National Death Penalty Archive

National Death Penalty Archive

Researchers, writers, activists, and records on capital punishment in the United States.

The National Death Penalty Archive (NDPA) is a partnership between the University at Albany Libraries and the Capital Punishment Research Initiative (CPRI) at the University's School of Criminal Justice. In 1999, researchers at the School of Criminal Justice formally established the CPRI. Its overarching goals were research and education -- initiate capital punishment research activities, facilitate collaboration among researchers, and make findings and information available to legal and criminal justice policymakers, practitioners, and the public. One of the original goals of the CPRI was to establish and maintain a collection of archival materials documenting the important history of capital punishment, and to provide resources for historical scholarship. This growing collection of archival materials is housed in the M.E. Grenander Department of Special Collections and Archives, which is located in the University's state of the art Science Library. Open since 1999, the new archival repository includes climate-controlled storage for more than 25,000 cubic feet. The following collections have been acquired for the NDPA through the collaborative efforts of the CPRI and the University Libraries; work is continuing to build this important link to the history of capital punishment in the United States.

National Death Penalty Archive

National Death Penalty Archive Collections

Acker, James; Papers 1989-2013

This collection contains a substantial amount of material on the death penalty in New York State created or collected by Dr. James Acker. It also consists of Dr. Acker's research materials and other initiatives involving capital punishment which he was involved in while teaching at the University at Albany School of Criminal Justice.

Ainsworth, Steven King; Papers 1993-2018

The Steven King Ainsworth Papers contain his artwork and writings, including "Heads Up" bulletins written by Ainsworth for prison inmates sentenced to life, life without parole, and their advocates.

Babbitt, Bill; Collection 1967-2016

The Bill Babbitt Collection documents nearly ten years of legal efforts to spare his brother Manny Babbitt's life from execution, and two decades of advocacy activities to try to abolish the death penalty.

Baldus, David; Papers 1965-2011

The David C. Baldus Papers document the distinguished legal research career of David C. Baldus, which includes the most sophisticated challenges to capital punishment in the United States since the reinstatement of the Death Penalty in 1976. Included is material from the Georgia Charging & Sentencing Study, which was used as evidence in the McCleskey v. Kemp (1987) decision. Similar studies involving capital sentencing in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Military are also detailed, as is Baldus's formal reports to the supreme courts of a number of other states. Also present is material documenting Baldus's long career as the Joseph B. Tye Professor of Law at the University of Iowa Law School. This includes teaching material, presentations, publications, and material documenting faculty service.

Bedau, Hugo A.; Papers 1954-2005

Hugo A. Bedau (Ph.D., Harvard, 1961) was a commentator, scholar, and activist for the abolition of capital punishment. He was a prominent spokesperson in the abolitionist movement and well-known for his scholarship and writing concerning the death penalty and the challenge to separate logical arguments from moral arguments.

Bienen, Leigh B.; Papers 1872, 1935, 1951-2011, Undated, bulk 1971-2011

The Leigh Bienen Papers include the records of the New Jersey Proportionality Review Project, the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Commission, and the academic research papers of legal scholar Leigh Bienen. The New Jersey records contain material from New Jersey Public Defender Homicide Study directed by Bienen in the mid-1980s. The collection also includes the records from Bienen's involvement with the New Jersey Proportionality Review Project headed by Special Master David C. Baldus. Also present is material from Leigh Bienen's tenure on the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Commission which resulted in the abolition of the death penalty in that state in 2011. Finally the collection contains Leigh Bienen's scholarly research material during her career teaching at both Princeton University and Northwestern University. Her research focused on proportionality review, the death penalty's monetary costs, and the role of prosecutor discretion.

Bonowitz, Abraham J.; Papers 1977-2015, bulk 1977-2015

For more than three decades, Abraham J. Bonowitz has worked to educate the public about human rights problems, in particular the death penalty and the need for alternatives to the death penalty. During this time he served in numerous director, consultant, managerial, and activist roles with leading advocacy and death penalty abolitionist organizations.

