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Death Penalty Focus
Formation	1988; 36 years ago
Type	nonprofit organization
Tax ID no.	95-4153420
Purpose	Abolition of death penalty
Headquarters	500 Capitol Mall Suite 2350 Sacramento, CA 95814
Region served	United States
Membership	150,000
Website	deathpenalty.org

Death Penalty Focus (DPF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the abolition of the death penalty through public education, grassroots and political organizing, media engagement, and coalition building.^[1] DPF also serves as a support network and as a liaison among anti-death penalty groups nationwide and across the world.

The group opposes the death penalty as "ineffective, racist, and fiscally inefficient."^[2] In 1999, the organization said the death penalty is "an ineffective and brutally simplistic response to the serious and complex problem of violent crime.”^[3] DPF has partnered with numerous families of victims of violent crime to abolish the death penalty.

DPF is governed by a Board of Directors composed of activists, political, religious, and civic leaders, along with legal scholars and attorneys involved in death penalty litigation. In addition, DPF has an Advisory Board composed of community and religious leaders, celebrities, writers, and representatives of labor and human rights organizations who support anti-death penalty work.

History

Founding

DPF was founded in 1988 by a group of people committed to the abolition of the death penalty in California. Former Governor Pat Brown became a founding member of DPF.^[4] Michael Millman was also a founding member of DPF.^[5] The goal was to build a broad-based coalition against the death penalty.^[6] The L.A. Times wrote that DPF "has become the clearinghouse for a variety of rallies, leafletting and marches throughout the state." Mike Farrell has served as president of DPF since 1994.^[7]^[8]

Rallies and protests to stop executions

In the early 1990s, Pat Clark served as the executive director.^[9] The organization was based out of Oakland at that time.^[9] DPF organized rallies and protests against the execution of Robert Harris.^[9] Clark spoke out in opposition to lethal injection: “It is intended to put a humane face on killing, when reality is that the death penalty, capital punishment, is a barbaric practice that has no place in a civilized society. We object strenuously to efforts to make the death penalty more palatable to the public.”^[10] Claudia King served as executive director of the organization.^[11]

In 1995, Lance Lindsey took over as the Executive Director.^[12] Lindsey organized protests outside of San Quentin State Prison.^[13] Lindsey told SFGate: "We are sensitive and compassionate to the horrible suffering of these victims and their families ... but we're just saying that using violence to stop more violence just perpetuates the cycle of violence."^[13] DPF, under Lindsey's leadership helped organize several coalitions: California People of Faith Working against the Death Penalty, Californians for a Moratorium on Executions, and the California Crime Victims for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.^[14]

In 2004, DPF joined the Committee to Save Kevin Cooper. They protested, held a press conference, and distributed flyers to the public.^[15] The organization played a role in organizing opposition protests to the execution of Stanley Tookie Williams in 2005^[16]^[17]

Abolition campaigns

DPF has been described as "the strongest voice in California’s abolition movement" by San Francisco Magazine.^[18]

In 2005, DPF worked with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and others to oppose the death penalty.^[19] The campaign distributed leaflets at churches, encouraged religious leaders to speak about the death penalty, and they collected signatures for a moratorium campaign to pause executions in California.^[19]

In 2011, Jeanne Woodford, the former warden of San Quentin Prison, took over as executive director.^[20]^[21]^[22] Shortly after, DPF led the campaign for 2012 California Proposition 34 that would have abolished the death penalty in California.^[23]^[24]^[25]

In 2015, Farrell spoke at the annual meeting of the Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. He said in a subsequent phone interview: "What we don't understand in this country is the cost to us, and I don't mean financial. It's the terrible social (and) moral cost we haven't come to grips with."^[26]

In 2023, DPF President Mike Farrell praised California Governor Gavin Newsom's decision to dismantle the state's death row.^[27]

DPF Awards

The Norman Felton and Denise Aubuchon Humanitarian Award

Supreme Court of California Chief Justice Rose Bird (1997), Bud Welch (his daughter Julie was a victim of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing) (1998), Linda and Peter Biehl (1999), Rabbi Leonard Beerman (2000), Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation (2001), Rev. James Lawson (activist) (2002), Patch Adams (2003), Aqeela Sherrills (2004),^[28] Bishop Henry Williamson (2005), George F. Regas (2006), Robert Greenwald (2007), Azim Khamisa (2008), Bryan Stevenson (2009), Sister Suzanne Jabro, CSJ (2010), Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange (2011), Greg Boyle (2012), Javier Stauring (2013), Dolores Huerta (2016)

