SUPPORT THE PETITION: THE DEATH PENALTY AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

In this country, people and the courts still are debating if the death penalty constitutes a legally prohibited "cruel and unusual punishment," but there is less and less debate about torturous conditions of solitary confinement. All complaints that were filed to U.S. Courts agree that Solitary Confinement violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of Cruel and Unusual Punishment.

No rational legislature, judge or jury could ever impose Cruel and Unusual Punishment or Torture on anyone. It's prohibited by the Eighth Amendment, Customary International Law, and offends the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.

And nevertheless, many death row inmates in this country spend 15, 20 or more years in torturous conditions of confinement without any legitimate penological purpose but that they were sentenced to death. This is the result of the dysfunctional postconviction system. Such a system is unconstitutional, inhumane, and requires that the death sentence be vacated.

The damage inflicted by solitary confinement cannot be undone or reversed, but a remedy for this form of torture must be provided.

The author of this petition is Jurijus Kadamovas, a prisoner on federal death row who along with the ACLU of Indiana has sued to halt the use of solitary confinement on the federal death row.

Learn more about solitary confinement issues here.