Capital Defender Office; Records 1975-2007, bulk 1995-2007

The Capital Defender Office (1995-2008) (CDO) was established as part of New York States 1995 death penalty legislation which took effect on September 1, 1995. Under the new law, the State expanded the crime of first degree murder and introduced two new penalties, death and life in prison without possibility of parole, for those convicted. Working from offices in Albany, New York City, and Rochester, the CDO sought to ensure that defendants being tried by the State, who could not afford representation, receive skilled counsel in capital cases. The CDO closed its Rochester office in 2005, and, as no state death penalty cases remain, the Albany and New York City offices in 2008. This collection consists of news clips (filed by subject), subject files, bound records of appeal in the cases of the People v. Cahill, Harris, LaValle, Mateo, McCoy, and Taylor, notebooks with appellate briefs, New York county court papers arranged by county, government studies, reports and debates on capital punishment, annual reports, and a small number of VHS tapes recording court proceedings. There are defendant case files, some with correspondence, court papers, and news clips and others with just news clips.

Capital Jury Project; Records 1941-2011

The Capital Jury Project (CJP) was started in 1991 under the direction of principal investigator, William J. Bowers. The project was funded by a NSF grant. There are three phases to the project.

Catholics Against Capital Punishment; Records 1972-2010

The Catholics Against Capital Punishment Records is a small collection that contains several articles, statements, and pamphlets making a case against the death penalty from a Catholic standpoint.

Correctional Association of New York; Records 1844-1988

The Correctional Association of New York Records includes records from the Board of Directors, annual reports, prison visit files, Narcotics Committee files, program and bureau files, project files, subject files, and publications. The only records of the organization available from the nineteenth century are the annual reports, which have been microfilmed and are available in the University Library.

Deans, Marie; Papers 1957-2015

This collection documents the death penalty abolitionist work of Marie McFadden Deans. A smaller amount of personal materials, such as Deans' poetry and writing, also is included.

Death Row Support Project; Records 1984-2023

This collection documents the Death Row Support Project, a project of the Church of the Brethren, which connects individuals incarcerated on Death Row with pen pals.

Espy, Watt; Papers 1730-2008

The M. Watt Espy papers chronicle the extensive research efforts that led to the creation of the Capital Punishment Research Project and the database known as the Espy File. Espy spent three decades gathering and indexing documentation of legal executions in the United States. His papers contain both primary and secondary sources used to catalog thousands of instances of capital punishment in the United States and its territories since the 1600s. The collection includes material from corrections records, newspapers, county histories, legal proceedings, and books. In addition to the records pertaining specifically to the death penalty, there is also a selection of magazines collected by Espy that cover true crime stories as well as life in the American Old West.

Filler, Judith; Papers 1991-2010

This collection contains material related to the dealth penalty abolitionist work of Judith "Jude" Filler in Texas.

Fitzgerald, Celeste; Papers 1996-2012

This collection documents the extensive work of death penalty abolitionist Celeste Fitzgerald in the State of New Jersey.

Ford, Alvin; Collection 1965-1995

This collection documents the seventeen-year period (1974-1991) concerning the Florida capital punishment case of Alvin Ford. The collection primarily contains the court records and research material of Ford's attorney, Laurin A. Wollan, Jr., as well as other members of the Ford defense team who began work on the case in 1981. The legal records include official court proceedings from the initial trial in 1974, appeals, attempts at clemency, and several cases by Ford against the Florida Department of Corrections. Other legal records include psychological reports, background reports, biographies of Ford, as well as his prison and medical records.

Gross, Robert; Papers 1973-1997

This collection includes materials created or collected during Robert (Bob) Gross' work with the organizations National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and Journey of Hope...from Violence to Healing as well as the Lighting the Torch of Conscience initiative.

Hall, Steve; Papers 1978-2010

This collection documents Steve Hall's work with and knowledge of criminal justice and the death penalty, especially in Texas.

Halperin, Rick; Papers 1982-2000

Death penalty abolitionist who worked with many anti-death penalty organizations, capital defense attorneys, representatives of various communities of faith, newspaper editorial boards, victims' rights groups, members of the families of the condemned, and many death row inmates throughout the country.

