HB 319, the law of parties bill by Rep Harold Dutton that we lobbied for back in March on the 2013 Statewide Lobby Day Against the Death Penalty, is on the agenda of the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee for next Tuesday, April 9. This bill would prohibit executions of people convicted under the Law of Parties even though they themselves did not kill anyone although a co-defendant did kill someone. Jeff Wood and Kenneth Foster Jr are examples of Law of Parties cases. Wood is still on Texas death row while Foster had his sentence commuted to life in 2007 shortly before his scheduled execution. Of the 1,325 people executed in the U.S. in the modern era, 10 people have been executed under the law of parties or as it is known in some states the felony murder rule, 5 of those people have been executed in Texas. Please plan to come to the hearing and sign the form indicated your support for HB 319.
Kenneth Foster Sr and Lawrence Foster.
HB 319 by Dutton
Relating to the extent of a defendant’s criminal responsibility for the conduct of a coconspirator in certain felony cases.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING |
| COMMITTEE: Criminal Jurisprudence
TIME & DATE: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess PLACE: E2.016 |
