Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Folks, today is the day! As NADP proudly participates in the 13th annual Give To Lincoln Day celebration, we invite friends and allies alike to join us in powering the movement to end the death penalty in our great state.

Our Give To Lincoln totals often cover roughly half of our yearly operating expenses—can we count on your support this year to push further? Click the link below to learn more!

Support Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty at Give to Lincoln Day Help us with our giving day event!

With millions spent annually, the question arises: could these funds be better utilized elsewhere? A study by conservative economist Dr. Ernie Goss revealed that Nebraska’s death penalty system alone costs taxpayers $14.6 million annually. It’s a stark reminder that the death penalty isn’t just a moral debate, but also an economic one. Are we making the most of our limited resources?

Give to NADP today and support our work towards replacing the death penalty with more humane and cost-effective alternatives: https://givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/nadp

Please join us for an important Judiciary Committee hearing to offer public testimony on two important death penalty bills! If you can't attend in person, you can still submit online comments by 8am Wednesday.

CALL TO ACTION! There is an important hearing of the Judiciary Committee of the Nebraska Legislature tomorrow (Wednesday, February 28) at 1:30pm in Room 1113 of the State Capitol. Two important bills about the death penalty will be heard:

Sen. Loren Lippincott's LB970 would introduce so-called "nitrogen hypoxia" as an additional method of ex*****on in our state. From Nebraska Examiner: "The particular method of the state executing people does not resolve all of the things that are wrong with the death penalty in Nebraska," said Spike Eickholt, who lobbies for the group. "Providing for gas chamber ex*****ons does not fix our broken death penalty." We need to stop this bill! Death penalty opponents are invited to provide testimony against LB970; for those who cannot attend in person, the bill's page is accepting online comments ahead of the hearing until 8:00am Wednesday morning:
https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55016

LB980, an NADP bill introduced by Senator Terrell McKinney (District 11), seeks to expand and improve transparency when an ex*****on is carried out. Similar legislation was introduced and passed by former Senator Patty Pansing Brooks, but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Ricketts. Death penalty opponents are invited to provide testimony in support of LB980, either in-person tomorrow or online via the bill's page:
https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55022

Remember, you will receive a confirmation email for each online comment you submit—your comment will NOT go through until you click the link in that email! Comments submitted after 8:00am Wednesday will still be attached to the bill, but will not be considered at the hearing.

Thank you to everyone who has already submitted comments! As of 11:00am today, LB970 has 26 opponent comments and only 2 proponent comments; LB980 has 9 proponent comments and only 1 opponent comment. Let's continue to pump up those numbers!

Take a moment to add your name to this Death Penalty Action petition and say NO to new gas chambers, in Nebraska and beyond.

Say NO to the Gas Chamber! Alabama is set to be the first state to experiment with a new form of gas chamber for ex*****ons, with the currently scheduled ex*****on of Kenneth Smith on January 25, 2024. Arizona recently announced that it has refurbished its gas chamber and is prepared to use cyanide gas to execute any current....

“The particular method of the state executing people does not resolve all of the things that are wrong with the death penalty in Nebraska ... Providing for gas chamber ex*****ons does not fix our broken death penalty.”

Senators propose a 'painless' alternative to carry out ex*****ons, with nitrogen gas | Nebraska Examiner Nebraska state senators propose a 'painless' alternative to lethal injection — death by nitrogen gas — to carry out ex*****ons.

The Death Penalty Information Center released their yearly report on Friday, which you can read below.

Highlights from 2023:
- Only five states conducted ex*****ons (TX, FL, MO, OK, AL)
- Only seven states imposed new death sentences (AL, AZ, CA, FL, LA, NC, TX)
- The total number of exonerations in the modern death penalty era increased (by three) to 195
- For the first time, a Gallup poll reported that more Americans believe the death penalty is administered unfairly (50%) than fairly (47%)

Click below to learn more:

The Death Penalty in 2023: Year End Report Only Five States Conducted Executions and Seven States Imposed New Death Sentences in 2023, the Lowest Number of States in 20 Years. Florida’s Six Executions and Five New Death Sentences Responsible for 2023 Increase. For the First Time, More Americans Believe the Death Penalty Is Administered…

For the first time in at least two decades, more Americans say the death penalty is applied unfairly than not, according to the latest Gallup annual crime survey, released Monday.

