We spent a lot of time working with Rep Terri Hodge this session, but we had not heard this story of her waiting by Gov Perry’s car to talk to him.

From the Dallas Morning News:

Hodge says her proudest accomplishment was her work on reforming the “law of parties” – even though the measure fell apart in the last moment in the Senate.

The bill stems from the 2007 commutation of a death sentence for Kenneth Foster, who drove the getaway car during a crime spree that resulted in a shooting death. He was 90 feet away from the murder in the car but received the death penalty.

When it appeared the bill could collapse because of concerns from Gov. Rick Perry, Hodge took a cup of tea and sat on a bench outside of the Capitol, where Perry’s car was parked.

She waited an hour to confront him. They later set up a meeting and got on the same page.

“I stalked his vehicle in order to see him,” she said.

The Texas Legislature has approved a bill to end life without parole as a sentencing option for juvenile offenders. The bill, authored by Senator Juan Hinojosa, now goes to the Governor for his signature.

The bill is not retroactive, so it has no effect on people already sentenced to life without parole as juvenile offenders.

If you can not see the info below, here is a link it.

Names of 199 People Executed Under Texas Governor Rick Perry –

People in Austin, Houston, Albuqueque New Mexico, Paris France, Montreal Canada, Leipzig Germany, Huntsville and other cities are making final preparations for protests of the 200th execution under Governor Rick Perry.

For some background information, here is a recent report from Amnesty International.

USA: Too much cruelty, too little clemency: Texas nears 200th execution under current governor

Download: HTML PDF
Index Number: AMR 51/057/2009
Date Published: 30 April 2009
Categories: USA

Richard Perry was sworn in as Governor of Texas on 21 December 2000, following the election of the previous governor, George W. Bush, to the office of US President. This report looks back at a few of the cases of prisoners executed in Texas during Governor Perry’s term in office, and forward to a few cases that may yet come across his desk. This is not to suggest that the governor alone is responsible for the fate of those on death row.

Saturday May 30th 12:00 Noon
Central and Tulane
Albuquerque

Contact: Christy Armell
Campaign to End the Death Penalty
Albuquerque Chapter
505-304-4703
Christy_n_haylie505@yahoo.com

On June 2nd, there will be an execution in Texas. This will be the 200th execution under Texas Governor Rick Perry during his tenure. Governor Perry has allowed more executions to proceed than any other governor in history including former Governor George W. Bush.

As many celebrate abolition in New Mexico, we must remember that there are still many men and women sitting on death row in this country; Over 3000 to be exact. As a neighbor to Texas we must stand in unity with activists in that state against state sanctioned murder and we must make Governor Perry understand that the death penalty is not good public policy.

We will protest against the 200th execution in Texas on Saturday May 30th and come together as human beings that understand compassion and forgiveness is what will make our world a better place.

We will come together on behalf of all those who sit on death row day after day waiting to die. We will stand in unity with the families of the condemned whose lives have been forever altered by the death penalty, such as Muina Chamberlain, a resident of New Mexico; whose son was executed in Texas almost one year ago.

It’s time for Texas to join the 15 other states who have chosen to abolish the death penalty.