About ND ASK

Notre Dame Against State Killing (ND ASK) is a campaign for a moratorium on executions in Indiana. We work to inspire discussion and action on the death penalty on the Notre Dame campus and across Indiana.

For more information or to join ND ASK, please fill out the form above or e-mail us at NotreDameASK@gmail.com. Thank you for visiting.
Showing posts with label appeal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label appeal. Show all posts

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Governor Daniels Denies David Woods Clemency

Despite the heroic efforts of David Woods' attorneys and the calls for clemency by all those who signed our petition and contacted the Governor, David Woods' request for clemency has officially been denied by the Governor. According to the Indy Star article, Governor Daniels based his decision primarily on the unanimous recommendation against clemency made by the parole board. Their letters to the Governor can be found here.

This means that, barring a U.S. Supreme Court intervention, David Woods will be executed shortly after midnight tonight.

While it may be too late for David, a call to the Governor voicing your opposition to his decision may help down the road. The Governor can be reached at 317-232-4567.

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Letter from Inmates to Indiana Parole Board


This post is long overdue but is certainly still relevant as tonight, David Woods will be executed. The following is a letter written and signed by twenty death row inmates at Michigan City. Bear in mind that they are talking about a man who was 19 at the time of the crime and clearly poses no threat to society from within prison and hasn't given any evidence in his 23 years on death row that he is a danger to the guards or other inmates.

This is who Indiana is executing tonight.

Dear Parole Board Members:

This letter is in support of clemency for our friend and brother David (Dave) L. Woods, who has been a part of the Indiana State Prison Death Row Unit for twenty-two years now. Dave's presence on the Death Row Unit has had a stabilizing effect on us all because of his peaceful and accommodating nature. Dave has never refused to assist any of us in a time of distress or need, and has gone out of his way to be a friend to all. Dave has been a Range Porter several times over the years, a job that requires patience, kindness, and an attitude of caring for others. This is a position of trust amongst staff and prisoners alike. Dave is a man whose conduct conforms to a high standard of propriety and correct behavior. Dave has never, in his 22 years on the Death Row Unit, demonstrated any violent side to his decent character. We, the men that have been touched by Dave's friendship on a daily basis during these past 22 years, beseech and implore you to set a precedent in logic and mercy based on the objectives of the Indiana Department of Corrections, and spare Dave this sentence of death by execution, which diminishes us all.

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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Help Stop David Woods' Execution!


The details of David Woods' tortured life paint a picture of a child and young man deprived of care, guidance, and love. The failure of his parents and of appropriate state intervention culminated in the tragic killing of Juan Placencia on April 7, 1984. The following are some of the details that we know about Woods' life before his crime:
  • Woods' father left within the first few years of his life and his mother was an abusive alcoholic.
  • His mother would often return home from bars with strangers and engage in sexual activity in full view of her children, at one point even 'offering' two of his sisters to motorcycle gang members who had taken to regularly partying and engaging in sexual activity at the home.
  • His mother would chain the refrigerator shut and only give the children food as a reward for stealing.
  • David Woods is borderline retarded, having tested in the low 70s to mid 80s on various IQ tests.
  • Woods was at one point removed from the environment by the state and placed in a juvenile facility where he was sexually assaulted.
David Woods was 18 years old at the time of his crime and has now spent 20 years -- over half of his life -- on death row.

This information is provided thanks to the tireless diligence and efforts of Amnesty International's Urgent Action Network and the IICACP. More information on David Woods' life and legal proceedings can be found at both of these sites. Details on taking action can be found below by expanding the post.


To take action against Woods' execution, write the clemency board before April 23rd at:

Indiana Parole Board
Indiana Government Center - South, Room E321
302 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2278

Fax them at 317.232.5738

Additionally, appeals can be sent to Governor Mitch Daniels up until the execution at:

Governor Mitch Daniels
Office of the Governor, Statehouse
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2797

Fax Governor Daniels at 317.232.3443

Additionally, he can be emailed through a form on his website here.

Please contact us at notredameask@gmail.com for any additional information or assistance in this urgent matter.

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