Upcoming Events


SPECIAL USA GUEST EVENT: Death Penalty in Texas and the USA today Summary from the "Top Killer State" experts 


Since 1976 Texas unapologetically has executed more people than any other State in the USA. WIth the death penalty supposedly in decline how does Texas now position itself? What are the current human rights and legal challenges? What is the impact on Texas and the US of the high profile nitrogen suffocation execution and expansion of capital charges beyond murder? How does the political forces impact Texas?


Don't miss this discussion from leading experts and practitioners about the state of the State that historically and presently leads the USA in executions. Professors Jim Marcus, Raoul Schonneman and Thea Posel from University of Texas Austin will be presenting live and in person to provide a unique opportunity to discuss issues surrounding the death penalty in Texas and the USA, with a wealth of experience and knowledge throughout all aspects of capital defense we anticipate this event to be a popular and lively event. 


This talk will be happening at various universities - sign up today for one near you!

March 12th: University of Cambridge at 6:00 PM: Register to attend  in-person here!

March 13th: University of Nottingham at 3:15 PM: Register to attend online or in-person here!

March 14th: University of Oxford at 6:00 PM: Register to attend in-person here!

March 15th: City University Law School at 12:30 PM: Register to attend online or in-person here!**


**(If you are a City University student, please email us at admin@amicus-alj.org to reserve your spot!)


More about our amazing speakers: 

Prof. Raoul Schonemann, Clinical Professor, Capital Punishment Clinic

Raoul Schonemann is a clinical professor and the co-director of the Capital Punishment Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas. For the past 25 years he has defended people facing the death penalty in Texas, California, Alabama, and Georgia, primarily in appellate and post-conviction habeas corpus proceedings.  Prior to joining the law school, he was employed as the managing attorney of the Capital Litigation Unit at the Southern Center for Human Rights in Atlanta; as a deputy public defender at the Office of the State Public Defender in San Francisco; and as a staff attorney at the Texas Resource Center in Austin.  In 2003, he served as a consultant to the American Bar Association in its revision of the “Guidelines for the Appointment and Performance of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases.”


Prof. Jim Marcus, Clinical Professor and Co-Director, Capital Punishment Clinic

Since graduating law school in 1993, Jim Marcus has represented death-sentenced clients at every level of state and federal habeas corpus proceedings.  Jim began his career at the Texas Resource Center.  In 1995, he helped found the Texas Defender Service, a non-profit capital defence project. Jim served as the Executive Director of Texas Defender Service from 1997 until 2006, when he joined the Capital Punishment Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law.  He is currently a Clinical Professor and Co-Director of the Capital Punishment Clinic and a Texas Habeas Assistance and Training Counsel. In the latter capacity, Jim trains and supports capital habeas counsel in Texas cases and lectures in capital defence seminars across the nation.


Prof. Thea Posel, Clinical Instructor, Capital Punishment Clinic

Thea Posel is a clinical assistant professor at the School of Social Work as well as a clinical instructor at the Capital Punishment Clinic. She has worked with capital defense teams in both Colorado and Texas, from pre-trial litigation prep and consulting to state and federal post-conviction cases.  She now works primarily on Texas state court advocacy and consulting at the capital trial, appellate, and habeas stages. She co-teaches "Providing Effective Assistance of Counsel in Capital Trials" with Professor Raoul Schonemann and the interdisciplinary "Mitigation Matters" course, a collaboration between the Capital Punishment Center faculty and the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. Thea holds a sociology degree from the University of Colorado, where her undergraduate research focused on the effects of race and class in capital prosecutions, sentencing outcomes, and participation in the criminal justice system as well as social and environmental effects and attitudes surrounding the death penalty in Colorado.



Nitrogen Gas Inhalation: Legal? Ethical? Torture?

17 January 2024, 5:30 - 8 PM BST at BCLP in London


You can watch the recording of the panel HERE on our Youtube page!


Alabama has scheduled the execution of Kenny Smith on the 25th January 2024, this will be the first execution to use this method of execution and has drawn controversy and shock. What is the science behind this form of execution? Can it be considered legal? Is Mr Smith being used as a “Human Guinea Pig”? Kenny Smith has already endured a 4 hour execution attempt when the State failed to get a needle into his vein to administer a lethal injection a year and a half ago.

Professor Jon Yorke and Joel Zivot, MD recently filed a complaint about Kenny's upcoming execution to the United Nations. On 3 January, the UN gave a press release, expressing "alarm" and appealing for a halt to the execution.

The event will start at 6:00 after a brief reception at 5.30pm, and end at approximately 8pm. You can attend the event either in-person or on Zoom. Register for the event (for free!) to attend virtually here and register to attend in-person here.

Our expert panel will discuss the science and pseudo-science of death by forced inhalation of nitrogen gas. The legalities and ethical issues surrounding Alabama’s decision to use Nitrogen Gas Inhalation (‘Nitrogen Hypoxia” “suffocation” or “Gassing”) as an execution method.  

Our panel speakers are:



Amicus' Student Awards 2022/2023
22 November 2023, 6-7pm

For full event information and to register for the event, please click here.

We are thrilled to announce the shortlisted nominations for the prestigious Amicus Champions of Justice Awards 2023!

On this occasion, we present a discussion from people affected by the death penalty and those working to change the system. With fabulous guest speakers, below, we are set for a fascinating evening! 

