Texas rally demands no executions

Austin, Texas, Sept. 26—“As God is my witness, it is hard to believe that we still have modern-day lynchings in this country. We’re paying state officials to kill our children. They are dogs, these people. The same cocktail that cannot be used to kill animals because it is too cruel, they want to use it to kill my son,” cried Anna Terrell, mother of Reginald Blanton, scheduled to be executed in Texas on Oct. 27.

Anna Terrell appeals for the life of her son, Reginald Blanton.

As protesters filled the sidewalk in front of the Texas Capitol, a militant rally was held in support of Blanton, who has always and consistently proclaimed his innocence. Laura Brady of the Campaign to End the Death Penalty chaired the rally and opened by saying that it was the people who saved Kenneth Foster from execution in 2007 and who can save Blanton now.

Scott Cobb, representing the Texas Moratorium Network, spoke about the news of the vindication of Todd Willingham, who was executed in 2004 for an alleged arson fire that killed his three small daughters but now has been proven innocent. Delia Perez-Meyer has been fighting for her brother, Louis Perez, for 11 years. She said, “I have an innocent brother on death row and his case is in the last stage now. With the Willingham case on the news every day, all over the world, we must let people know that we’re not going to stand for the death penalty any more. We’ve got to stop it now!” She also told the crowd about a letter from Kenneth Foster, who was hours from execution in August 2007 when the governor commuted his sentence to life. “Kenneth wanted everyone who was out protesting to know how beautiful they are and that he is with us today from his prison cell.”

A speaker from the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement told the crowd that the Willingham case, the ethics violations trial of Sharon Keller, Texas’ top criminal judge, and the news of a judge and a D.A. having an affair during the capital murder trial of Charles Hood prove more than ever that executions must stop now.

But it was Blanton’s mother who had the crowd crying as she told them how her son’s case had killed his father and cheering when she said: “My son is innocent! Please give us a chance to prove this. The D.A. shuffled the jury pool three times so they could pick the people they wanted to convict my son. Their all-white jury didn’t even listen to his innocence claims. ... It is time for a change. It is time to set my son free!”

The next event for Blanton is set for Oct. 10 in San Antonio, his hometown.