Dear Friends,
I know we are all reeling from the daily barrage of bad news, designed to distract and overwhelm us from the devastation that this administration is causing, both here and abroad.
But many of you reading this refuse to be cowed. You are engaged in acts of daily resistance. Maybe you’ve called your representatives. Maybe you are being more mindful about where you shop and which companies you support when you buy. Maybe you are supporting local food banks or nonprofits. Maybe you are focusing on being extra kind to the people in your daily lives. Whatever you are doing to make this world a little better in the face of callousness and cruelty, you are part of the solution. I am grateful for your efforts, both large and small.
Today’s newsletter highlights a few people in the criminal justice space who are standing up for what’s right, often at great personal sacrifice. They serve as a reminder that through our words and actions, we too can be agents of change.
Richard Glossip and Don Knight (and the entire national legal team)
Richard Glossip has been on Oklahoma’s death row for over 25 years. He has had nine execution dates and eaten three “last meals.” Yet, he has always fiercely maintained his innocence. (I wrote in 2015 in the Huffington Post about Glossip’s compelling case for innocence). Now, after decades of advocacy by his exceptional legal team and with the agreement of the Oklahoma Attorney General, SCOTUS last week finally agreed to throw out his conviction and order a new trial. Mr. Glossip is not yet free. But justice feels close. Mr. Glossip never gave up the fight to clear his name. And neither did his lawyers. This is a lesson in persistence and in grace.
Dr. Margaret Carpenter
Dr. Carpenter has practiced reproductive health care around the world and is one of the cofounders of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, a national organization that provides abortion medication and other reproductive health care services, including in states that have banned abortions. Dr. Carpenter is being criminally prosecuted for allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a young pregnant teen in Louisiana. She is the first doctor criminally charged for violating laws that criminalize abortion. She faces state prison if convicted. Dr. Carpenter has chosen to risk her personal freedom to uphold her medical oath and provide essential care for women — regardless of where they live.
Danielle Sassoon
Danielle Sassoon was the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. She resigned after the Justice Department leadership ordered her to drop a criminal corruption case against New York Eric Adams. In her blistering resignation letter, she said she could not follow an unfair, unjust and politically expedient order that was not in the public interest. She stood up for integrity and for the rule of law, even though it cost her job.
People like Steve Zeidman, a criminal defense hero and the Co-Director of the CUNY Second Look Project, who has spent his entire career fighting for people with nowhere else to turn. Steve takes us through some of his most compelling efforts to gain freedom for people who would otherwise be forced to spend their lives in prison. Steve’s zealous advocacy for second chances will leave you inspired by his work and horrified by a criminal legal system that seems to prioritize finality over humanity and justice. LISTEN NOW
Kelly Savage-Rodriguez also joined me to tell her story of survival, transformation and impact. Kelly survived years of abuse as a child and later extreme domestic violence in her marriage. She was criminally prosecuted and convicted in 1998, along with her abusive husband, for the murder of her son — a crime she did not commit or intend. After her life without parole sentence was commuted by California Governor Brown in December 2017, Kelly became a nationally recognized advocate for domestic abuse survivors and to end LWOP sentences. Her work is a powerful reminder that we can each make a difference. LISTEN NOW
And don’t miss the latest episodes of Just Justice.
Unpacking the Pardon Process with Law Professor and National Clemency Expert Rachel Barkow
In these deeply difficult times, I hope that you will each find ways to make a difference in areas that matter to you. Together, we’ve got this.
Stay safe and well, Jessica