Military Injustice Alert (MIA)

The following was sent by Kyle O'Dowd, Legislative Director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) as relayed by Counselor Donald G. Rehkopf.

DNA / Capital Representation Bill Clears Senate Judiciary Committee!

"The Innocence Protection Act (IPT), which would increase prisoner access to DNA testing and would enhance the quality of representation in death penalty cases, cleared an important hurdel [on 18 July 2002] when it won approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee. The vote was 12 - 7, with Republican Sens. Specter (PA) and Brownback (KS) joining all 10 Democrats in support of the bill.

NACDL has played an active role in shaping and supporting this important legislation. Second Vice President Barry Scheck and Board of Directors member Stephen Bright have testified in Congress and provided input regarding the bill's language. Every bit as important has been our grassroots efforts, with our leadership and membership reaching out to their legislators and other to help build strong bipartisan support.

Now we turn our attention to the House of Representatives, where the companion version of the Act has 240 cosponsors, including 175 Democrats, 64 Republicans, and 1 Independent. Unfortunately, we still lack the support of many of the Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee -- including Chairman Sensenbrenner (WI) and Representatives Hyde (IL), Gekas (PA), Smith (TX), Gellegly (CA), Goodlatte (VA), Chabot (OH), Barr (GA), Jenkins (TN), Cannon (UT), Graham (SC), Hostettler (IN), Green (WI), Keller (FL), Issa (CA), Flake (AZ), Pence (IN), and Forbes (VA). Winning the support of these Members is crucial to our ultimate success. If your congressman is on this list, we urge you to contact him -- ...during the month of August, when he will be back home. For more information about the Innocence Protection Act and a complete list of lawmakers who need to here from us and their contact information, please visit NACDL's legislative Web page.

JAG HUNTERS is aware of several cases wherein Department of Defense officials are furiously working to obstruct the use of DNA evidence to prove innocence of military personnel now behind prison bars.

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