Death Penalty Information Center

The Death Penalty Information Center "is a non-profit organization serving the media and the public with analysis and information on issues concerning capital punishment. The Center was founded in 1990 and prepares in-depth reports, issues press releases, conducts briefings for journalists, and serves as a resource to those working on this issue. The Center is widely quoted and consulted by all those concerned with the death penalty.

"DPIC is a non-profit, tax exempt organization. We depend on the generosity of individuals and foundations for our support. Current foundation support has been received from the Roderick MacArthur Foundation, the Open Society Institute, the JEHT Foundation, and the Butler Family Fund."


 * Richard Dieter - Executive Director
 * Michael Kroll - Former Executive Director (1990-2)

Directors
Accessed October 2008:


 * Anthony G. Amsterdam, Edward Weinfeld Professor of Law at New York University Law School. Mr. Amsterdam argued Furman v. Georgia before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1972, resulting in overturning the death penalty and saving over 600 lives.
 * David J. Bradford, Attorney at Jenner and Block in Chicago. Mr. Bradford serves as Counsel to the MacArthur Justice Center. He has lectured on the death penalty at the University of Chicago Law School, been active in death penalty litigation, and spoken extensively on this subject.
 * David Bruck, Director of the Virginia Capital Case Clearinghouse at Washington & Lee School of Law and Federal Death Penalty Resource Counsel. One of the country's leading experts on the death penalty, Mr. Bruck represented Susan Smith in her capital trial in South Carolina.
 * Phoebe C. Ellsworth, Professor of Psychology and a Professor of Law at the University of Michigan. A former professor at Yale and Stanford, Ms. Ellsworth specializes in law and psychology. She is a research expert on emotions and has written extensively on Americans' views on the death penalty.
 * George Kendall, Special Pro Bono Counsel at Holland and Knight in New York. He formerly served as Death Penalty Counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Mr. Kendall has defended death penalty defendants nationwide, particularly where racism has been a factor in the prosecution. He is a nationally recognized spokesman on the injustices of the death penalty.
 * John R. MacArthur, President and Publisher of Harper's Magazine. Mr. MacArthur is the inspiration behind the Death Penalty Information Center. He has written on a wide variety of social justice issues.
 * Michael Millman, Executive Director of the California Appellate Project. Mr. Millman oversees the efforts to assist private lawyers representing the more than 600 people on California's death row. He serves as President of the Board of the Death Penalty Information Center.
 * Diann Rust-Tierney, Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Ms. Rust-Tierney is a nationally recognized spokeswoman on capital punishment and has led a number of legislative efforts to reform the nation's capital punishment laws.
 * Christina Swarns, Death Penalty Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Ms. Swarns is an experienced capital litigator who formerly served as the Supervising Assistant Federal Defender in Philadelphia. Ms. Swarns most recently represented Nicholas Yarris who was exonerated from the Pennsylvania death row in February 2003.
 * Ronald J. Tabak, Special Counsel and pro bono coordinator at the Law Firm of Skadden, Arps in New York City. Mr. Tabak is a veteran of capital litigation, and has been instrumental in drafting American Bar Association positions on capital punishment as chair of the Section of Individual Rights & Responsibilities' Death Penalty Committee.

Contact

 * Web: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * David Fenton - cofounder