Weekly Report from the Board Meeting at Holman Prison 8.27.25
At this point as there is no permanent stay for David Roberts and the Talking Points and contact for Governor Ivey can still be found at https://www.phadp.org/execution-alert-6/. And please sign the petition at https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-david-roberts-in-alabama? Also very important please go to his Clemency site and spread the word. His clemency site has been updated with some ways we can all support efforts around him! Please take a look and pass it on to others! https://www.clemencyfordavidlee.com/
An excellent article in the Montgomery Advertiser by one of the jurors: “Jurors voted to sentence David Lee Roberts to life. Gov. Ivey should respect verdict” by DAN PIERCE. Indeed, why do we have jurors if we don’t respect their vote? And in the Political Reporter: Advocates stress fairness in halted execution of mentally ill Alabama inmate Roberts “The stay marks yet another moment in Alabama’s death penalty system that raises fundamental questions about fairness and human dignity.” There are certainly a lot of questions about Alabama’s death penalty system!
Governor Ivey set 9.25.25 as the execution date for Geoffrey Todd West. Talking Points and contact for Governor Ivey can be found at https://www.phadp.org/execution-alert-7/ . Please sign the petition https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-geoffrey-west-in-alabama
Governor Ivey has set October 23rd as the execution date for our Chairman, Anthony Boyd. Talking Points are at https://www.phadp.org/execution-alert-8/ Our Chairman is a fighter which is good for all of us. Now is not the time to give up! Please sign the petition: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-anthony-boyd-in-alabama Thank you to our Special Events Coordinator Dawson Hicks for once more designing a beautiful graphic.
After a press conference last week with the Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood and Esther about the horror of nitrogen gas executions the Washington Post’s article “Next Nitrogen Gas Execution Scheduled in AL as Legal Challenge Grows” highlights the issues and quotes: “Each prisoner previously executed by the State’s Protocol showed signs of conscious suffocation, terror, and pain,” Boyd’s lawyers wrote in his lawsuit, filed in July against the Alabama Department of Corrections and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall.” And yes, there will be a hearing on this September 4th and the Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood will be testifying among others who have witnessed this torture. Closer to home we appreciated the article by Mary Claire Wooten in the Political Reporter “Advocates say Alabama nitrogen executions cause “horror, trauma.” No one could be a stronger advocate than the Rev. Jeff Hood, writing articles, speaking out, giving interviews while at the same time being there for our Chairman Anthony Boyd to talk, to listen, to advise and also very importantly to organize.
The new group Alabama Evangelicals, a continuation of the EJUSA Alabama Evangelicals, had a great first meeting. It will take place once a month and the next meeting will be September 18th.
We are honored to be co-sponsors with Faith Leaders of Color Coalition and the ACLU AL September Tuesday 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the NewSouth Bookstore, 105 S. Court St. Montgomery when Professor and author Dr. Corinna Barrett Lain will talk about her latest and much acclaimed book, Secrets of the Killing State, The Untold Story of Lethal Injection. Dr. Corinna Barrett Lain’s conversation partner will be Advisory Board Member Attorney Kacey Keeton of the Federal Defenders Middle District of Al. We have also asked to be a sponsor at Ernest & Hadley in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 19th when Dr. Corinna Barrett Lain will also be presenting. https://newsouthbookstore.com/event/2025-09-16/corinna-barrett-lain-talks-about-secrets-killing-state the Ernest & Hadley event on 9/19 is now listed:
We also recommend https://bhamnow.com/bhamn-event/community-speaker-series-problems-of-mass-incarceration-sentencing-in-alabama/2025-11-09/ Advisory Board Members Dr. Katie Owens-Murphy and Callie Greer are among the featured speakers.
And last but certainly not least:
“Judge grants new trial for Alabama Death Row inmate whose DNA did not match.” Congratulations to Chris Barbour who should never have been on death row but who, like some others we know, confessed briefly to stop the beating from Montgomery Police but who has maintained his innocence for 31 years.
We thank all who are working so hard and diligently to stop all killing in Alabama! And as always in closing, we thank all our generous donors who either gave by going to our website and using the “donate” button or who gave directly. Thank you also to all who took the time to read our notes, commented, liked and shared them on Facebook. Stay safe and be kind to each other!
Esther
