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Orlando Maisonet must now be retried or set free after spending 28 years on death row following 2 homicide convictions. The judge in this case cited prosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel when vacating the second conviction. Both convictions were secured by disgraced, and now deceased, ex-prosecutor Rodger King. As a result, criminal justice reform advocates are now calling for a review of all cases handled by King.
Read More"The children that these policies seek to help are those who have committed misdemeanor or low-level felony offenses and who are sent to placement or supervised for long periods of time for behavioral problems that could be better treated outside the justice system and closer to home," Krasner said at a news conference Wednesday.
Read MoreOn December 12, 2018, ACCR worked with many other great organizations to file a clemency letter on Brown’s behalf. Brown, a sex trafficking victim, was sentenced to life for killing a man who bought her for sex and would have had to serve 51 years of her sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Now, she will be released on August 7, 2019, exactly 15 years from the date of her arrest. Check out our Twitter page to read the clemency letter.
Read MoreThe judge in the case against two men accused of a mass slaying in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania said that he is "seriously" considering the motion filed by the defense to dismiss the state’s application of the death penalty. The stress placed on the jurors tasked with deciding the two defendants fate is one of the main factors he intends to consider.
Read MoreLast night's Inside #TheStaircase Lies, Fake Science & The Owl Theory was an amazing show! Thanks to everyone who came out. We heard David Rudolf and Jerry Buting answer viewer questions and had a productive discussion with DA Larry Krasner about how to improve our justice system! All moderated by our fabulous Marc Bookman.
Read MoreFelonious Munk has updated his smash-hit Second City performance and is bringing it to the First Person Arts stage. This is a hilarious yet harrowing first-person story of how one black man went from six years in a state prison to a six-figure job in corporate America. Felonious then transitions to a new life as an activist and satirist in his one-man show debuting at the First Person Arts Festival. Join us tonight at 7:00pm for the show and following discussion.
Marc Bookman evaluates and compares Trump and Obama's totally different responses to eerily similar acts of gun violence. And how - though suggested by our current president - a combo of capital punishment and more guns, just doesn't seem like the best solution.
Read MoreJoin us in Center City Philadelphia to toast with food and drink for Witness to Innocence’s 15th Anniversary! Special guests include @HelenPrejean, @Innocence Project co-founder @barryscheck, Philly DA Larry Krasner, and more. Purchase your tickets today.
Read MoreNOVEMBER 7TH! Inside the Staircase: Lies, Fake Science & The Owl Theory comes to the Keswick Theater in Glenside. Get your tickets to see David Rudolf, Jerry Buting, Larry Krasner and our co-director Marc Bookman before they sell out!
Read MoreThursday's ruling makes Washington the 20th state to abolish capital punishment. According to the ACLU, this state supreme court is the third to do so citing concerns about racial disparities, along with Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Read MoreThank you to everyone who attended our happy hour event last week! More exciting networking events to come!
Read MoreShawn Nolan of the Philly Capital Habeas Unit joins host, Colin Miller, to discuss jury impeachment in the case of death row inmate, Charles Rhines.
Read MoreThe film adaptation tells the true story of Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), a young lawyer fighting for equal justice in a flawed legal system.
Read MoreJohn Oliver explains how prosecutors use, or in some cases misuse, their power within our criminal justice system and why it’s important to know whether or not your district attorney is a dog.
“If the law permits this execution to go forward in spite of the horrific final minutes that Irick may well experience, then we have stopped being a civilized nation and accepted barbarism. I dissent.”
Read MorePope Francis has declared the death penalty wrong in all cases, a definitive change in church teaching that is likely to challenge Catholic politicians, judges and officials.
Read MorePennsylvania's death penalty bears an exorbitant price tag due to an exceptionally high rate of reversals and dysfunction.
Read MoreThe best lawyers in the Defender Association spent hours in Stu’s office; but you didn’t dare enter unprepared. And even if you were as prepared as you thought humanly possible, you left having more to do.
Read MorePennsylvania is heading toward a gubernatorial election that, among other things, will be a referendum on the death penalty.
Read MoreWhile life sentences actually mean what they say, death sentences in Pennsylvania have no connection to actual executions.
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