Hawkins, Steven; Papers 1991-2003

Records of Steven W. Hawkins's tenure as Executive Director of the National Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The papers include extensive minutes of board meetings, speeches, travel arrangements, fundraising and reception notes, and pamphlets and other papers relating to his attendance at various board and committee meetings with related organizations.

Herrera, Leonel; Collection 1954-2007

The Herrera Collection contain materials associated with the life and trial of Leonel Herrera, as well as materials included in the book <emph render="italic">Last Words from Death Row: The Walls Unit</emph>, written by Leonel Herrera's sister, Norma Herrera Ellis.

Hogenauer, Clare; Papers 1999-2006, Undated

The Clare Hogenauer Papers document her activism against the death penalty.

Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Records; Records 1963-2011

The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (ICADP) formed in 1976 as the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty by Mary Alice Rankin and other activist groups and organizations to try to prevent passage of capital punishment legislation in Illinois. After the state adopted the death penalty in 1977, ICADP expanded its grassroots legislative, education, and communication activities to try to inform the public about flaws and injustices in the Illinois capital punishment system and promote humane alternatives to the death penalty.

Keator, Karli; Papers 1987-2006

Convicted of a 2000 murder in Texas and sentenced to death, Deon Tumblin committed suicide in his cell in 2004. This collection contains research materials about the Tumblin case, compiled by then graduate student Karli Keator.

Koosed, Margery; Papers 1986-2008

This collection contains materials related to the capital punishment case of Richard Cooey, executed in Ohio in 2008 for homicide.

Maryland Citizens Against State Executions; Records 1962-2013

The Maryland Citizens Against State Executions (Maryland or MD CASE) Records contain documents from over 25 groups and 1,300 individuals that united to help successfully end the death penalty in Maryland in 2013 through education, grassroots action, and public demonstration. The collection consists of correspondence, meeting minutes, legislation, lobbying materials, subject files, special event and conference materials, case files and clippings.

Mello, Michael; Papers 1800-2008, bulk 1970-2004

Michael A. Mello (1957-2008) was an internationally recognized authority on the death penalty and capital punishment issues. He was a lawyer, professor, and author. Michael Mello served as counsel or informal advisor to many significant cases, including Joseph Robert Crazy Joe Spaziano, Theodore Kaczynski, Theodore Bundy, Rolando Cruz, Alvin Ford, Stephen Todd Booker, and Robert Straight.

Meltsner, Michael; Papers 1973-2005

Michael Meltsner is a prominent lawyer and civil rights activist. Meltsner is also an opponent of the death penalty. The collection contains assorted capital punishment materials including clippings, journal articles, correspondence and files used in writing the death penalty chapters of Michael Meltsner's book, The Making of a Civil Rights Lawyer.

Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation; Records 1977-2007, bulk 1994-2003

The Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation Records document the organization's efforts to abolish the death penalty in all cases. The organization includes family members of both homicide victims and those executed as well as their respective supporter. Included in the collection are handwritten notes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, brochures, booklets, programs, information packets, photographs, flyers, proofs, drafts, manuscripts, correspondence, memos, transcripts, mailing lists, schedules, meeting agenda, meeting minutes, meeting summaries, by-laws, manuals, checklists, worksheets, evaluation forms, resumes, applications, forms, financial summaries, budgets, contracts, court proceedings, legislative bills, amici curiae, memorabilia, audio/video materials.

National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty; Records 1972-2006, Undated, bulk 1981-2006

Since 1976 the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty has been working to educate the public about the failings and inconsistencies of capital punishment in the United States. Founded after the Gregg v. Georgia Supreme Court decision in 1976, the NCADP has emerged as one of the more influential national anti-death penalty organizations. The collection contains the group's internal case files, administrative material, publications, petitions, photographic materials, video tapes, and audio cassettes.

Pelke, Bill; Papers 1965-2007, Undated

Bill Pelke is a leader in the national death penalty abolition movement. This collection documents Bill Pelke's involvement with Journey of Hope...from Violence to Healing, Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation (MVFR), National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP), Amnesty International, and other organizations committed to ending capital punishment in the United States.

