foster Jr's Death Sentence Commuted! | Joseph Nichols, convicted under law of parties was executed: Joseph Nichols second man executed for same crime
from the open publishing newswire: UH Students Against Sweatshops and allies from the Green Party, the Houston Peace and Justice Center, Rice and Houston Community College attended a demonstration at UH Chancellor Renu Khator's house at 1505 South Boulevard in the museum district.
SAS wanted to remind UH Chancellor / President Renu Khator's house her decision about signing on to the Designated Supplier's Program (DSP) is due. In March Khator appointed an "apparel task force" and told SAS and the public that their recommendation was due to her by the end of June at the latest. The task force was made up of 5 faculty members, 1 staff and 1 student. The faculty members have never published in the field. Faculty members who have published about globalization and child labor were kept off the "task force."
Khator has thus far ignored the student government resolution to sign the DSP. She has also ignored the entire shared governance procedure which showed that the Faculty Senate and Staff Council did not object to signing to DSP. [full story with photos]
from the open publishing newswire: MORE than 80 community members and organizations congregated in front of the Federal Building today to denounce the Raid that occurred yesterday at a clothing factory. Today was a success because with this action we are able to show Houston and ICE that we will not stay quiet in the mist of all of these raids which are splitting up families and leaving children without mothers. There will be many more actions like this and as always I thank all of you who came out today in the fight for social justice. Whether there are 10 or 100 people present we must never stay quiet and we must always say that there are those Houstonians like us that will continue to fight for social justice.? As long as their is life their is hope! [ read full story] Photos and report from Xicanopwr.com
Around 2 dozen people gathered Saturday Morning at the Houston Processing Center, an immigrant detention facility run by the private corporation Corrections Corporation of America, to protest the raid. Many folks parked on the north side of Greens road, and the protest took place on the south side, right next to the facility, making for quite a spectacle on a busy 2 lane road in north Houston. [Photos and Report] You are not alone: Speaking out against the raids in front of the HPC | Full Audio of the Rally at radio.indymedia.org
Sedition Books has found a new location on Richmond, next to the ex-Proletariat,by Richmond and Montrose in the Montrose neighborhood.
If you would like to help us get set up, give us a call:
Larra 281 900 8816, Marian 281 433 9784, or Alex 713 492 7484
Thanks!
This past Saturday and Sunday, a number of volunteers helped set up the new space [see photos]. Sedition Books has began settling into its new location and will officially open on July 12th, 2008.
www.myspace.com/seditionbooks
from the open publishing newswire: Police arrested Diane Wilson today at the Indian Consulate in Houston today. Wilson is on an indefinite fast in solidarity with 9 survivors of the Union Carbide Gas Disaster in New Delhi, India. The 4thgeneration fisherwoman urged the Government of India to fulfill the survivor’s demands for clean water, health care and justice. Diane Wilson calls the survivors her sisters and brothers, as she is also from a community polluted by Dow/Carbide in Seadrift, Texas.
On December 3rd, 1984, thousands of people in Bhopal, India, were gassed to death after a catastrophic chemical leak at a Union Carbide pesticide plant; thousands more are now being poisoned by toxic waste from the abandoned factory site. Wilson believes firmly that the Indian government and Carbide parent company Dow Chemical must be held accountable the ongoing disaster there.
Diane Wilson summed up her commitment to justice and connection the Bhopal survivors, “As one of the Bhopalis said, 'What else can people do when their government ignores their pain and cries of injustice? Agitate, agitate.'” [read full story]
Update: Diane has been released from jail and started a blog Diane 4 Justice
Past Diane Goodness on HIMC: Cindy Sheehan and Diane Wilson Confront Barbara Bush | Diane Wilson Detained During Cheney Speech
by Dee from the open publishing newswire:Texas has issued a death warrent to a man who they know never killed anyone. Jeff Woods will be executed by the state of Texas on August 21, 2008. Another man, Wood's co-defendant Daniel Earl Reneau was executed in 2002 for the crime.
In an attempt to save her brothers life, Wood's sister Terri Bean has created a website including facts and information about the case. Other members of his family including his father, wife, sterpmother, daughter, brothers and nephews have have all spoken out about Wood's innocence. Friends of jeff have written on his behalf also.
The website explains about other outstanding facts in this case including his rights being infringed, and his mental capacities. More information can be read here.
http://www.freewebs.com/savejeffwood/index.htm A petition is circulating the Internet to be presented to Texas officials on his behalf, and members of his family urge everyone to sign it. The petition can be found on the website also. It currently has over 500 signatures. Fulll Story
It Harms, Not Helps, Public Safety
from the open publishing newswire: In August, Sheriff Tommy Thomas plans to send nine jailers for special immigration training in Glynco, Ga. to question inmates about their immigration status and hold them for federal agents through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement program known as “287(g)”. The Sheriff hopes to convince federal officials to provide training in Houston also, possibly in the sheriff’s academy.
Proponents of this “287(g)” program say it is needed to help deal with the “criminal alien crisis.” They ignore the fact that local law enforcement officers already have the authority to arrest criminals, both in enforcing state or local laws and assisting the federal government. Local law enforcement also helps the federal government deport criminals who are removable because of their offenses. Immigration authorities have had full access to the Harris County Jails for over a decade.
The Sheriffs decision to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement for the “287(g)” program with ICE is not an effective crime-fighting tool, but will have dire consequences for Harris County residents, instead... [read full article]
Join the Mobilization for resignation of Sheriff Tommy Thomas | Protest Tommy Thomas Blog
Houston Indymedia has changed the wording of our Mission Statement, which sits on the about page and serves along with the Action Guidelines as the document new participants sign. The wording of the new statement is:
"The Houston Independent Media Center is an all volunteer collective committed to using media production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice. We seek to provide alternatives to for-profit media not only in our coverage, but also within our collective by implementing consensus based non-hierarchical work-group models of decision making. While focusing on local social movements, we will explore connections to global systems. We believe that by reporting on dissent, by critiquing corporate, government and military domination, and by promoting art, culture and critical thinking through participatory events, we can contribute to the development of an equitable and sustainable society."
Some of the significant changes since the previous Mission Statement from early 2001 includes that we are all volunteers, that we are focusing on social movements, that we reporting on dissent, and that our events are intended to be participatory.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with us at Houston Indymedia, please send an email to: houston at indymedia dot org
Last updated: Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800imc-houston
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7/22 Texas to Execute Derrick Sonnier
7/21 The Innocent Children Of Death Row Inmates
7/19 Sedition Books Opens New location in Montrose
7/18 Field Hearing Examines injustices in Harris County Law Enforcement
7/11 Houston, We Have A Problem! Grand Jury No-Bills Joe Horn
7/2 Community Mobilizies to defend day laborers from Borderwatch
7/2 Jeff Wood - On Death Row from a Law of Parties Conviction
6/30 Students against Sweatshops take message to presidents doorstep
6/29 ICE Raids detain more than 150 workers, Houstonians organize against repression
6/29 Sedition Books has a new space! Grand Opening July 19th
6/23 Rally against abuses by Sheriff's Office demands resignation of Tommy Thomas
6/23 Diane Wilson Arrested at Indian Consulate - Advocating for Justice in Bhopal
6/21 Texas Gives Execution Date to Man Who Never Pulled The Trigger
6/18 Why Shouldn’t the Harris County Sheriffs Office Enforce Federal Immigration Laws?
Houston Indymedia Has a New Mission Statement