Herman Lindsey, death row exoneree from Florida
Herman Lindsey was wrongfully convicted and sent to Florida’s death row in 2006. He endured 3 years on Florida's death row until, in a unanimous verdict, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to find Herman guilty of anything, much less sentence him to death, and that he did not receive a fair trial. Herman was exonerated in 2009. Now, he is the Executive Director of Witness to Innocence. 

Anjali Keeping, who has recently completed an Amicus placement in Atlanta, Georgia
Anjali won a Kalisher Trust scholarship and worked with a capital defender's office in Atlanta, Georgia. She worked there for three months between December 2022 to March 2023 with the team and worked on a variety of cases for amazing clients. Currently, she is a Bar Student at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy, and has previously worked as a Criminal paralegal and President of the Middle Temple Students' Association. 

Sherif Azer, who works on death penalty cases in Egypt
Sherif started working on death penalty cases in Egypt in 2005, when he joined a field mission organised by the International Federation on Human Rights FIDH. Since then, he worked tirelessly to support individuals on Egypt's death row and specialises in supporting vulnerable groups. Previously, Sherif worked at Reprieve UK, the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, Front Line Defenders and was the  Arabic Content Director for Human Rights Watch. 

We finish by celebrating the students who keep us going in our fight against injustice in the US death penalty by announcing the winners of the following categories. Please see below the shortlisted nominees for the respective categories:

Stand Out Student Group: University of Law, The University of Edinburgh, King's College London

Stand Out Fundraiser: The University of Edinburgh, University of Cambridge, King's College London

Stand Out Event: King's College London, Royal Holloway University of London, University of Southampton

Stand Out Social Media: Royal Holloway University of London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge

For full event information and to register for the event, please click here.

The event is free to attend. For those who are able to, we invite a suggested donation of £5 per person. To donate (any amount - big or small!) click here.






































Seeing the Bigger Picture

A criminal justice movie series in August-September 2023

We are hosting a gripping set of movie screenings, delving into the world of the death penalty. Embark on a thought-provoking journey with several films about the death penalty and criminal justice. Each screening will be shared with remarkable speakers.

Events will start at 5.30pm where you will be greeted with a popcorn reception and beverages and there will be an opportunity to network with some leading UK law firms! This event is open to all - members and non-members.

SCHEDULE
3 August: Fourteen Days in May
9 August: 12 Angry Men
16 August: Just Mercy
24 August: Clemency
31 August: Shawshank Redemption 
6 September: A series of short films (1 for 10 Series, The People vs. the Death Penalty)
14 September: 13th
21 September:  The State of Texas vs Melissa Lucio



International (In)Justice

Sponsored by the University of Law

Thursday 24th November 2022
6pm on Zoom 

On this occasion, we present a discussion on the (in)justice of the death penalty on a global scale. With fabulous guest speakers, below, we are set for a fascinating evening! 

  • Gabrielle Darden, Capital Mitigation Specialist in Florida
  • Professor Jon Yorke, professor of international law and human rights and Director of the Centre for Human Rights, BCU
  • Joyce Claudia Choo, volunteer on US and Malaysian death penalty cases, we are set for an-eye opening and thought-provoking evening.

We finish by celebrating the students who keep us going in our fight against injustice in the US death penalty. As Gabrielle so aptly puts it, 'One student at a time is how we change one million lives'.

For full event information and to register for free, please click here.

The event is free to attend. For those who are able to, we invite a suggested donation of £5 per person. To donate (any amount - big or small!) click here.


Webinar Series:
Amicus on Death Row

ALL WEBINAR SESSIONS ARE NOW AVAIALABLE TO STREAM

Find out more about our host and exciting speakers here!

  • Arts on Death Row 
    The aesthetical impact of paintings, literature, theatre, and music. Professor Jon will introduce ‘music on death row,’ with the experts discussing how the paintings of Francisco de Goya and the plays of William Shakespeare, contribute to our understanding of the death penalty. Can the arts contribute to ending this punishment?                                            Episode 1                                                                                                                                         
  • God on Death Row 
    To what extent do sacred texts identify a deity that demands capital punishment? This will be an insight discussion into the evolution of the punishment within monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Dr Roberto Carlés will provide excerpts from his personal audiences with Pope Francis. He will be joined by The Very Rev John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry Cathedral.                                                                                                                 Episode 2                                                                                                                              
  • Doctors on Death Row 
    In Of the Epidemics, Hippocrates stated, ‘The physician must be able to tell the antecedents…with regards to disease, namely, to do good or to do no harm.’ We’ll discuss how this principle is applied with two of the world’s leading experts on medical ethics and the science of putting people to death.                                                                               Episode 3
  • Time on Death Row                                                                                                              Time is an exploitable resource in the death penalty. A dangerous circumstance arises as governments can manipulate processes to weigh-down the scales for executions. Temporal consciousness necessitates an understanding of how linear, cyclical, and relative time is applied. We’ll discuss how time can be used to in the defence of those facing capital charges and executions.


    Suggested donation of £5 per session for students or £15 for all 4. 
For anyone else, suggested donation is £10 per session or £30 for all 4.


VOICES OF JUSTICE

THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED


Thursday 3rd November, 6pm on Zoom


Find out more about this event here

Events | Amicus ALJ

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