Main Content

Support for abolition in Kansas extends across the political spectrum
"Kansas criminal justice system is too imperfect to trust it with the death penalty"
Education is an important part of our mission
Some of the Kansans who have lost a loved one to homicide and who call for death penalty abolition
Lobby Day participant jotting notes on her legislative visits
Kansas religious leaders present a faith leader abolition letter with over 430 signatures to legislative allies.
previous arrow
next arrow
 

OUR FEATURED POSTS

The Landscape of the Kansas Death Penalty at 31–Part Two

August 28, 2025

In the first part of this series, we looked at how the law defines capital murder and initial decisions by the prosecutor on charging and the question of death notice.  Those are just the first of a series of decision points in Kansas capital cases.   Decision point 2:  go to trial or plea bargain? In this pre trial phase, both prosecution and defense are gathering data on the defendant and the case.  Sometimes information comes to light that sheds new light on the crime or on the defendant.   If the prosecutor filed capital and gave death notice, as the case […]

[ Read More... ]

The Landscape of the Kansas Death Penalty at 31–Part One

August 18, 2025

  On July 1st, the Kansas death penalty turned 31 years old. KCADP board members have encountered persons who don’t even know Kansas HAS a death penalty.  We hope this article might bring a broader awareness of where capital punishment has been/is being sought in our state. What is capital murder? Under the law, capital murder is defined as intentional premeditated murder with one or more of these factors: kidnapping or aggravated kidnapping for ransom; contract murder; murder of any person by an inmate in a correctional facility; murder of a victim of rape, criminal sodomy, or aggravated criminal sodomy […]

[ Read More... ]

OUR RECENT POSTS

2025 Death Penalty Repeal Legislation Introduced!

HB 2272, by Representatives Schreiber, Ballard, Carmichael, Osman, Sutton and Wasinger, was introduced on February 5th.  It has been referred to House Judiciary. SB 245 was introduced through Senate Judiciary Committee.  It has been referred to Senate Judiciary Committee. Both bills would end … [ Read More... ]

KCADP Nominee Slate Announced

At the annual meeting on November 16th in Lawrence, there will be election of officers and board members for terms beginning Jan. 1, 2025. Terms are two years in length unless otherwise noted. The nominees are Officers: Vice Chair:  Al Terwelp Secretary:  Willmar Harder (1 … [ Read More... ]

Kansas Death Penalty on Trial 2024

Often when people think of the death penalty, their minds go to individual cases.  That is understandable.  What cannot be forgotten however are the questions about how our law operates on a systemic scale. On Monday October 28th Judge Klapper in Wyandotte County District Court began hearing a … [ Read More... ]

Herman Lindsey, Death Row Exoneree, to headline November 16th Conference!

  On November 16th, Herman Lindsey, a Florida death row exoneree, will be the keynote at KCADP’s “All in for Repeal” conference in Lawrence.   Conference Details: The event will begin with a brief KCADP annual business meeting at 1 p.m. followed immediately by the conference.  The … [ Read More... ]

..”.the ultimate failed big government program”..

On August 14th,  “Kansas’ death penalty is the ultimate failed big government program. Time to end it | Opinion” was published in the Kansas City Star and the Wichita Eagle.   Authored by Senator Carolyn McGinn and Kelson Bohnet, a capital litigator and KCADP board member, the commentary … [ Read More... ]