Abolition Award

Rubin Carter (1996), Kiefer Sutherland (1996), Sean Penn (1997), CA State Senator John Burton (American politician) (1998), Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee (2000), Roger Mahony (2001), Danny Glover (2002),^[29]^[30] Ramona Ripston (2003), Gabino Zavala (2004), Ted Kennedy (2005), Barry Scheck (2006), Thomas Gumbleton (2007), Jon Corzine and New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (2008), Nick McKeown (2009), Richard Dieter (2010), Death Penalty Clinic at UC Berkeley School of Law (Elisabeth Semel & Ty Alper) (2011), West Memphis Three and their defense team (2012), 2012 California Proposition 34 leaders (2013), Dale Baich (2015), Richard Branson (2016), Bernie Sanders (2017), Renny Cushing (2019), Michael L. Radelet (2021), Virginia Abolition Movement Leaders: Ralph Norman, Scott Surovell, Michael P. Mullin, Joseph Giarratano, among others (2022), Diann Rust-Tierney (2023)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Mervyn Dymally (2006), Michael Millman (2014),^[5] Leonard Beerman (2015), James Lawson (activist) (2018), Anthony G. Amsterdam (2019)

Justice in the Arts and Media Award

Studs Terkel (2002),^[31] Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen (actor) (2003),^[32] Robert Wise (2004), Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek (2005), Carl Reiner (2006), David E. Kelley (2007),^[33] John Grisham (2008), Nancy Miller (2009), Alec Baldwin (2010), Hilary Swank (2011), MC Hammer (2012), James Cromwell (2013), Peter Sarsgaard and Veena Sud, on behalf of The Cast and Crew of “The Killing (American TV series)” (2014), Alex Gibney, Brad Hebert, Laura Michalchyshyn on behalf of Death Row Stories (2015), Jackson Browne (2016), Joan Baez (2017), Elizabeth Bruenig (2023)

Rose Elizabeth Bird Commitment to Justice Award

Steve Allen (1998), Norman Jewison (1999), David E. Kelley, Robert Breech, and the Cast of The Practice (2000),^[33] Aaron Sorkin, Thomas Schlamme and the Cast of The West Wing (2001),^[34] Stanley Sheinbaum (2002), George Ryan (2003), Rosalynn Carter (2004), Andy and Deborah Rappaport (2005), Victoria Riskin and David W. Rintels (2006), Max Palevsky and Jodie Evans (2007), Sarah Timberman and Ed Redlich (2008), John Van de Kamp (2009), Sherry and Leo Frumkin (2010), Thomas Schlamme (2011), Denise Foderaro Quattrone (2012), Death row exonerees Kwame Ajamu, Ricky Jackson and Wiley Bridgeman along with their attorneys (2015), John Paul Stevens (2019), Bryan Stevenson (2021), Paula Mitchell, Andy Wilson, and Maurice Hastings (2023)

The Mario Cuomo Act of Courage Award

Mario Cuomo (1996),^[35] Jesse Jackson (1997), Larry Fox (on behalf of the American Bar Association) (1998), David Protess and Lawrence Marshall (1999), Senator Russ Feingold (2000),^[36] Governor George Ryan (2001), Barbara Lee (2002), Vicente Fox (2003), Harry Belafonte (2004), Sister Helen Prejean (2005), Dorothy Ehrlich (2006), Kamala Harris (2007), Julian Bond (2008), Jeanne Woodford (2009), Paul Haggis (2010), Lance Lindsey (2011), Martin O'Malley (2014), Judy Clarke and Speedy Rice (2017), Mike Farrell (2018), Dick Durbin and Ayanna Pressley (2022), Josh Shapiro (2023)

Special Awards to Activist Exonerees

Gloria Killian,^[37] Greg Wilhoit,^[38] Tom Goldstein^[39] (2006)

Special Recognition for Outstanding Achievement on behalf of Social Justice

Melody Ermachild, Henry Weinstein, and Dr. Arthur Zitrin (2008)

