Texas activists rally against capital punishment

A pressing national debate has been sparked by the stories of inmates on death row. Multiple prominent cases have opened the floor for a discussion about the moral ramifications of the death penalty. 

On Saturday, former death row inmates spoke at the 25th Annual March to Abolish the Death Penalty. Every fall, state abolitionists, death row inmates, and allies gather to express their opposition to the state-sanctioned death of inmates on death row. Many of the guests said they are fighting for innocent people like Robert Roberson, who is currently on death row. 

READ MORE: Texas Supreme Court halts Robert Roberson's execution in 'shaken baby syndrome' case

"Altogether, I was locked up for forty years," said Pamala Tise, a former death row inmate. 

Pamala Tise was sentenced to death at the young age of 24. She was convicted on two counts of capital murder. Her initial conviction was overturned back in 1983, but upon retrial she was once again sentenced to death. The following year, she returned to death row, where she remained until the year 2000. 

Pamela Tise

"I was not innocent of my crime. When I did my crime, I was on a lot of drugs and when I came off the drugs a week later and realized what we had done, I turned myself into the police," said Tise. 

However, in 2000, her case took a significant turn when her conviction was overturned due to a conflict of interests. She was removed from death row following a plea bargain that reduced her capital murder charges to two counts of aggravated robbery. 

"So I went in at 24 and came out at 64," said Tise.  

These days, Tise actively campaigns against the death penalty. On Saturday, a group of activists, including Tise, marched in the third ward hoping to put an end to capital punishment. 

"Having someone be executed, to me, would be the easy way out. Spending the rest of your life in prison is a living hell," said Tise.

"Harris County has more people on death row than any state," said Gloria Rubac, the organizer of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement. 

The activists said they hope a court will get to hear the new evidence in Robert Roberson's case when he testifies on Monday.