Redeeming Justice

Kempis “Ghani” Songster and Professor Rachel Lopez

March 14, 2022
12:00 – 1:00 pm CT
Strawn Hall

Or attend on Zoom at this link

The Northwestern University Law Review is honored to invite the NLaw community to a lunch discussion on Monday, March 14 from 12:00-1:00 PM featuring Kempis “Ghani” Songster and Professor Rachel Lopez to discuss their article, Redeeming Justice. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Shobha Mahadev, clinical professor in the Children and Family Justice Center.

Along with their coauthor Terrell Carter, Songster and Professor Lopez argue that there is a fundamental human right to redemption, rendering life without parole sentences both inhumane and unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. The piece draws from the lived experiences of coauthors Carter and Songster, both of whom were sentenced to life without parole over three decades ago. This, combined with an interpretation of the Eighth Amendment as protective of human dignity and discussion of international law, lays out a powerful argument against condemning human beings to death by incarceration.

The discussion will take place in Strawn Hall. Lunch will be provided for attendees to enjoy after the discussion ends. Coffee and tea will also be available. Those who cannot attend in-person may view the discussion live on Zoom. We will monitor the chat for questions from virtual attendees during the event.

If you are interested, you can read Redeeming Justice in Vol. 116.2 of the Northwestern University Law Review here.