Fifty percent of Americans surveyed say the death penalty is applied unfairly, and 47 percent say it is applied fairly, according to the poll conducted Oct. 2-23.

The last time the question was asked, in 2018, 45 percent of respondents said it was applied unfairly, and 49 percent of respondents said it was applied fairly.

More Americans for first time say death penalty applied unfairly: Gallup For the first time in at least two decades, more Americans say the death penalty is applied unfairly than not, according to the latest Gallup annual crime survey, released Monday. Fifty percent of …

Dear friends and allies,

We regret to inform you that tonight's event at the Benson Theatre has been CANCELLED due to a COVID-19 outbreak amongst the core organizers, the band members, and their families. While it was not an easy decision, the organizers determined that minimizing risks to the long-term health and safety of others is more important than throwing a fun party.

Thanks so much,
NADP staff

Mat's Golden Hootenanny - Benson Theatre Come join The Whiskey Drinker's Union and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns in celebrating Mat Rehwaldt's 50th birthday.

Friends and allies, especially those in the Omaha area, please consider joining us this Sunday, September 3, at the newly-renovated Benson Theatre at 60th and Maple. Our dear friend Mat is reaching another birthday milestone, and his friends are throwing him a big bash—per Mat's wishes, all proceeds will benefit NADP!

Doors open at 8:30p for an evening of musical performances from All Young Girls Are Machine Guns and The Whiskey Drinkers Union, with special interludes from violinist Sam Packard and featured cocktail the "Mat-hattan". Come celebrate with us!

Mat's Golden Hootenanny - Benson Theatre Come join The Whiskey Drinker's Union and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns in celebrating Mat Rehwaldt's 50th birthday.

CHICAGO (AP) — Capital punishment could emerge as a major campaign issue in the U.S. presidential race for the first time in 30 years, with top GOP rivals Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis already one-upping each other by touting tougher, more far-reaching death penalty laws.

Meanwhile, death penalty foes are poised to draw attention to what Democrat Joe Biden hasn’t done as president: He has taken no action on or even spoken about his 2020 campaign pledge to strike capital punishment from U.S. statutes.

Biden's inaction on death penalty may be a top campaign issue as Trump and DeSantis laud ex*****ons Capital punishment could emerge as a major campaign issue in the U.S. presidential race for the first time in 30 years, with top GOP candidates already one-upping each other by touting tougher, more far-reaching death penalty laws.

Nearly every prisoner on Louisiana's death row is asking Gov. John Bel Edwards to spare them from ex*****on, after the governor recently said he is against the death penalty. But the state's attorney general [who is running to replace Bel Edwards, who is term limited] and others say the inmates aren't eligible to be considered for clemency.

Nearly every prisoner on Louisiana's death row filed for clemency this summer Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, recently said he is against the death penalty. Now a legal effort is racing to get requests for clemency to Edwards before he leaves office.

“The acceptable goals of punishment — deterrence, retribution, incapacitation, and rehabilitation — form the baseline for analyzing excessiveness. The death penalty fails to significantly further these goals over life imprisonment. Because the death penalty fails measurably to promote any of the permissible penological goals over life imprisonment, it is excessive,” wrote attorney Luke Ihnen of Federal Defender Services of Eastern Tennessee Inc.

Death-row inmate files new federal challenge to his sentence In the recently filed motion, Roy Ellis' attorneys outlined 15 claims, including a challenge to the death penalty itself, saying it "no longer comports with evolving standards of decency."

It is Monday, and you know what that means: We'll be holding our weekly vigil in front of the Governor's Mansion at noon. Stop by if you are able!

Otherwise, try your hand at this brief quiz from our friends at Amnesty International USA:

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY? Home / WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY? Home / WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY? 12345 Amnesty opposes the death penalty in all cases, without exception, and we’re campaigning every day to ensure that it is abolished. See if you’re up to...

