For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Esther Brown, 334-499-0003
Abraham Bonowitz, 561-371-5204
Cantor Mike Zoosman, 860-830-0114

MONTGOMERY, AL - September 12, 2022 - In a hearing this morning challenging the execution date set in Alabama next week, an attorney for the state suggested that Alabama could begin using its newly constructed gas chamber to carry out what would be the first-ever execution using nitrogen hypoxia.

"Alabama's intentions of testing out its new gas chamber on American soil is a slap in the face of all of us who are scions of Holocaust victims, myself included," said Cantor Mike Zoosman, a Jewish clergyman who co-founded the organization L'Chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty. "Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel spoke for all the members of "L'chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty" when he said this: 'With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don’t think it’s human to become an agent of the angel of death.' Indeed, the idea of an American gas chamber is an abomination, an affront to us all, and cannot stand!"

Earlier in the day, the following related information was released by Alabama's Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty and Death Penalty Action.

ADVOCACY GROUPS CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY IN EXECUTIONS

For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Esther Brown, 334-499-0131
Abraham Bonowitz, 561-371-5204

MONTGOMERY, AL - September 12, 2022 - As the next person scheduled to be executed in Alabama continues litigation on the question of how he will be killed, Project Hope …To Abolish the Death Penalty and Death Penalty Action, a national advocacy organization, announced the launch of the "Pull Back The Curtains" campaign to demand greater transparency in Alabama executons. In light of the horrific torture of Joe James, Jr. in the most recent Alabama execution, the groups have launched a petition renewing the demand that media and other public witnesses observe the proceedings "from the moment a prisoner walks him or herself into the death chamber until they are declared dead."

Witnesses were kept in vans for more than two hours while awaiting the execution of Joe James, Jr. on July 28, 2022. When they were finally brought to the witness room and the curtains were opened, James was already sedated and unresponsive. An autopsy showed that he had been subjected to many and varied attempts to establish intravenous access with which to administer the execution drugs. Many questions remain unanswered about all that transpired prior to witnesses being able to observe what executioners were doing.

"We oppose the death penalty in all cases," said Esther Brown, a spokesperson for Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty. "But this is about accountability in government. Right now Alan Miller is challenging his execution date next week because the state lost the form in which he chose the gas chamber rather than lethal injection. The Alabama Department of Corrections seems more concerned about whether reporters are wearing underwear or proper shoes than if we have a competent execution team. It's ridiculous."

Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty is working with Death Penalty Action and have invited other Alabama organizations to join them in highlighting these issues. They have launched a petition which is found at bit.ly/PullBackTheCurtains and they plan to deliver the petition to the Alabama Department of Corrections and Governor Kay Ivey with a public rally on September 21, 2022 (details TBA). Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood, A Death Penalty Action Advisory Board Member who has accompanied 12 men to their execution in Texas, spelled out the issues on this blog post.

"We care about safety and accountability, but that should include government." said Abraham Bonowitz, executive Director of Death Penalty Action. "The question should not be how we kill our prisoners, but whether government can be trusted with the power to kill. As long as Alabama continues to execute its citizens, then we must be transparent about it, and we must get it right."