The National Coaliton Against the Death Penalty (NCADP) just sent us this press release:

The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Thursday called on Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute the death sentence of James Clark, a mentally retarded man scheduled to be executed April 27. "Texas may not flout the highest court in the United States," said David Elliot, NCADP communications director. "Prosecutors and judges may not like the outcome of Atkins. But to allow this execution to proceed would create a stain of embarrassment that will not be easily hidden or soon removed."

The details and action alert are here. Please contact Gov. Perry and urge that he stop the execution of James Clark. Please further urge the governor to declare a moratorium on all Texecutions.

Yesterday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals vacated the death sentence of another retarded prisoner, Willie Mack Modden. It also vacated the death sentence of Kenneth Vodochodks, a prisoner for whom the Court found the evidence insufficient that he aided the triggerman.

Modden is the first Texas inmate to have his death sentence commuted by the Court of Criminal Appeals since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that execution of retarded inmates is unconstitutional.