Lincoln's "One Big Day of Giving" is finally here!

Hello friends and allies,

The Give to Lincoln Day event, sponsored by the Lincoln Community Foundation to encourage local philanthropy, is finally upon us! This is the single best day out of each year to invest in our growing movement, because every gift adds to NADP's share of this year's record-high $500,000 challenge match fund. To give an idea for how much this event means to our organization, last year's campaign was able to cover almost half of our annual budget! Can we count on your support to reach even further this year?

So far, 2023 has already been a big year for efforts to finally make Nebraska an ex*****on-free state. Thanks to our new partnership with a dedicated lobbyist and the thoughtful ear of Senator Terrell McKinney, we were able to get two important pieces of legislation introduced in the Nebraska Legislature: LR17CA, which would give voters a chance to abolish the death penalty in our state, and LR209, which would task the Judiciary Committee with completing a comprehensive interim study on our state's capital punishment system.

As a "small but mighty" organization, NADP operates entirely on gifts from supporters like you! Will you once again partner with us as we work together to advance this vital cause of justice and compassion?

Click here to find out how:
https://givetolincoln.com/nonprofits/nadp

Support Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty at Give to Lincoln Day Help us with our giving day event!

BREAKING: Senator Terrell McKinney has introduced LR209, a legislative resolution requiring an "Interim study to review the death penalty in Nebraska"! Thank you Senator McKinney!

Nebraska Legislature - Legislative Document Nebraska Legislature

Give To Lincoln Day is Wednesday, May 24, and giving is already underway! Your gift through the Lincoln Community Foundation will help NADP qualify for a larger share of this year's $500K community match fund.

Link: nadp.net/donate

REMINDER: The hearing for our priority legislation, LR17CA, is scheduled for 1:30pm in Room 1113 of the State Capitol on Thursday, March 16. Please come add your voice by providing personal testimony! We're also holding a press conference at 11am in the capitol rotunda that morning.

If you're unable to provide testimony in person, you may still submit online comment—but the deadline for submitted comments to be included in the official record is NOON tomorrow, Wednesday, March 15!

As always, feel free to reply here, message us, or email [email protected] if you have any questions about this process.

Nebraska Legislature - Legislative Document Nebraska Legislature

BREAKING—NADP's priority repeal bill, LR17CA, is set for hearing before the Judiciary Committee at 1:30pm on Thursday, March 16. Press release coming Monday; press conference at 11:00am Thursday in the capitol rotunda. Thank you Senator Terrell McKinney!

Check out our complete 2023-2024 legislative priority guide at the link below, including how to submit online comment or prepare in-person testimony. Let's get it done!

2023 NADP Legislation Alert Before we tell you about the exciting legislation we're watching—and how you can support it directly—Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is excited to announce that we have partnered with a dedicated lobbyist for the first time in years! Spike will be a tireless servant in our missi...

ACTION ALERT: One of our three NADP priority bills this year, LB18, is scheduled for a hearing before the Judiciary Committee at 1:30pm this Thursday, February 2nd. Please take a moment to check out our guide for making your voice heard on this important legislation!

2023 NADP Legislation Alert Before we tell you about the exciting legislation we're watching—and how you can support it directly—Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is excited to announce that we have partnered with a dedicated lobbyist for the first time in years! Spike will be a tireless servant in our missi...

Excellent piece from Palika Makam for Teen Vogue:
The Death Penalty in the US: How It Works and Why We Need to Abolish It

There is pending legislation in the Nebraska State Legislature RIGHT NOW that needs your direct support! Follow for more, and stay tuned—we'll be sharing more details on our accounts in the next couple of days.

There Is No Ethical Way to Execute Someone Here's what you need to know about the death penalty in the United States.

[The attorney] alleged the determination of the defendant’s sentence by the three-judge panel by weighing aggravating versus mitigating circumstances violates the Sixth, Eighth and 14th amendments of the Constitution.

Attorney for man charged in Laurel killings files motion challenging constitutionality of death penalty One of the two attorneys representing Laurel quadruple homicide suspect Jason Jones filed a motion Friday afternoon to quash the notice of aggravating circumstances filed by prosecutors earlier this week.

