Friends,

The Campaign to End the Death Penalty calls for a demonstration to protest
Governor-elect Robert Ehrlich's plans to restart executions in Maryland.
The demonstration will be held outside Ehrlich's inauguration as Maryland's
governor on Wednesday, January 15th in Annapolis.

Just weeks after Robert Ehrlich was elected he promised to restart the
state's killing machine - setting the stage for a possible seven executions
in 2003. He has also pledged to lower the eligible age for execution to 17
years. These things must not be allowed to happen!

As you are aware, Maryland's moratorium on executions was a great step
forward for the national anti-death penalty movement. The moratorium
followed Illinois in the rising tide of jurisdictions questioning the
fairness of the death penalty. Those concerned with racial disparities,
lack of fairness, the threat to innocents, and the immorality of
state-sponsored killing drew inspiration from this important victory. Now
this victory is under attack and we must rally to its defense.

When, on May 9, 2002, Governor Glendening halted executions in Maryland, he
cited concerns over racism and geographical disparities on Maryland's death
row. Glendening declared that executions would not resume until a
comprehensive study of the state's death row was complete and the General
Assembly had a chance to review the study's findings. That study is
scheduled for completion at the end of this year.

However, we do not need a study to tell us that Maryland's death penalty
system is rife with unfairness. Anyone who has studied Maryland's death
penalty knows that it is, and has always been, racist to the core.

Each year in Maryland blacks account for approximately 80% of
murder-victims, yet 100% (12 out of 12) of those currently on death row are
accused of killing whites. Also, each year in Maryland, black-on-white
crime accounts for less than 5% of murders, yet 66% (eight out of 12) of
those on death row are Blacks accused of killing whites. Of the three men
executed since reinstatement of the death penalty, two were Black and all
three were accused of killing whites.

In addition, since Maryland started keeping track of executions in 1923,
Blacks have accounted for 77% of all executions. Also, Blacks facing the
death penalty tend to be younger than whites. Blacks account for 88% of
those executed for crimes committed under the age of 25.

These facts all coincide with numerous national studies that have found the
death penalty to be racially biased. The facts are in: Maryland's death
penalty is too broken to fix!

It is important that we register our opposition to Robert Ehrlich's plans to
restart the state's killing machine. It is for this reason the Campaign to
End the Death Penalty is calling for the demonstration outside Ehrlich's
inauguration.

To find out more about this action, join the list of endorsers, help shape
and plan it, or support it in any way -- please contact the Campaign to End
the Death Penalty at 202-726-1151 or email us at cedp_dc-AT-hotmail.com.

Yours truly,

Mike Stark
Campaign to End the Death Penalty
www.nodeathpenalty.org