References

^ About Death Penalty Focus "Death Penalty Focus : About Us". Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
^ Guarino, Mark (12/18/2009) "Why is the use of the death penalty going down?" [1] Christian Science Monitor
^ Harris, Bob. "Dissecting the Death Penalty". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Rohde, Stephen. "CHOOSING LIFE: REFLECTIONS ON THE MOVEMENT TO END CAPITAL PUNISHMENT" (PDF). Southwestern Law Review.
^ ^a ^b "Supreme Court Marks Passing of Michael Millman". www.courts.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
^ "Death Penalty Focus: Michael Millman accepts "Lifetime Achievement Award"". 2015-02-07. Archived from the original on 2015-02-07. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
^ O’neill, Ann (2001-04-01). "The Actor Standing in Front of Death's Door". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ "'M.A.S.H.' Actor Mike Farrell Discusses Ending The Death Penalty In America (Audio)". HuffPost. 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c Baker, Bob (1992-04-03). "Day of Reckoning : Execution: Death penalty foes say they sense a new urgency as Harris' date in the gas chamber approaches". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
^ Jacobs, Paul (1992-08-29). "Execution by Lethal Injection OKd : Capital punishment: Governor signs the bill. Wilson says it will eliminate last-minute pleas that the gas chamber is cruel and unusual punishment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Archives, L. A. Times (1994-04-13). "Lowering the Crime Rate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ "BAY AREA REPORT -- EAST BAY / New Director for Group Against Death Penalty". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ ^a ^b Fagan, Kevin. "Execution Foes Plan Prison Rally / No matter the crime, it's not right, they say". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ "Profile of Lance Lindsey: "It came to me through my Stomach."" (PDF). ACLU.
^ "The Fight to Save Kevin Cooper". Against the Current. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Villalon, Debora (11/19/2005) "Supporters say Tookie should live Archived 2012-10-09 at the Wayback Machine" [2] KGO-TV
^ Kershaw, Sarah (12/14/2005) "Execution ignites new fire in death penalty debate" [3] New York Times
^ Yogis, Jaimal (03/2006) "Killing the Death Penalty Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine" [4] San Francisco Magazine
^ ^a ^b Dickerson, Justin (2005-03-22). "Bishops Renew Fight Against Death Penalty". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ jlalard (2011-06-05). "Former death row warden turns frontline abolitionist". WCADP. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Carol, Williams (2011-05-12). "Former California prisons leader joins fight against death penalty". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Journal, Marin Independent (2013-07-27). "Former San Quentin Warden Woodford says death penalty almost dead". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Welsh, Nick (2012-09-13). "Prop. 34: High Price of Death". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ Zapata, Natasha Hakimi (2016-11-06). "How a Former District Attorney Finally Agreed With Activist Mike Farrell on the Death Penalty". Truthdig. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ "Prop 34: Ex-San Quentin Prison Warden Jeanne Woodford Backs California Measure to End Death Penalty". Democracy Now!. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ Lynn, Capi. "Values in conflict over Oregon's death penalty". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
^ Westervelt, Eric (2023-01-14). "California Will Dismantle Death Row — Some Cheer, but Others Are Outraged | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ Administrator, Posted by (2011-07-14). "California's Death Penalty Prevents True Community Justice". LA Progressive. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Wiltz, Teresa (2002-05-31). "Stardom's a Lethal Weapon for Good in Danny Glover's Hands". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ "Danny Glover: The Death Penalty in This Great Nation of Ours - YES! Magazine Solutions Journalism". YES! Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ "Studs Terkel dies at 96". MPR News. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Martinez, Julio (2002-04-24). "The Exonerated". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ ^a ^b Boston Legal (April 13, 2007). "'Justice in the Arts Award for David E. Kelley". Boston Legal. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
^ "Hollywood Pleads Its Case". Washington Post. 2024-01-10. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ Whitman, Claudia; Zimmerman, Julie (1997). The Death Penalty. Biddle Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-879418-26-4.
^ Feingold, Russ (2000-04-27). "Time To Stop Tinkering With the Machinery of Death". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
^ "Gloria Killian - National Registry of Exonerations". www.law.umich.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ "Through Thick and Thin: On Death Row, Two Men Defied Odds With Friendship and Hope". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ Marso, Andy. "Prairie Village native puts face on death penalty debate". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
^ Staff, J. (1997-12-19). "Jewish S.F. death-penalty foe wins award". J. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
^ News |, Daily (2011-05-12). "Illinois governor to be honored in Beverly Hills tonight by death penalty opponents". Daily News. Retrieved 2024-03-03.

[1] About Death Penalty Focus "Death Penalty Focus : About Us". Archived from the original on 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-07.

[2] Guarino, Mark (12/18/2009) "Why is the use of the death penalty going down?" [1] Christian Science Monitor

[3] Harris, Bob. "Dissecting the Death Penalty". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[4] Rohde, Stephen. "CHOOSING LIFE: REFLECTIONS ON THE MOVEMENT TO END CAPITAL PUNISHMENT" (PDF). Southwestern Law Review.

