News & Commentary

Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee heard arguments about SB 19, the bill to repeal the death penalty. Six committee votes were needed for the bill to advance. We got five. This does not mean the bill has been killed, though. What needs to happen so the bill can move forward is for that last signature to be secured. The most valuable way you can contribute to that effort is to reach out to the committee members and urge them to sign. Please take two minutes to email them; your voice will make all the difference.

As the legislative session resumes tomorrow, we are eager to see SB19, the bill to repeal the death penalty, move into the House of Representatives. If you haven't been following the bill's progress, this short video gives some good background and includes perspectives from both sides of the issue.

Senate Bill 19 passed the Delaware Senate!Thanks to all of your emails, phone calls, letters and meetings, the Delaware Senate passed the death penalty repeal bill (Senate Bill 19) 11 to 10!!

As we look back on 2012, we see all that has been accomplished, and what still needs work in the coming year.

Throughout the last year, the Delaware Repeal Project has been building a movement to end capital punishment in our state.  A dedicated team has transformed the ACLU-DE conference room into a full-fledged campaign headquarters. Nightly, staff and volunteers make phone calls to recruit supporters upstate and down to sign the online petition and write a letter to or visit their elected officials urging them to vote to repeal the death penalty. Our momentum is growing  quickly.

Dr. Tony Campolo will be discussing the death penalty, crime, repentance, restitution and faith at Ezion-Mount Carmel United Methodists Church on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012 at 7 p.m.

EDIT: This app is no longer available on the iTunes App Store. 

It's time for Delaware to repeal the death penalty. It is randomly applied, and disproportionately impacts people based on race, location, and quality of counsel. For more information, go to www.derepeal.org.

UPDATE: Thanks to your response, the Delaware State Senate voted by a  large majority to pass HB 9 in the final days of the legislative session. This was the “first leg” of the constitutional amendment process. In order for the provisions of HB 9 to become part of the Delaware Constitution, a bill identical to HB 9 must pass in the next General Assembly as well. Thank you for helping take the first steps needed to expand the voting rights of people who were convicted of a felony and paid their debt to society. We look forward to your support again next year. In the mean time, make sure to let your elected representatives know that Delaware deserves expanded participation in our democracy, not restrictions to voting rights.