"Day of Innocence" and Death Penalty Issues Lobby Day March 13, 2007

There will be two lobby training workshops and a talk by Sam Milsap on the issue of "Innocence and the Death Penalty". The workshops and talk are, of course, open to anyone, just show up. Lobby Day is actually on Tuesday, March 13, but there are also some activities on March 12 too, so please come to one of the two training workshops and don't miss the talk by Sam Milsap on Monday.

If you have questions, email scottcobb99@gmail.com or call 512-302-6715.

Please forward this message widely. We want to make a strong presence at the capitol.

Monday, March 12 (The Day Before Lobby Day)

4:00-5:30 PM Workshop: "Influencing the Texas Legislature" with Les Breeding, former legislative director for a member of the Texas Legislature. During the workshop, participants will learn how to interact effectively with legislators or legislative aides and plan for the next day's lobby day. Waggener 101 on the UT-Austin campus.

5:30 - 6:00 PM Free food and drinks

6:00 - 7:00 PM "Innocence and The Death Penalty", a talk and question and answer discussion with Sam Milsap, former Bexar County District Attorney. Mr Milsap prosecuted Ruben Cantu, but now believes that Cantu may have been innocent. Cantu was executed in 1993. Waggener 101 on the UT-Austin campus.

Tuesday, March 13 (Lobby Day)

9:30 AM - 11 AM, Lobby Training Workshop for anyone who missed Monday's workshop. Location: Conference room 1-104 in the W.B. Travis State Office Building (WBT on map), 17th and Congress. Parking is available either at meters along nearby streets or a short walk away at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto located between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets. Parking is free for the first two hours and $.75 for each half hour thereafter (maximum daily charge: $6.00)

9:00 AM - 11 AM Possible morning lobbying appointments for people who attended the lobby training workshop on Monday. If you live in Texas, you should find out who your state senator and representative are before you come to Austin and call them and make an appointment to visit them either for this morning or afternoon, whenever they or their staff members are available. When you call, tell them you live in their district and you are coming to Austin to visit them. If you are not a resident of Texas, don't worry, we will pair you up with someone else to go lobby.

Noon: "Day of Innocence" Rally on South Steps of Capitol Speakers include Kerry Cook, an innocent man who spent 22 years on Texas Death Row and recently wrote a book, "Chasing Justice"; Shujaa Graham, an exonerated former death row inmate; Renny Cushing, Executive Director of Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights; Martha Cotera, whose 25-year-old son Juan Javier was murdered in a carjacking and drowning in Austin in 1997; Christina Lawson, director of Victim's of Texas and daughter of a murder victim; a student speaker from the alternative spring break; state legislators; and others TBA.

1:00 PM Lunch in capitol cafeteria

Afternoon: Visits with legislators and/or their aides. Attendance at possible committee hearings

5 PM Meet in the Capitol Cafeteria to snack, socialize and exchange information about what people learned during their visits with legislative offices.

Official Website: http://www.texasmoratorium.org