Dear Friends,

The death penalty is now in steep decline across the nation.  The execution of Troy Davis last September, the preponderance of DNA exonerations nationwide, and irrefutable evidence that a capital punishment system is far more expensive than a system in which the maximum penalty is a life sentence are among the reasons why, in 2011, public support for capital punishment in the U.S. has dwindled to its lowest level in 40 years.

Four states - NY, NJ, NM, and IL - have recently opted for alternatives to the death penalty.  At VADP, we are working hard to bring Virginia in line with the common sense reforms we have seen across the nation - we ask that you make your year-end contribution now so that VADP can continue this fight.  Below are some of the positive developments here in Virginia in 2011:

In June a federal judge tossed out the death sentence of Justin Wolfe, ruling that he received an unfair trial where Prince William Co. prosecutors repeatedly supressed evidence that would have exonerated him.  Matthew Engle, VADP's Board President and co-director of UVA Law School's Innocence Project Clinic, along with his students, deserve enormous credit for helping to achieve this victory.

"Jerry", a short film about Jerry Givens, won the Best Short Documentary award at this year's Virginia Film Festival.  Jerry executed 62 people as the former executioner for the VA Dept. of Corrections but has since joined the Board of VADP and testified before the General Assembly against the death penalty  about the toll his job took on his psyche and how his faith gave him the courage to change his mind and his heart.

At the General Assembly you helped us defeat an attempt to expand the death penalty by contacting your representatives and letting them know that YOU WILL NOT BE QUIET on this issue.

In June VADP hosted Witness to Innocence - the nationwide group of 139 death row exonerees - in Richmond for their annual conference.  The exonerees told their powerful stories of wrongful conviction and VADP's Executive Director, Steve Northup, spoke about the progress we've seen across the country.  Senator Don McEachin (pictured) addressed the uphill climb we face in Virginia and the importance of defeating death penalty expansion legislation.

Thank you for all your support this year.  We look forward to bringing you more good news in the New Year.  Please make a donation to VADP now and help us make 2012 our best year yet.