Will you take action, {NAME}?

Your voice is needed for Billie and Rocky >> [View in Browser]( [Amnesty International candle logo]( [[500 SIGNATURES NEEDED] Take action against the Death Penalty »]( {NAME}, The death penalty is always wrong. It’s wrong in principle: a violation of our most basic human rights. And it’s wrong in practice: in the biased and unjust ways in which it’s handed down. And in the U.S., the simple, horrible truth is that race is the single biggest predictor of who will be given a death sentence. There are 970 Black people on death row in the U.S. right now1 — people who have been treated more harshly by the justice system at every turn, simply because of their race. One of those people is Billie Allen. Sentenced to death in 1998 at just 19 years old, Billie Allen has now spent more than half his life on federal death row. Despite concerns of racial bias in his trial and a lack of DNA evidence tying him to the crime, Allen still faces death as punishment. The judge, victim, prosecutors, and defense team were all white – and 10 out of 12 jurors were also white. The disturbing reality is we know that makes a difference in the fairness of a trial. We’re asking President Biden to use his power to commute Allen’s death sentence. [We need your help. Sign your name now to demand justice for Billie Allen »]( [Image of Billie Allen]( RAISE YOUR VOICE: [TELL BIDEN: Commute Billie Allen’s Death Sentence]( President Biden previously promised to abolish the federal death penalty, but his administration has yet to take any action on the matter. Today, two-thirds of the world’s countries have abolished the death penalty. But in the U.S., men like Billie Allen and Rocky Myers are still facing the possibility of execution. Rocky Myers was convicted by a nearly all-white jury in 1994 for the killing of his white neighbor. No forensic evidence linked him to the crime, and Myers has maintained his innocence since the trial. The jury sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole, but the judge overrode their decision and imposed the death penalty — a practice that has been banned in Alabama since 2017, but not retroactively for people like Rocky. So Myers, now 62, remains on death row. [{NAME}, we have to take action for Rocky. The governor of Alabama, Kay Ivey, has the power to commute Myers’ sentence. Add your name to demand that she takes action now »]( [Image of Rocky Myers]( TAKE ACTION: [TELL GOVERNOR IVEY: Commute Rocky Myers’ Death Sentence]( Amnesty is campaigning to end the death penalty for good. While we haven’t reached that goal just yet, we’ve also put our efforts toward stopping specific executions — and as a movement, we’ve proven that we can be successful. The death penalty is not just cruel — it’s discriminatory. Statistically, when the victim is white, judges and juries are many times more likely to impose a death sentence. And Black defendants are 7.5 times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder than white defendants. Billie and Rocky’s stories are all too common. And they aren’t the only ones in this situation. There are many more Black defendants who face poor treatment and harsher punishments in our criminal justice system because of the color of their skin. And as long as the death penalty exists — that means they could lose their lives. Please take a few moments out of your day to help us reach our 500 signature goal and speak up for [Billie Allen]( and [Rocky Myers.]( Every signature makes an impact, and lives are on the line. Thank you, Justin Mazzola Researcher Amnesty International USA [1] [( [DONATE NOW]( © 2023 Amnesty International USA 311 W 43rd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036 | 1-800-AMNESTY Please don't reply to this email. You can send questions to aimember@aiusa.org. We’re so happy you’re here to hear about the most important updates on human rights! If necessary, you can [opt to receive fewer emails]( or [unsubscribe here](. [supporter]