Success Stories

KENNETH FOSTER'S LIFE WAS SPARED by Texas Governor Perry's acceptance of the Texas Board of
Pardons and Paroles, to commute his sentence to life in prison!  Please use the contact information on
his website to contact the Board and Governor Perry and thank them for their decisions.  

We ran Kenneth's story on the AmericaIsWatching website starting the first week of August 2007:

Kenneth Foster  was convicted of "murder by association" because he didn't immediately run away from the crime after
it had been committed.  There are numerous discrepancies in his trial.    The following excerpt is taken from the website
www.freekenneth.com.

On August 15, 1996, Kenneth was arrested with three others for an alleged participation in a robbery/slaying of
a young man. On May 5, 1997, Kenneth was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to die by lethal injection.
False testimony, mistaken identification, community prejudices and pressures may affect both verdict and
sentencing and as in this case, MISINTERPRETATION OF EVIDENCE. An attorney's error of judgment, a
prosecutor's misconduct, delayed access to or withholding of evidence may also result in the execution of an
INNOCENT PERSON!

Being such a young person on Death Row, most would think Kenneth would just give up and possibly put
himself in an even worse situation. However, since his confinement, he has made a continuous effort to better
his education through the studying of the basics of theology, philosophy, yoga, and sociology. Along with
reaching out to his family, Kenneth has found resources through over seas pen friends to educate others and
make them aware of the executions being performed at a near record pace. Kenneth is not asking for a hand
out. He only wants his story to be heard and to be given a fair chance and a reasonable punishment set for his
situation. In conclusion, would death be appropriate in Kenneth's case? Kenneth wants to live so he can see
his daughter grow and try to show young kids in the world that there are positive avenues to pursue. Please
help him stay alive and pursue his dreams to give back to society...even if it's from a prison cell.

UPDATE on Kenneth 9/4/2007
Kenneth has been moved to a Unit in Texas where he is waiting to be moved to General Population.  Regardless of
which unit he goes to he will not be able to get Internet access, but all messages that come through on his guestbook
and his email get sent to him so he will get to see all of your continued support.  www.freekenneth.com  He will now be able
to hug his daughter in visits... Something that will be amazing after so long!!! He will not be stuck in a cell for 23 hours
a day and he will never have the worry of another execution date again!

Genarlow Wilson - We first started running Genarlow's story on this website in mid August, 2007.  His attorney, B.J. Bernstein was very cooperative in providing information
such as a mailing address where he could receive letters.  We were SO HAPPY TO HEAR on October 26, 2007 of the Georgia Supreme Court's decision to release Genarlow
from prison, and he would NOT have to register as a sex offender.  Genarlow - We were pulling for you and are so happy you are now finally free!

Jena Six - This website, americaiswatching.org was originally created BECAUSE of the Jena Six situation.  On August 17, 2007 this website came into being, with the first story
posted being the about the Jena Six.   The story of the six boys charged as adults for the beating of a white student who allegedly taunted them with racial slurs after a
disagreement over a "whites only" tree on campus rose to national attention when they were charged as adults for attempted "murder by tennis shoe."  What the boys did in
jumping a fellow student and beating him certainly was not right, but the American public felt the charges should have fit the crime.  Subsequently, when it was brought to the
attention of the national mainstream media, the charges were made appropriate to the crime. 20,000 people marched peacefully on Jena, Louisiana on September 20, 2007
bringing national attention to the injustice.  Some charges were dropped, and others were remanded back to Juvenile Court where they should have been in the first place.  
These boys were not angels but they were American citizens, and as such should have been charged and tried for their crimes appropriately.  After public outcry, they were.
Eagle Photo by Doug Domedion
James Arthur Johnson - served almost 3 and a half years in jail in North Carolina without a trial, held for a murder he did not commit.  In fact he TURNED the murderer in to
police!  His bail was set at a million dollars, keeping him behind bars.  He FINALLY was allowed out of jail on September 24, 2007, but still the prosecutors in North Carolina held
the charge "accessory after the fact" over his head,  not allowing him to be a free man.  Brittany Willis' killer is serving a life sentence for her death.   A special prosecutor was
appointed to research the case and see if there was enough evidence to try Johnson for murder.  On December 19, 2007, charges of murder, kidnapping, rape and robbery
were dropped but the charge of "accessory after the fact" continued. On February 16, 2009, four and a half years after the murder of Britanny Willis, Johnson plead gulity to a
lesser charge than "accessory after the fact" and was given a "Prayer For Judgement Continued" effectively ending the case.  Now the Willis and Johnson families can put an
end to this tragic case.  However, if it were not for the public outcry about the injustice of Johnson sitting in jail for three and a half YEARS for a murder he didn't commit (when
the murderer was already behind bars), the outcry about his former attorney's compromising the case by violating client-attorney privilege, and the public support of Johnson,
he may still be sitting in jail. pr worse he may have been tried and convicted of a murder he did not commit.  Thank you to all who emailed, called and wrote the contacts
provided, and filed official complaints against attorney Johnny Gaskins with the North Carolina State Bar.
President Bush commuted the sentences of Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, the two border patrol agents who were
imprisoned just for doing their jobs.  Public outcry about this case is what resulted in the commutation, and on February 17, 2009 they were free to go
home to their families.  Had all of you not realized the true injustice of these two honorable men being imprisoned for doing what they were hired to
do, and signing the petitions demanding their release, they would not be  home.  We had hoped for a full pardon so this would not be on their
records, but a commutation at least gets them home with their families where they belong.  WAY TO GO AMERICAN PUBLIC!  Please continue to stand
up and demand justice when you see injustice taking place!!