From our friends at New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

Dear Friends,

After seven years of tireless and dedicated work, we are nearing the finish line.

As you may have read in media reports, the death penalty abolition bill is expected to be considered when the New Jersey State Legislature returns from the summer/fall break in November.

Because the legislative term ends in January of next year, this means that the abolition bill will need to go through several steps in less than 8 weeks.

As always, we will need to work together to insure that the bill is signed into law. We are going to again ask you to reach out to your legislators to ensure they do the right thing. NJADP is now scheduling special "letter writing sessions" to generate letters to state legislators. These sessions are great opportunities for local groups to be updated on the status of the abolition bill and to take action at the same time. They start with a five minute presentation by an NJADP staff member or volunteer, followed by about 25 minutes of letter writing.

Many of you held these letter writing sessions during the 2005 moratorium/study bill campaign. We ask that you call now to schedule one for the abolition bill this fall. NJADP can even bring stationary and stamps! Please contact Abe at NJADP's Trenton office ASAP at 609-278-6719 or abe@njadp.org for more information or to schedule a session.

The last seven years have been rewarding and inspiring. New Jersey is the leading state in the abolition movement because New Jerseyans like you have spoken up in record numbers. Because of our hard work, this summer, I was named by the web site www.politicsnj.com to their list of the 100 most politically powerful people in New Jersey. While I may be the face of NJADP most seen by legislators and the public, your strength of conviction and commitment to justice and sensible public policy is the real power behind this movement.

Collectively we have become a powerful force for change. Now it is time to take our grassroots voices to the State House for one last campaign.

If together we do our job well - and I have no doubt we will - we will guide New Jersey out of the darkness of state executions once and for all. We will also create what many are predicting will be the most important turning point moment on capital punishment in our nation's history.

We look forward to hearing from you over the coming weeks about the letter writing sessions.

Thank you.

In peace,

Celeste

PS - We are preparing now for action on the abolition bill later this year - so that we can be as ready as possible to turn out supporters for hearings and voting sessions. As you know, there is often only a few days notice before a hearing or a vote. We are currently developing a list of individuals who would like to be notified by telephone when the bill is scheduled to be considered. If you would like to be sure you are on that list, please contact Abe at abe@njadp.org or 609-278-6719.

Celeste Fitzgerald
Director, New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
973-635-6396 Chatham Office
609-278-6719 Trenton Office
www.njadp.org