U.S (Color Of Change) : OREGON, it’s time for justice. Tell your legislator to vote yes on SB 1511 !

 

 

 

Dear friend,       You’re one of over 45,000 Color Of Change members who have signed a petition, attended a virtual town hall, or tweeted to demand Oregon allows all those sitting in prison because of a racist and unconstitutional non-unanimous jury are able to seek the retrial they deserve !   We’re reaching out once again because for the past year, Color Of Change, along with a coalition of over 40 organizations, has been fighting to address this issue by targeting the Oregon Attorney General. But she has refused to use her powers for justice.     Now we turn to the Oregon Legislature to pass Senate Bill 1511 and finally end the racist stain of non-unanimous juries. Passing this bill would be a huge step in undoing part of Oregon’s racist past. Continuing to allow this racist law, and convictions burdened by uncertainty and doubt, to stand is not only injustice for those wrongfully convicted, but survivors of crime, directly impacted families, and the integrity of the Oregon justice system.       Send a letter to your legislator and demand they end the racist stain of non-unanimous juries once and for all.            TELL YOUR LEGISLATOR TO VOTE YES ON SB 1511           Friend, let's refresh : Right now in Oregon, there are hundreds of people sitting in prison even though at least ONE of their jurors voted “not guilty.” Thankfully, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2020 that non-unanimous juries are unconstitutional, and they even acknowledged its ties to “the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and efforts to dilute the influence of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities on Oregon juries.”1   And while hundreds convicted by a non-unanimous jury were granted the possibility of a retrial because their cases were still on appeal when this decision was made, a few hundred more were denied this opportunity simply because of the date of their conviction. This is a matter of arbitrary timing, not justice and we cannot allow it.   Non-unanimous juries are just one more tool to devastate Black communities through mass incarceration. While Black people are only 2.2 percent of Oregon’s state population, they are estimated to comprise 16 percent of those convicted by non-unanimous juries.2   Friend, Oregon now has the opportunity to finally put an end to the racist stain of non-unanimous juries by passing Senate Bill 1511. If this bill is passed, everyone convicted by a non-unanimous jury will finally have the chance to seek the retrial they are entitled to !   Make sure your legislator knows that this is an issue their constituents not only care about but demand a solution for. Send a letter today and voice your support for people impacted by non-unanimous juries.            TAKE ACTION & SUPPORT JUSTICE           Until Justice is Real,         Scott, Rashad, Arisha, Malachi, Megan, Ernie, Palika, Ariel, Madison, Trevor, Erick, Ana, Kristiana, McKayla and the Color Of Change team.                                                   REFERENCES :           1. The Supreme Court of the United States. (2019b, October). RAMOS v. LOUISIANA. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300617?t=9&akid=52863%2E1942551%2ELoVRON       2. The Ramos Project. (2020). Oregon’s Unconstitutional Non-Unanimous Jury System Disproportionately Impacted People of Color. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/300615?t=11&akid=52863%2E1942551%2ELoVRON

Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change.