Brenda Andrew was condemned to die in Oklahoma County, OK after a 2004 trial in which prosecutors referred to her as a “slut puppy,” paraded her underwear before the jury, and berated her for her mothering skills. These unconstitutional tactics bore no relation to the crime Brenda had been accused of committing—the murder of her husband, Robert Andrew. So why did the prosecution do it? The offense bore few hallmarks of a capital case, and Brenda had no criminal record. But by taking every opportunity to demonize Brenda’s appearance, demeanor, sexual history, and motherhood, the prosecution stripped Brenda of her very identity as a woman and argued that her gender transgressions should be punishable by death.

Join SPARC (Stanford Prison Abolition Resource Center) and the Stanford Criminal Justice Center in welcoming the attorneys from Phillips Black to discuss their legal advocacy (including winning at the Supreme Court) and social media strategy around this case. This conversation will be moderated by Professor Easha Anand.