Stop the execution of Frances Newton

If the state of Texas is allowed to go through with the execution of Frances Newton on Sept. 14, she will be the first African American woman executed in Texas since the Civil War. The history of her case is like that of many other poor and oppressed people in Texas, that of being railroaded to Death Row, where she has been for 18 years. (See Workers World, Aug. 25)

In an effort to stop this execution, the International Action Center has been carrying out an online campaign to send email and postcards to President Bush, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Texas Attorney General Gregg Abbott, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and many U.S. congresspeople and Texas elected officials.

As of Aug. 24 at 8 a.m., the IAC reported that over 1,862 people have responded to the campaign and generated a total of 76,629 emails to public officials in Texas and Washington. People are invited to write their own letters, or to sign a sample letter provided at the site.

The url for the letter is: www.iacenter.org/francesnewtoncampaign.shtml or look up www.freefrances.org for contact information for officials.

—K. Durkin