22/07/2020
On this day in 1991, retired English school teacher Jane Officer stood in a car park in New Orleans after the ex*****on of her friend and Lifelines penpal, Andrew Lee Jones.
Despite lack of evidence linking Andrew to the crime, he was charged with capital murder and after a trial that lasted a day, Andrew was sentenced to death by an all-white jury.
Details of his mental illness were withheld by the prosecution, vital mitigation was never presented and he was represented by an inexperienced lawyer who had never tried a capital case.
Jane realised that good legal representation could have saved Andrew's life. Instead, his death led to the formation of Amicus.
29 years later - Amicus remembers Andrew. But we also remember all the people who Amicus has helped over the years. Most poignant, we remember Wes Purkey, whom we couldn't save last week, the second Federal ex*****on after 17 years.
Hundreds of people face the Death Penalty today, people without effective representation, people selected because of their race, people without means, people with mental health issues, innocent people, people not given a fair trial, people in need. Amicus continues today with the support of people who care; lawyers, companies, students, individuals, volunteers, activists, journalists, judges, legislators, academics, actors, and many, many more.
We remain a small charity that does immense good. Helping us is helping justice.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Dr M L King
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