Students will research the background, history, and circumstances of individuals who were sentenced to life without parole for offenses that occurred before they were 18 years old, in preparation for new sentencing hearings. In June 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Alabama that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for children convicted of homicide are unconstitutional. This decision requires courts to conduct new sentencing hearings for any child previously sentenced to life without parole. Law student volunteers will collaborate with attorneys and mitigation specialists to create a compelling mitigation presentation that will be used to advocate for fair and just resentencing.
Organization
Texas Defender Service
Texas Defender Service has been a nationwide leader in the fight to end the death penalty. Through a quarter century of litigation and advocacy, TDS has transformed the legal landscape for people facing sentences of death in Texas. TDS has expanded its mission, and along with its death penalty work, it fights for the end of mass incarceration and excessive punishment in Texas through direct representation, policy reform, and public education. TDS stands up for the dignity and humanity of people harmed by mass incarceration, and advocates for a reimagined legal system that is just, humane, and free from racism and cruelty.
Project Details
- Website
- https://www.texasdefender.org
- Project Start Date
September 2023
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 20-30 hours over the course of the fall semester
- Training
- Training will be scheduled in September based on selected volunteers’ schedules and will be either at the TDS Austin office or online
- Skills used
- Interviewing; document requests; document review; legal research and writing; mitigation research; team collaboration
- Project location
- Virtual and at the TDS Austin office; travel to and from Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities also will take place and be organized by TDS
- Address
- 1023 Springdale Road, Suite 14E, Austin, TX 78721
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 5
- Class year preference
- 2L, 3L, LLM
- Required skills
- Strong research, communication, and empathy skills and a commitment to justice and fairness; strong oral, written, research, and investigation skills; ability to work well in a team-based environment; highly organized
- To Apply
- Submit a cover letter and resume to Estelle Hebron-Jones at ehebron-jones@texasdefender.org by Friday, September 8