California Governor Gavin Newsom places moratorium on the death penalty

California Governor Gavin Newsom did the right thing. The need to stop the death penalty has been a call which Witness to Innocence has carried throughout the world. To date, 164 death row survivors have almost lost their lives because of a flawed criminal justice system that has the death penalty. Governor Newsom is right on point with this moratorium.

Witness to Innocence has many exonerees from death row: Kwame Ajamu, Kirk Bloodsworth, Wiley Bridgeman, Dan Bright, Albert Burrell, Sabrina Butler-Smith, Glen Chapman, Perry Cobb, Shareef Cousin, Joe D'Ambrosio, Gary Drinkard, Nathson Fields, Michael Graham, Shujaa Graham, Anthony Ray Hinton, Paul House, Ricky Jackson, Derrick Jamison, Lawyer Johnson, Dale Johnston, Ron Keine, Ray Krone, Herman Lindsey, Joaquin Martinez, Isaiah McCoy, Juan Melendez, Debra Milke, Randal Padgett, Freddie Lee Pitts, Paris Powell, Jeremy Sheets, Randy Steidl, Damon Thibodeaux, Harold Wilson, and Ron Wright, along with those we have lost since their exoneration: Clarence Brandley, Dave Keaton, John Thompson, Delbert Tibbs, and Greg Wilhoit.

Kirk Bloodsworth, Interim Executive Director, and Shujaa Graham, Peer Organizer and California Death Row Exoneree

The death penalty can exist no more in America because the possibility of executing an innocent person is too great. Witness to Innocence applauds Governor Newsom and we ask the governors of all states with the death penalty to follow. We ask this because it happened to us.

Respectfully,

Kirk Bloodsworth, Interim Executive Director