The School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany Ranked # 2 in the country!
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Author of Last Words from Death Row
Speaks at UAlbany
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Norma
Herrera's visit was sponsored by the University
at Albany Capital Punishment Research Initiative
and New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty.
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presentation was emotional and thought-provoking.
Weaving together the intricate details of
her brother's arrest and conviction, Norma
Herrera drew her audience into the journey
that ultimately led to her brother's execution.
She told the crowd how the ordeal affected
the lives of her and her family, including
a painful tug-of-war that pitted brother
against brother and landed her squarely
in the middle. |
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Norma
Herrera speaks about her brother's arrest,
conviction and execution.
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Ms.
Herrera's brother, Leonel, was executed
by the State of Texas following the U.S.
Supreme Court's decision in Herrera v. Collins
(1993). In that case, the Supreme Court
considered Leonel Herrera's claim that newly
discovered evidence demonstrated that he
was innocent of the crime for which he was
executed. In the end, the justices rejected
his claim and allowed the execution to go
forward. Norma, keeping a promise she made
to Leonel, penned a book about his case
titled Last Words from Death Row: The Wall
Unit (Nightengale Press 2007). |
l
to r: David Kaczynski, Brian Keough, Norma
Herrera, Charles Lanier, Heather Stroker,
James Acker and Marie Balfour
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| During
her visit, Norma donated numerous items
to the National
Death Penalty Archive . Among the court
documents and legal paperwork was a collection
of more personal articles. A card that Leonel
made for his mother using note paper and
the foil liners from cigarette packs. An
album Leonel put together from photos Norma
sent to him over the years. Leonel's drawings
and a selection of newspaper clippings.
At the beginning of the evening Brian Keough,
head of the University's M.E. Grenander
Department of Special Collections &
Archives, spoke briefly about the National
Death Penalty Archive and thanked Norma
for her contributions. |
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A
selection of Leonel Herrera's belongings
donated to the National Death Penalty
Archive
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Following
Ms. Herrera's presentation, David Kaczynski,
executive director of New Yorkers Against
the Death Penalty, reflected on Norma's
story and shared his thoughts on Leonel's
case and the death penalty. He drew some
comparisons between the Herrera case and
his own ordeal, having struggled with the
decision to turn his brother, Ted Kaczynski,
in to the authorities when he suspected
Ted might be the Unabomber. He also encouraged
the crowd to consider that New York State
is not so very different from Texas when
it comes to death penalty issues.
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David
Kaczynski is the executive director of
New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty |
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Distinguished
Teaching Professor James Acker addressed
the Constitutional implications of Herrera
v. Collins and more current death penalty
issues. He spoke about a recent event in
Texas , which resulted in a man's execution
by lethal injection even after the U.S.
Supreme Court announced that they would
review an appeal that challenges the legality
of lethal injection. To conclude the evening,
Dr. Acker invited guests to purchase a signed
copy of Ms. Herrera's book and then opened
the floor to questions from the audience.
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Distinguished
Teaching Professor James Acker |
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School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, SUNY
135 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12222 USA
Phone: (518) 442 - 5214 • Fax: (518) 442 - 5212 |
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Please send questions or comments to: scj@albany.edu
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