Laverne Thompson participates in Justice and Beyond workshop in New Orleans

Laverne Thompson, wife of death row inmate John Thompson, joined fellow activists to discuss criminal justice reform, the conditions of Angola Prison, and the death penalty in New Orleans.

“John Thompson was the sixth Louisiana Death Row exoneree in 2003,” Laverne shared.

Michael Cahoon from the Promise of Justice Initiative stated: "Laverne Thompson from Witness to Innocence joined Jerome Morgan, a formerly incarcerated activist, and myself on a panel about repealing Louisiana’s death penalty and the cruelty of solitary confinement. Short presentations were followed by lots of questions from the audience, primarily focused on racial discrimination in the death penalty, the conditions of confinement, and Louisiana’s history with the death penalty."

These panelists presented to a group of over 40 people, attempting to grow support for death penalty repeal. Laverne's contributions to the discussion directly assisted in building support for repeal amongst the organization Justice & Beyond, as the group now seems to be moving forward in adopting an official position against the death penalty.

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