Surrey Law School students help improve justice for death penalty cases
Every Wednesday, our students volunteer for , a charity that raises awareness of the importance of fair trial rights in death row cases, focussing on issues such as race, poverty, mental illness, and inadequate legal representation.
The organisation involves students from both the UK and US in investigations into whether death sentences are applied fairly and in-line with the US Constitution鈥檚 prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
Law postgraduate research student, Jessica Mathew (pictured), helps run the Amicus clinics with Professor Liz Williams, supervising the student volunteers in their work.
Jessica explains: 鈥淲e support students in understanding key legal terminology found in American court documents and help clarify broader concepts 鈥 such as why the United States retains the death penalty, while the UK does not鈥.*
The most valuable aspect of this experience was the fact that I got to see the real and human side behind each death penalty victim鈥檚 story. Coming into contact with this reality first-hand and reading through true stories made me realise how real and complex the issue actually is.
Student volunteer, AmicusFor two hours each week during term-time, students research the use of capital punishment in the US. Through Amicus, they have access to a range of materials, including case files, witness statements and other critical documents related to each case that have been acquired by Amicus. Two of our students, Piper and Rebekah, were fortunate to attend the Amicus Death Penalty training, further deepening their knowledge and commitment to the project.
At the clinics, students also get the chance to compare and contrast sentencing guidelines to observe how differently offences are defined, classified and criminalised in the US and the UK. On a much broader level, volunteers also reflect on the underlying goals of a criminal justice system and why it exists in the first place.
My perspective on the death penalty has changed after my experience with Amicus. It helped me realise just how unfair the system can be and how deeply flawed and, at times, even corrupt it is when it comes to such a cruel and irreversible form of punishment.
Student volunteer, AmicusChanging views on the death penalty
Jessica explains that at the start of the semester, they divide the student volunteers into two groups: one with those who were firmly against the death penalty, and the second for those who were not entirely sure where they stood. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud to say that the first group has now deepened their understanding and identified a range of reasons for their stance 鈥 and the second group has come to a clear, informed position against the death penalty.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a combination of factors, such as the importance of proportionate sentencing, the risk of new evidence emerging years later, and the reality that marginalised groups often lack access to quality legal representation and legal aid that prevents many from having a fair chance to defend their case.鈥
All lives are equal. No one鈥檚 life is worth more than another鈥檚. When we allow systems that are inconsistent, biased, or flawed to decide who deserves to live or die, we lose sight of justice.
Student volunteer, AmicusForging friendships
The Amicus clinics become a space where our students form meaningful friendships whilst putting into practice what they have learned in the classroom. Jessica says: 鈥淢eeting for two hours each week to delve into some quite disturbing cases and evidence, we鈥檝e all developed a strong bond, supporting one another as we realise the importance of the work we do for some of the most vulnerable in society.鈥
* This is because of the UK鈥檚 commitment as signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Read here for more information about the opportunities we offer our Law students to practise what they learn in the classroom
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