On August 30, 2007, Texas Governor Rick Perry commuted the death sentence of Kenneth Foster, Jr. following a sustained grassroots campaign led by Kenneth’s family and anti-death penalty activists from Texas and across the country. This video was taken the night staff members from Texas’ death row transported Kenneth to the death house in Huntsville several hours ahead of schedule. As promised, Kenneth refused to cooperate. His bravery in this video is a testament to his fighting spirit and commitment to social justice.
Of the 20 currently scheduled executions in the United States, 13 of them are in Texas. Isn’t it about time the people who make decisions on funding state-level anti-death penalty efforts send some funding to Texas. We have teamed up with other anti-death penalty groups in Texas to submit an application to the Tides Foundation Death Penalty Mobilization Fund’s State Strategies program. We submitted the application on Aug 15, in the midst of the campaign to Save Jeff Wood. We hope they decide to fund Texas. In 2006, we applied but they refused to fund us that year, instead sending $70,000 to Iowa and Wisconsin, two states that don’t even have the death penalty.
Gregory Wright Sept 9
Greg Wright’s Website
TDCJ Info on Gregory Wright
Charles Hood Sept 10
TDCJ Info on Charles Hood
Judge and Prosecutor in Hood’s Trial Were Having an Affair
William Murray Sept 17
TDCJ Info on William Murray
Joseph Ries Sept 18
TDCJ Info on Joseph Ries
Kevin Watts Oct 16
TDCJ Info on Kevin Watts
Eric Nenno Oct 28
TDCJ Info on Eric Nenno
Elkie Taylor November 6
TDCJ Info on Elkie Taylor
Rogelio Cannady Nov 6
TDCJ Info on Rogelio Cannady
George Whitaker III Nov 12
TDCJ Info on George Whitaker III
Denard Manns Nov 13
TDCJ Info on Denard Manns
Eric Cathey Nov 18
TDCJ Info on Eric Cathey
Robert Hudson Nov 20
TDCJ Info on Robert Hudson
Reginald Perkins Jan 22, 2009
TDCJ Info on Reginald Perkins
Fall 2006 State Strategies Grant Recipients
TDCJ Info on Reginald Perkins
Fall 2006 State Strategies Grant Recipients
| Grantee | Grant Amount |
| Wisconsin Coalition Against the Death Penalty | $50,000 |
| Iowans Against the Death Penalty | $20,000 |
| Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty | $20,000 |
| Maryland Citizens Against State Executions | $2,500 |
| Death Penalty Focus | $45,000 |
| Pennsylvania Abolitionists United Against the Death Penalty | $45,000 |
| TOTAL: | $182,500 |
Total for Texas = zero (Great job, national leaders)
Helen Giddings was one of at least 13 Texas state representatives who wrote or co-signed clemency letters for Jeff Wood to urge that he not be executed.
Judge Orlando Garcia issued this order staying the execution of Jeff Wood on Aug. 21, 2008.
The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Jeff Wood’s attorneys will submit a report from mental health experts who will evaluate Wood to the judge early next year. Of course, that means there will be no execution at least until the judge evaluates the report, so Jeff Wood will not have an execution date rescheduled at least until next year. If he is found to be incompetent, he likely would never have an execution date re-scheduled.
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia of San Antonio put the execution on hold to allow psychiatric examination to verify defense claims that Wood is incompetent to be executed.
Wood’s pending execution spurred protests from death penalty opponents who noted that he merely was a getaway driver in the January 1996 robbery-killing.
His partner, Daniel Reneau, who was identified as the triggerman, was executed in 2002.
Wood was convicted under Texas’ law of parties, a statute that says all parties to a crime are equally culpable.
Garcia allocated up to $7,000 for the psychiatric testing.
Wood’s attorney, Scott Sullivan of San Antonio, said he will report to the court early next year. If Wood is found incompetent, his execution likely would be delayed indefinitely.
“We are relieved that we are going through the process whereby the court will determine if he is competent to be executed,” Sullivan said. “It is a process that is dearly needed in this case.”
Wood initially was found incompetent for trial after being indicted on a capital murder charge. After a period in which he received no medical or psychiatric treatment, he was deemed competent, tried, convicted and sentenced to death.
Should Wood at some point be found competent, he could again face execution, Sullivan said.
“The diagnosis that keeps coming back is narcissistic personality disorder and attention deficit disorder,” Sullivan said. “That’s where you become so big on yourself that you put yourself above it all. When you do that, you lose touch with reality. It’s a huge trigger mechanism for Wood.”
- Texas Moratorium Network (TMN) is a non-profit organization with the primary goal of mobilizing statewide support for a moratorium on executions in Texas. Significant death penalty reform in Texas, including a moratorium on executions, is a viable goal if the public is educated on the death penalty system and is encouraged to contact their elected representatives to urge passage of moratorium legislation.
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