We have very bad news! The Alabama Supreme Court set an October 21st execution date for Willie B. Smith. We quote:” We are disappointed that the attorney general asked for and the Alabama Supreme Court set a date for Mr. Smith’s execution despite the fact that a lawsuit he filed two years ago is progressing through discovery and is set for trial early next year,” federal defender John Palombi wrote in an email.” Willie B. Smith has an IQ below 75.Talking Points for letter to the Governor: http://www.phadp.org/?q=alerts. Petition at: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/stop-the-execution-of-willie-smith-i…

Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide which is at the Cornell School of Law has the following motto ”Sharing knowledge, empowering human rights defenders, and building transnational communities to ensure justice for those facing the death penalty”. Last week it issued a statement on Alabama which we discussed with much interest. “Alabama has continued to pursue gas chambers as an execution method in the state, despite objections from human rights groups. On top of concerns about the safety and humanity of the gas, Alabama’s justice system is particularly striking: According to @eji_org, AL sentences more people to death than any other state. There is no statewide public defender system, leaving the accused particularly vulnerable and false convictions high. For every 7 people that have been executed there since 1976, 1 has been exonerated.” It is so important that knowledge be shared about the injustice of the death penalty and we are grateful when the focus is on Alabama.

We have been busy writing, typing and formatting the latest edition of On Wings of Hope. It is very much a question of all hands on deck and although it is definitely work we have fun while we are doing it. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy assembling it.

In closing and as always, we continue to 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. You encourage us and make all the difference. Stay safe and wear a mask!