PADP Philadelphia Sponsors "Execute Art Not People"

An annual event sponsored by Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty called “Execute Art Not People” will be held on June 1 at the Ethical Society of Philadelphia from 6 – 9 p.m.

This year, the event will focus on ways the Pennsylvania government can redirect funds to arts and education from programs like the death penalty.

At the event, there will be an interactive art project in front of the building as well as a free screening of the film “Concrete Steel and Paint,” which will be followed by a panel discussion with the film’s directors.

Featured artists who participated in Execute Art Not People include: King Britt, Kate Watson-Wallace, Tatyana Fazalizadeh, Paul Santoleri, Gianni Lee, Yis Goodwin and Lafayette Sanders.

The event will hopefully raise awareness about the tribulations of the death penalty, especially in Philadelphia where the system often finds itself under scrutiny.

For more information, call 267-639-6169 or email PhillyPADP@gmail.com.

Execute Art Not People

On April 15th Philadelphia Artists gathered to take a public stand against the death penalty in Pennsylvania. These are four of the artists. Clockwise from left: King Britt, Paul Santoleri, Kate Watson Wallace, and Tatyana Fazlalizadeh.

With the Death Penalty, There are no Winners

“Justice was served, and nobody wins.”

This is a quote by a mother whose son was murdered in Philadelphia. A woman who did not want the murderer put to death because “there’s too much death in Philadelphia.”

Derrick White became the first person sentenced to death by a Philadelphia jury since April 21, 2010. White does not deny committing the crime, but as the victim’s mother said, nobody wins.

It’s clear that she won’t feel closure when Derrick White is put to death. It’s true that a convicted criminal is off the street, but wouldn’t the same thing be accomplished by sentencing him to life without parole? In addition, because of Pennsylvania’s law that automatically sends White’s case to Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court for appeal, how many more times will a grieving mother be forced to relive a tragedy?

When it comes to the death penalty, there are no winners. There are only losers.

Message to Pennsylvania: "It is Well Past Time for the State to Stop its Machinery of Death"

While the amount of criticism surrounding the death penalty in the United States continues to build up, this so called “crime deterrent” still exists as part of our justice system.

An editorial published in The New York Times highlighted some of the issues raised against the death penalty in Pennsylvania. The article titled, “Pennsylvania and the Death Penalty,” mentioned recent reports done by a Philadelphia Judge that found the amount of money paid to court-appointed lawyers is severely inadequate and often leads to ineffective legal counsel.

The article also mentions the case of Derrick White, who was sentenced to death by a Philadelphia jury on February 29, 2012. Derrick White’s case follows the pattern of poor representation found by the RAND study. White’s lawyers did not take the most basic steps for a capital case; such as entering evidence of his background and failure to hire a death penalty expert to prepare for the case.

The death penalty in Pennsylvania and the rest of the United States continues to tarnish our status as a “civilized” nation. In order to transcend beyond barbarism, we must abolish the death penalty now.

Abolishing the Death Penalty in PA Could Save Millions

Common Please Court Judge Benjamin Lerner has recommended that Philadelphia spend an additional $340,00 on capital-case attorneys bringing the total to $540,000 per year. Meanwhile, states such as Illinois that have abolished the death penalty are saving $4.7 million per year since the death penalty was abolished. Based on the figures, which seems like a better option?

A recent study in Philadelphia by Judge Lerner concluded that the “compensation of court appointed capital defense lawyers in Philadelphia is grossly inadequate, both as to the dollar amount of compensation and as to the compensation schedule provided by the present fee system.”

As it is now, capital-defense attorneys in Philadelphia get paid less than any other county in the state. According to Judge Lerner, this low-pay system “unacceptably increases the risk of ineffective assistance of counsel in individual cases.” Because of this, Judge Lerner recommended a $340,000 increase to the $200,000 that was spent in 2010.

But wouldn’t it make more sense to save money yearly rather than spend more?

Illinois, who abolished the death penalty in March 2011, is saving $4.7 million yearly because of cutbacks made at the State Appellate Defender’s office.

While it is important that we make sure each defendant receives a fair trial with adequate defense, abolishing the death penalty in PA is undoubtedly the better option. Not only does it eliminate the risk of executing an innocent person, but it would save money that could be used elsewhere.