Capital Punishment Center

Events

The Capital Punishment Center sponsors a range of events during the academic year, including conferences, lectures, and panel presentations. These events bring together students, faculty, practicing attorneys, judges and public leaders to examine issues related to the death penalty in Texas.

Upcoming Event

• "Mass Incarceration and the Death Penalty" March 22 - 23, 2013

Past Events

• "Dead Man Walking: The Journey Continues," with Sister Helen Prejean, October 11, '12, 2 p.m. (flyer, press)
• “Lynching and the Death Penalty,” A symposium focusing on the historical link between lynching and the death penalty, their similarities and differences, and the enduring role of lynching and race discrimination in contemporary capital litigation. March 23 - 24, 2012. (website, flyer)
  • Video of talk
• "Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Ray Bonner to discuss recent book, Anatomy of Injustice." March 5, 2012 (press)
• "The American Death Penalty in the 21st Century: The Direction of Legislative Change and the Prospects for Legislative Abolition" April 9 - 10, 2010.
• “Imprisoned by the Past — The Enduring Role of Race in the American Death Penalty.” April 16, 2009. Read more...
• “Capital Defense Lawyering and Practice — A Celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Capital Punishment Clinic at UT School of Law”. The celebration included a symposium from 12:30–5:15 p.m. at the Law School, followed by a buffet dinner and party from 6:30–9:00 p.m. November 13, 2008. Read more…
  The symposium opened with a special presentation by Stephen Bright, President of the Southern Center for Human Rights and a Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School, who is a dynamic speaker and a long-time leader in the capital defense field. Other speakers included Judge Patrick Higginbotham, Richard Burr, and Judge Charlie Baird. There were also two panels: one featuring clinic alumni who have remained involved in capital defense practice, and one reflecting on changes in the capital defense landscape in Texas over the last twenty years.
• “Capital Punishment and the Supreme Court” — Presentation by Professors Rob Owen and Jordan Steiker on capital punishment issues facing the U.S. Supreme Court. This First Monday discussion commemorated the opening day of the Supreme Court term. October 6, 2008.
• “A Special Hearing on Capital Punishment: Perspectives at the Death House Door” — A panel of legal experts, elected officials, scholars and individuals with personal experiences surrounding executions discussed current issues related to the death penalty. Co-sponsored with the Independent Film Channel. March 5, 2008. Read more…
• “Capital Punishment Stories” — The conference featured presentations and discussion by leading scholars and practitioners about landmark death penalty cases. Papers from the conference will be published in the forthcoming book Capital Punishment Stories (Blume and J. Steiker, eds.), by Foundation Press in its Law Stories Series. November 2–3, 2007. Read more…
• “Capital Punishment and the Supreme Court” — Presentation by Professors Rob Owen and Jordan Steiker on capital punishment issues facing the U.S. Supreme Court. This First Monday discussion commemorated the opening day of the Supreme Court term. October 1, 2007.
• “Capital Representation in Transition: Emerging Standards and Effective Enforcement” — The symposium addressed the increased efforts of courts, legislatures, and bar organizations to improve representation in capital cases. Panelists included judges, members of bar committees focused on capital representation, lawyers and academics. February 8, 2007. Read more…
• Inauguration of the Capital Punishment Center — A reception was held to announce and celebrate the establishment of the Capital Punishment Center to expand the Law School’s academic focus on the death penalty. April 6, 2006. Read more…