The Death Penalty Resource & Defense Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting a fair and just criminal justice system for capital defendants.  Our mission is to improve the quality of representation afforded to indigent defendants who are charged with a capital crime or who are currently under a sentence of death.  We work toward this goal through three core activities:

Direct Representation -- Resource staff directly represent death row inmates at all levels of the appellate process, concentrating primarily on state post-conviction and federal habeas corpus proceedings.  We also provide consulting services to other attorneys working on capital cases and work with teams of pro bono attorneys who assist local counsel in direct representation. 

Resources & Training -- The organization serves as a resource center for attorneys appointed on capital cases.  Attorneys, students, and other interested persons can access a wide variety of resource materials from us.  We also sponsor training programs and seminars on capital defense issues, which are designed to give capital defense teams the tools they need to effectively advocate for their clients. 

Policy Reform -- The Death Penalty Resource & Defense Center advocates for policy changes aimed at addressing systemic flaws in the capital punishment process.  Staff members and volunteers also participate in public education and awareness through public speaking engagements, publications and other joint projects with educational institutions. 

Emily C. Paavola is the current Executive Director of the Death Penalty Resource & Defense Center.  Ms. Paavola is a graduate of Baylor University and Cornell Law School.  After law school, she served as a Project Fellow for the Cornell Death Penalty Project in Ithaca, New York and worked as an associate in the business litigation practice group at Baker & Daniels LLP in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Former Directors include John H. Blume, Teresa L. Norris and Susan B. Hackett.