More death won't fix or prevent any of this. It never has, and it never will.

BREAKING: Today, Senator Terrell McKinney (LD11) introduced LR17CA, a resolution that would place a question on the ballot to eliminate capital punishment in our state!

“After 40 years, the states have proven themselves unable to carry out lethal injections without the risk that it will be botched,” said Robert Dunham, DPIC’s executive director. “The families of victims and prisoners, other ex*****on witnesses, and corrections personnel should not be subjected to the trauma of an ex*****on gone bad.”

‘Surreal spectacle’: US botched 35% of ex*****on attempts this year Annual review reveals that 35% of the 20 ex*****on attempts carried out this year were visibly problematic

More than a third of ex*****ons in the US this year were botched or highly problematic, according to a new report.

The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) said seven of 20 ex*****on attempts were visibly problematic or took an inordinate amount of time.

A third of US ex*****ons botched in 2022 - report Seven of 20 ex*****on attempts were visibly problematic or took an inordinate amount of time.

“I have long believed that justice is not advanced by taking a life, and the state should not be in the business of executing people — even if a terrible crime placed them in prison,” Brown said in a statement.

Oregon governor commutes all 17 of state's death sentences SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday that she is commuting the sentences of all of the state's 17 inmates awaiting ex*****on, saying their death sentences will be changed to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Giving Tuesday itself may have been a week ago, but the Network For Good fundraising match opportunity for new recurring donations is still active through the end of December! Please consider including NADP in your end-of-year giving plans by clicking the link below—or feel free to visit https://www.nadp.net/donate for more options. Thank you for all you do!

Dear friends and allies in the movement to end the death penalty: As we welcome another Giving Tuesday tomorrow, and as we prepare to celebrate another calendar year passing without an ex*****on in our state, we humbly ask that you consider including NADP in your end-of-year giving plans.

We are excited to announce that our goal heading into the new year—and the new legislative session—is to partner with a dedicated lobbyist to carry YOUR views about the brutality and wastefulness of capital punishment into the halls of power each and every day! As we renew our focus on increasing our operating budget to expand our activities, connect with policymakers, and directly advance policies aimed at ensuring the death penalty is no longer a reality in Nebraska, we are counting on you to help us grow our budget as we take this big step forward together.

Please consider clicking the donate button below, or feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you would like information on other ways to invest in our growing movement.

With gratitude,
NADP staff and directors

The Nebraska Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over whether a former Indiana doctor on death row for the revenge killings of four people in Omaha — including an 11-year-old boy — should be resentenced because of errors the first time around.

Jeff Pickens, chief counsel for the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, said Anthony Garcia's trial counsel, which called themselves Team Motta, "were a nightmare."

Read more:

Defense attorney argues Garcia should face resentencing trial in Omaha killings Solicitor General James Smith said many of the alleged errors probably should be taken up at a later post-conviction hearing, but asked for a rare opportunity to provide supplemental briefing.

Don't worry if you missed Giving Tuesday yesterday—the Network For Good match offer for new recurring gifts lasts until the end of the year! You may also find other ways to give by visiting https://www.nadp.net/donate or by reaching out to [email protected]. Thank you for your continuing generosity!

Dear friends and allies in the movement to end the death penalty: As we welcome another Giving Tuesday tomorrow, and as we prepare to celebrate another calendar year passing without an ex*****on in our state, we humbly ask that you consider including NADP in your end-of-year giving plans.

We are excited to announce that our goal heading into the new year—and the new legislative session—is to partner with a dedicated lobbyist to carry YOUR views about the brutality and wastefulness of capital punishment into the halls of power each and every day! As we renew our focus on increasing our operating budget to expand our activities, connect with policymakers, and directly advance policies aimed at ensuring the death penalty is no longer a reality in Nebraska, we are counting on you to help us grow our budget as we take this big step forward together.

Please consider clicking the donate button below, or feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you would like information on other ways to invest in our growing movement.

With gratitude,
NADP staff and directors