Jack Alderman is the longest serving prisoner on death row in the USA. Sentenced to death in June1975 for the murder of his wife, Jack has been on death row for over 33 years and is scheduled to die by lethal injection on 16th September.

John Brown, a neighbour and former colleague of Jack’s, confessed to killing Jack’s wife Barbara Jean and staging an accident. He later said that he and Jack had killed her together and that Jack had promised to pay him for his role in the killing. No other evidence was presented at trial – just one man’s word.

Both men were sentenced to death but Brown later pled guilty in return for a prison sentence and was freed after serving 12 years. Jack, however, has always claimed his innocence. In 1985 he refused the opportunity to have his sentence commuted to life in return for a guilty plea; he said that he cannot confess to a crime that he did not commit.

Jack received a stay of execution last October while a decision on the lethal injection was pending in the Supreme Court. Following the court’s decision earlier this year that death by lethal injection does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment, executions have resumed across the country and Jack has been issued with a death warrant.

Reprieve’s Director Clive Stafford Smith said “I first met Jack in 1981, 27 years later the state of Georgia still want to execute him. He is an old man now compared to when I first met him, it is just obscene”.

Reprieve is deeply troubled by Jack’s case. Jack’s lawyers have filed a petition to present evidence for executive clemency before the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. We ask all those concerned about Jack’s case to write to the Board at the address below (using your own words or the letter at the end of this message) asking them to allow Jack to present this evidence and grant him clemency. Please also send a separate copy of your letter to info@reprieve.org.uk

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Sample Letter

State Board of Pardons and Paroles
2 Martin Luther King Jr Drive
East Tower, Suite 458
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

FAX: 00 1 404 651 6670
E-mail: Clemency_Information@pap.state.ga.us

Dear Sirs,

May I please draw your attention to the case of Jack Alderman who is scheduled for execution on 16th September 2008.

Jack has been on death row for over 33 years for a murder he maintains that he did not commit. I am extremely concerned about the length of time Jack has spent on death row. Waiting for this length of time for a death sentence to be carried out is undoubtedly torture.

It is deeply troubling to me that Georgia may carry out this execution and I urge the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles to find the compassion to hear from those whose lives have been changed by Jack before he is put to death. I would also urge the Board to consider granting Jack executive clemency in this matter.

Yours sincerely.