Join us at our Monthly DCODP Meeting as we plan to repeal Delaware’s death penalty in 2015. Find out what you can do to help end Delaware’s ineffective, costly, and biased death penalty. Monday 10/27/14 at 5:30 pm. LOCATION: Wilmington Friends Meeting House, 1st floor Social Room, 401 N. West St, Wilmington, DE 19801. Park in the parking lot on the 5th Street side or on the street. Ring the doorbell at the West Street entrance. Call 302-379-0488 for info. All are welcome! Invite a friend!
Delaware
Mobilizing to Pass Delaware’s Death Penalty Repeal Legislation in 2015
by Abraham Bonowitz
Abraham Bonowitz is a member of Catholic Mobilizing Networks Advisory Board
The Delaware Repeal Project (DE Repeal), a coalition of 29 partner organizations in Delaware, educates Delawareans about the problems of the death penalty system and leads the campaign to repeal the death penalty in the state.
The coalition was founded in 2011 as a partnership with Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty (organizing and educating about Delaware’s death penalty for over 20 years), the League of Women Voters, the Delaware Center for Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware, the NAACP and Pacem in Terris (a local peace and justice organization).
A bill to repeal the death penalty passed in the Delaware Senate in 2013 and died in the House Judiciary Committee in 2014. The campaign and its many allies are setting the stage for quick passage of a new bill in the 2015 legislative session. There is strong bi-partisan support, including from conservative Republican legislators remaining true to their Catholic faith.
“The Delaware Repeal Project is mobilizing its partners from all corners of the state. We have collaborated with a broad range of religious communities, including the bishops and leadership of all of the major Christian and Jewish faiths, the heads of our most active African-American churches, and more than 120 other clergy,” said Ti Hall, DE Repeal Projects’ Campaign Manager. “Also involved are families who have lost a loved one to murder, non-profit organizations, civic groups and individuals who are all helping to promote a conversation about the flaws of Delaware’s death penalty system and the opportunity to replace it.”
More than 140 faith leaders have added their names to a “Clergy Sign-on letter,” and those who have not yet done so may add their names here.
DE Repeal is focusing on expanding the coalition and grassroots support. To this end, the organization attends festivals and fairs throughout Delaware and regularly engages the faith community. “Death Penalty Awareness Days” are scheduled from November 14-23, 2014, providing two weekends in which clergy are asked to preach on the issues and mobilize worshipers. Town Hall meetings will take place in various parts of the state on November 18, 19 and 20. Details on these events and the Death Penalty Awareness Days will be posted soon at www.DERepeal.org.
One of the featured speakers at the upcoming Town Hall meetings will be John Breckenridge, a retired police officer from New Hampshire whose partner was murdered as they investigated a disturbance. Breckenridge originally supported the death penalty for the killer; however, in time and with a return to his Catholic faith, he has come to forgiveness. He now advocates for an end to the death penalty.
Catholics and others ready to help end the death penalty in Delaware are urged to sign up with the DE Repeal Project at www.DERepeal.org and to ask their state Senator and Representative to support a bill to repeal Delaware’s death penalty. Legislative Advocacy can begin now and will be very important when the legislative session resumes in January, 2015. The Delaware Repeal Project seeks volunteer “captains” to assist in local organizing, leading the effort within their Parish, and/or helping to ensure that many Delaware Repeal supporters are at Legislative Hall in Dover on lobby days and on days when the bill will be voted on. For more information and to get involved, contact ti@derepeal.org.
To read the full issue of Catholic Mobilizing Network’s newsletter, click here.
Your help needed for canvassing!
We need your help! If you live in Delaware and can help canvass this weekend for a few hours, please contact Alex Minore, Delaware Repeal Campaign Manager either by phone 908-216-5185 or email alex@derepeal.org. Canvassing includes walking neighborhoods, knocking on doors, telling residents that we plan to re-introduce a death penalty repeal bill, and asking them to sign a postcard to their legislator asking their support for repeal. Some funding is available for canvassers at this time. $40 for 3 hours although volunteers are always welcome too.
Monthly DCODP Meeting Monday, September 22 at 5:30pm
Join us at our Monthly DCODP Meeting. We will discuss specific actions you can take to help repeal Delaware’s ineffective, costly, and biased death penalty. Monday 9/22/14 at 5:30 pm. LOCATION: Wilmington Friends Meeting House, 1st floor Social Room, 401 N. West St, Wilmington, DE 19801. Park in the parking lot on the 5th Street side or on the street. Ring the doorbell at the West Street entrance. Call 302-379-0488 for info. All are welcome! Invite a friend!