[:0-5] "Supreme Court Marks Passing of Michael Millman". www.courts.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-24.

[6] "Death Penalty Focus: Michael Millman accepts "Lifetime Achievement Award"". 2015-02-07. Archived from the original on 2015-02-07. Retrieved 2024-02-24.

[:4-7] O’neill, Ann (2001-04-01). "The Actor Standing in Front of Death's Door". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[8] "'M.A.S.H.' Actor Mike Farrell Discusses Ending The Death Penalty In America (Audio)". HuffPost. 2016-09-03. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[:1-9] Baker, Bob (1992-04-03). "Day of Reckoning : Execution: Death penalty foes say they sense a new urgency as Harris' date in the gas chamber approaches". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-24.

[10] Jacobs, Paul (1992-08-29). "Execution by Lethal Injection OKd : Capital punishment: Governor signs the bill. Wilson says it will eliminate last-minute pleas that the gas chamber is cruel and unusual punishment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[11] Archives, L. A. Times (1994-04-13). "Lowering the Crime Rate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[12] "BAY AREA REPORT -- EAST BAY / New Director for Group Against Death Penalty". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[:3-13] Fagan, Kevin. "Execution Foes Plan Prison Rally / No matter the crime, it's not right, they say". SFGATE. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[14] "Profile of Lance Lindsey: "It came to me through my Stomach."" (PDF). ACLU.

[15] "The Fight to Save Kevin Cooper". Against the Current. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[16] Villalon, Debora (11/19/2005) "Supporters say Tookie should live Archived 2012-10-09 at the Wayback Machine" [2] KGO-TV

[17] Kershaw, Sarah (12/14/2005) "Execution ignites new fire in death penalty debate" [3] New York Times

[18] Yogis, Jaimal (03/2006) "Killing the Death Penalty Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine" [4] San Francisco Magazine

[:2-19] Dickerson, Justin (2005-03-22). "Bishops Renew Fight Against Death Penalty". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[20] rd (2011-06-05). "Former death row warden turns frontline abolitionist". WCADP. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[21] Carol, Williams (2011-05-12). "Former California prisons leader joins fight against death penalty". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[22] Journal, Marin Independent (2013-07-27). "Former San Quentin Warden Woodford says death penalty almost dead". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[23] Welsh, Nick (2012-09-13). "Prop. 34: High Price of Death". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[24] Zapata, Natasha Hakimi (2016-11-06). "How a Former District Attorney Finally Agreed With Activist Mike Farrell on the Death Penalty". Truthdig. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[25] "Prop 34: Ex-San Quentin Prison Warden Jeanne Woodford Backs California Measure to End Death Penalty". Democracy Now!. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[26] Lynn, Capi. "Values in conflict over Oregon's death penalty". Statesman Journal. Retrieved 2024-03-03.

[27] Westervelt, Eric (2023-01-14). "California Will Dismantle Death Row — Some Cheer, but Others Are Outraged | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[28] Administrator, Posted by (2011-07-14). "California's Death Penalty Prevents True Community Justice". LA Progressive. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[29] Wiltz, Teresa (2002-05-31). "Stardom's a Lethal Weapon for Good in Danny Glover's Hands". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[30] "Danny Glover: The Death Penalty in This Great Nation of Ours - YES! Magazine Solutions Journalism". YES! Magazine. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[31] "Studs Terkel dies at 96". MPR News. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[32] Martinez, Julio (2002-04-24). "The Exonerated". Variety. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[BostonLegalApril132007-33] Boston Legal (April 13, 2007). "'Justice in the Arts Award for David E. Kelley". Boston Legal. Retrieved 2010-04-23.

[34] "Hollywood Pleads Its Case". Washington Post. 2024-01-10. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[35] Whitman, Claudia; Zimmerman, Julie (1997). The Death Penalty. Biddle Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-879418-26-4.

[36] Feingold, Russ (2000-04-27). "Time To Stop Tinkering With the Machinery of Death". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2024-02-25.

[37] "Gloria Killian - National Registry of Exonerations". www.law.umich.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[38] "Through Thick and Thin: On Death Row, Two Men Defied Odds With Friendship and Hope". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[39] Marso, Andy. "Prairie Village native puts face on death penalty debate". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 2024-02-27.

[40] Staff, J. (1997-12-19). "Jewish S.F. death-penalty foe wins award". J. Retrieved 2024-03-03.

[41] News |, Daily (2011-05-12). "Illinois governor to be honored in Beverly Hills tonight by death penalty opponents". Daily News. Retrieved 2024-03-03.

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Death Penalty Focus