Action alert from the Innocence Project for death row prisoner Pervis Payne

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(Learn more about Pervis Payne here.)

This action alert has just been released by the Innocence Project:

My son, Pervis Payne, has been on death row in Tennessee for 33 years for a crime he’s always said he didn’t commit. He also has an intellectual disability, which should exempt him from execution, but Tennessee has no procedure for him to present his disability claim in state court. In November 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee granted Pervis a temporary reprieve of his execution. That reprieve ends on April 9, which means the State can set a new execution date for him at any moment. Right now, Pervis’ legal team is doing everything possible to secure justice for him, but we need your help, too. Please watch this video from me and my daughter Rolanda about Pervis and then share it on Facebook and Twitter to get the word out about his situation. Pervis was born prematurely and he was so small, but we had great plans for him because he was our oldest child and, for a while, we thought he might be our only child. He was always such a sweet, loving son and shared a close bond with his sisters. However, in 1987, he was arrested and convicted of a crime he’s always maintained he didn’t commit and has been suffering on death row for the last three decades. People with intellectual disabilities are at particular risk for wrongful conviction and execution, which is why the Supreme Court banned the execution of anyone with an intellectual disability in 2002. We need to put pressure on Tennessee’s leaders to do the right thing and get justice for my son. So please spread the word about my son’s situation by watching my video and then sharing it on Facebook and Twitter. The Innocence Project has been instrumental in defending my son and your support would mean so much to me and my family. Thank you for your support and prayers for my son.  Pastor Carl Payne

The Innocence Project exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. www.innocenceproject.org Copyright © 2021 Innocence Project, All rights reserved. 212.364.5340 info@innocenceproject.org