Powell, David Lee; Papers 1978-2010

This collection contains materials from David Lee Powell's cell on Death Row in Texas at the time of his execution on June 15, 2010.

Schwarzschild, Henry; Memorial Collection 1926-2013, Undated

The Henry Schwarzschild Memorial Collection contains papers, journal articles and other written materials about the death penalty. Lansing, Michigan attorney and death penalty opponent Eugene G. Wanger donated this collection in memory of Henry Schwarzschild (1925-1996), longtime director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Capital Punishment Project, and head of the New York office of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty at the time of his death.

Semel, Elisabeth; Collection 1977-2012

Elisabeth Semel's papers primarily consist of articles published from the 1990s to early 2000s used by Semel in her research and work concerning the death penalty.

Sorensen, Jonathan; Papers 1973-2004

This collection consists of Professor Jonathan Sorensen's audio and paper materials documenting the 1973 re-establishment of the death penalty in Texas.

Southern Coalition on Jails and Prisons; Records 1970-1992

Organized in 1974, the Southern Coalition on Jails and Prisons was formed to promote greater awareness of the problems of prisons and corrections, improve communication between the prison population and the outside world, and advocate for alternatives to the death penalty.

Streib, Victor; Papers 1908-2012, Undated, bulk 1978-2007

The Victor Streib Papers contain research materials and legal case files on the death penalty in the United States with a focus on how it has been applied to women and juveniles.

Van den Haag, Ernest; Papers 1935-2000

This collection is predominantly composed of Ernest van den Haag's publications from 1950-2000, including articles in published form, drafts, and related correspondence.

Vandiver, Margaret; Papers 1975-2012

The Margaret Vandiver Papers document Dr. Vandiver's research in capital punishment, involvement with abolitionist organizations, and work with individuals sentenced to death.

Von Drehle, David; Papers 1897-2003

The David Von Drehle Papers contain information on the death penalty, primarily in Florida. Von Drehle compiled the materials while researching his 1995 book Among the Lowest of the Dead: Inside Death Row.

Walsh, Jeffrey; Collection 1985-2002

This collection documents investigator Jeffrey Walsh's work on the Frank Lee Smith case. Smith was convicted of rape and murder and served 14 years on Death Row in Florida before dying of cancer. Less than a year after his death he was exonerated.

Wanger, Eugene G. and Marilyn M. Wanger Death Penalty; Collection 1754-2022

For over six decades, Eugene G. Wanger created or collected the materials about capital punishment that comprise the Eugene G. Wanger and Marilyn M. Wanger Death Penalty Collection. The collection includes a wide range of materials on the death penalty documenting its history, efforts to abolish or reinstate the practice, its psychological impact, compatibility on religious, moral or ethical grounds, and its operation.

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David Baldus Papers, 1965-2011

The David C. Baldus Papers document the distinguished legal research career of David C. Baldus, which includes the most sophisticated challenges to capital punishment in the United States since the reinstatement of the Death Penalty in 1976. Included is material from the Georgia Charging & Sentencing Study, which was used as evidence in the McCleskey v. Kemp (1987) decision. Similar studies involving capital sentencing in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Military are also detailed, as is Baldus's formal reports to the supreme courts of a number of other states. Also present is material documenting Baldus's long career as the Joseph B. Tye Professor of Law at the University of Iowa Law School. This includes teaching material, presentations, publications, and material documenting faculty service.

M. Watt Espy Papers, 1730-2008

The M. Watt Espy papers chronicle the extensive research efforts that led to the creation of the Capital Punishment Research Project and the database known as the Espy File. Espy spent three decades gathering and indexing documentation of legal executions in the United States. His papers contain both primary and secondary sources used to catalog thousands of instances of capital punishment in the United States and its territories since the 1600s. The collection includes material from corrections records, newspapers, county histories, legal proceedings, and books. In addition to the records pertaining specifically to the death penalty, there is also a selection of magazines collected by Espy that cover true crime stories as well as life in the American Old West.
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