Unbetitelt

Kenneth Foster is a prisoner in Texas. Despite the fact that he wasn’t convicted of being responsible for a murder—only of being present—he was sent to death row in 1996 and came within three hours of execution 11 years later before his sentence was commuted. Both before and after this victory, Kenneth was an outspoken activist and writer, not only on his own behalf, but against the criminal justice system as a whole.

Six years ago today, Texas Governor Rick Perry commuted the death sentence of Kenneth Foster, Jr. If you know anything about Perry, he did not do this out of the kindness of his heart (one cannot possess kindness in something one lacks). Rather, a coalition of Kenneth’s family and anti-death penalty organizers left him with no other choice.

For a chronicle of how it happened, click here.