13th Annual Stumpy’s Marathon raises funds for DCODP, Sunday, 9/7/14.
Trail Dawgs is sponsoring the 13th annual Stumpy’s Marathon, a 26.2 mile run for pack supremacy. Join the fun and raise money for a great cause: Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty! Sunday, September 7, 2014, 8AM, Newark, DE. To pre-register, go to Stumpy’s Marathon.
Whether you’re a Republican/Libertarian/Conservative or a Democrat/Liberal/Peace-Loving-Granola type you can learn about the death penalty and have fun.
Stumpys 2014 Death Penalty for Conservatives
Stumpys 2014 Death Penalty for Liberals
DCODP Monthly Meeting – Monday August 25, 5:30pm
Join us at our Monthly DCODP Meeting as we renew our strategy to prepare for new legislators and a new legislative session. Find out what you can do to help end Delaware’s ineffective, costly, and biased death penalty. Monday 8/25/14 at 5:30 pm. LOCATION: Wilmington Friends Meeting House, 1st floor Social Room, 401 N. West St, Wilmington, DE 19801. Park in the parking lot on the 5th Street side or on the street. Ring the doorbell at the West Street entrance. Call 302-379-0488 for info. All are welcome! Invite a friend!
You’re invited to Strategy Meetings for repealing Delaware’s death penalty
From Delaware Repeal:
The last legislative session of 2014 ended this morning. Unfortunately, SB19 to repeal the death penalty in Delaware did not pass the General Assembly to become law.
Although we are disappointed by this outcome [SB19 not passing], we are inspired by our success this year in securing our vote count and laying the groundwork for ultimate repeal victory in 2015. As a first step, we will host 2 strategy meetings this summer in Wilmington on July 8th and August 7th from 8:30am – 10:30 am on each day. As an integral part of our coalition, we welcome your input and invite you to attend at least one of these meetings.
Please click here to RSVP for our July 8th meeting and here to RSVP for our August 7th meeting!
Also, it’s festival season again! That means the Delaware Repeal Project will be setting up tables across the state to recruit even more Delawareans to join us in our efforts to repeal the death penalty.Volunteering at these festivals and events is fun and it really makes a difference. We would love to have your help. To learn more about it and discuss the possibilities, please contact me at alex@derepeal.org or at 302-729-3196.
Volunteer at Summer Festivals to help end Delaware’s death penalty
Summer Festivals
The DE Repeal Team will be tabling at festivals around Delaware this summer.
We are looking for volunteers to help us out! Email alex@derepeal.org if you are able to attend.
African American Festival
Saturday, June 28th
Dover, DE
Nanticoke River Festival
Friday and Saturday, July 11th and 12th
Seaford, DE
Delaware City Day
Saturday, July 19th
Delaware City, DE
People’s Festival 4 Peace Tribute to Bob Marley
Saturday, July 26th
Riverfront, Wilmington, DE
Wyoming Peach Festival
Saturday, August 2nd
Wyoming, DE
Eastern Shore AFRAM Fest
Friday and Saturday, August 8th and 9th,
Seaford, DE
August Quarterly Festival
Saturday and Sunday, August 30th and 31st
Wilmington, DE
Brandywine Arts Festival
Saturday and Sunday, September 6th and 7th
Wilmington, DE
Newark Community Day
Sunday, September 21st
Newark, DE
Senate Bill 19 finished the legislative session stuck in the House Judiciary Committee
DE Repeal: “June 30th has come and gone, and it looks like SB 19 won’t be passing this session. But we are so proud of all the amazing progress we have made in the past two years!
Our work continues and we certainly are not stopping here. Thank you for sticking with us and for all of your continued support. Here’s to a new year of abolition!!”
DCODP Monthly Meeting Monday June 23, 2014 at 5:30pm
Join us at our Monthly DCODP Meeting as we strategize about next steps in the effort to end Delaware’s ineffective, costly, and biased death penalty. Help us plan for tabling during the Summer Festival season. Monday 6/23/14 at 5:30 pm. LOCATION: Wilmington Friends Meeting House, 1st floor Social Room, 401 N. West St, Wilmington, DE 19801. Park in the parking lot on the 5th Street side or on the street. Ring the doorbell at the West Street entrance. Call 302-379-0488 for info. All are welcome!
Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty 