Notre Dame Law School to Host Inaugural Death Penalty Abolition Week, March 24-27, 2025

Notre Dame Law School will host its inaugural Death Penalty Abolition Week from Monday, March 24 to Thursday, March 27, 2025. The series of events, hosted by the Notre Dame Law School Exoneration Justice Clinic and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights, aims to raise awareness of the tragic miscarriages of justice caused by wrongful convictions, the systemic issues leading to these injustices, and the complex intersection between wrongful convictions and the death penalty. Participating co-sponsors include the American Civil Liberties Union, Notre Dame Law School’s Black Law Students Association, the Notre Dame Exoneration Project, and Notre Dame Law School’s Death Penalty Abolition Society.

The week will feature a variety of powerful discussions and firsthand accounts from exonerees, advocates, and experts committed to criminal justice reform, and all the events are open to the public. The events will be recorded and available for later viewing on Notre Dame Law School's YouTube channel and the Exoneration Justice Clinic’s website.

Notre Dame Law School’s Death Penalty Abolition Week includes the following event schedule:

Monday, March 24, 2025 | 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in 1130 Eck

Yusef Salaam, Central Park Five Exoneree and New York City Councilman, Delayed But Not Denied

At just 15 years old, Yusef Salaam was wrongfully convicted in the infamous Central Park jogger case, alongside four other Black and Latino teens. The Exonerated Five spent between seven to 13 years behind bars for crimes they did not commit, until their sentences were overturned in 2002. Since then, Salaam has become a prominent advocate for criminal justice reform, the impact of mass incarceration and police brutality, and the abolition of juvenile solitary confinement and capital punishment.

In his talk, Salaam will share his personal story and discuss the impact of wrongful convictions, shedding light on its profound emotional and social toll on both individuals and their families.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 | 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in 1130 Eck

Erin Barnhart and Lamont Hunter, Ohio Death Row Exoneree and His Attorney

Erin Gallagher Barnhart ‘05 J.D. serves as the assistant federal public defender for the Southern District of Ohio’s Capital Habeas Unit. In her work she represents death row inmates in federal habeas, civil rights litigation, and state clemency matters. Barnhart graduated summa cum laude from Notre Dame Law School, where she was an editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and earned the Farabaugh Prize for High Scholarship in Law.

Lamont Hunter spent nearly 18 years on Ohio’s death row. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 2007 on charges of child endangerment, aggravated murder, and rape in the death of his 3-year-old son, Trustin, who suffered fatal injuries after accidentally falling down the stairs.

During habeas proceedings, defense counsel discovered exonerating evidence, and Hunter was granted a motion for a new trial and vacated his capital convictions. To obtain his freedom, he pleaded guilty to lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment and was sentenced to time served. Since his release in 2023, Hunter has been rebuilding and reconnecting with his family and community while graciously sharing his story of wrongful incarceration and insight into the US criminal legal system.

Hunter will discuss his journey from wrongful conviction to freedom, while Barnhart will highlight the critical role of legal advocacy in challenging injustice and securing fair outcomes.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in the McCartan Courtroom

Syl Schieber, When the Death Penalty Got Personal

Syl Schieber ’72 M.A., ’74 Ph.D., became a staunch opponent of the death penalty after his daughter, Shannon, was murdered in 1998. When Philadelphia's district attorney announced her intent to seek the death penalty for the murderer, Schieber and his wife, Vicki, led a successful campaign against pursuing capital punishment in the case.

Schieber's opposition to the death penalty has been deeply motivated by his Catholic faith and belief in the sanctity of human life.

In this session, Schieber will recount his personal journey and reflect on the decades of tireless advocacy that he and his wife have championed to abolish the death penalty in the United States.

Thursday, March 27, 2025 | 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in the McCartan Courtroom

Sister Helen Prejean, The Sanctity of Human Life

Sister Helen Prejean, a leading voice for the abolition of the death penalty, has dedicated her life to advocating for human dignity. After witnessing multiple executions, she became a fierce critic of capital punishment. Her book, Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States, exposed the brutal realities of capital punishment and sparked a nationwide movement. Sister Helen embarked on a speaking tour that continues to this day.

Over the decades, she personally appealed to two popes, John Paul II and Pope Francis, urging the Catholic Church to oppose the death penalty unequivocally. Following their meeting in August 2018, Pope Francis announced new language in the Catholic Catechism declaring the death penalty inadmissible as an attack on human dignity.

Sister Helen will share her journey of faith and activism, discussing the impact of her work in the fight to end the death penalty.

Registration Information:

In-person seating is limited and will be guaranteed only for those who register in advance. Please register early to ensure your spot by clicking the button below.

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Originally published by Notre Dame Law School at law.nd.edu on March 10, 2025.