Information on The Task Force for Justice in the Name of Dror Goldberg
On April 14, 2000, Dror Goldberg was wrongly convicted of murder in Harris County, Texas. Shocked by the outcome of the case, over sixty of Goldberg’s family and friends immediately met to take action to support Dror, his family, and to work for his exoneration.On April 16, 2000, the Task Force for Justice in the Name of Dror Goldberg was formed. The Task Force has grown in both number and scope. Currently over 150 people, all volunteers, have joined. Some know Dror personally, but many do not. Several members have joined because of their familiarity with the Texas Criminal Justice System. New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Arizona, California and Texas are all represented on the Task Force.
Major efforts are made to bring attention to Dror Goldberg’s case, in particular, and, more generally, to the unfair practices of the Texas Criminal Justice system. Events were held to further these efforts: two press conferences following the trial, information sessions in private homes to raise awareness of the issues, meetings with various community leaders, state officials and family members of other wrongly convicted people.
A press kit was produced and a website launched. Volunteers wrote and edited the material and even host the website. On November 6, 2000, the Task Force organized a candlelight vigil to, “Shine Light on the Problems with the Harris County Criminal Justice System” and encouraged people to vote and vote carefully. This vigil drew good media attention. It was featured as “The Big Story” on the local NBC affiliate and was covered by the WB and FOX Channels, as well as featured on CNN Headline News. The vigil was also on the front page of El Dia, a daily Spanish newspaper. The energy and commitment of the Task Force are a testament to the goodness of people and our fundamental need for justice.
Personal Support for Dror: One of the most important goals of the Task Force is to support Dror personally as he lives in the Texas prison system. The Task Force has arranged for Jewish organizations to send religious materials to Dror and have a rabbi visit him. The Task Force has devised a system in which letters are emailed to the taskforce. The Taskforce then prints the letters and sends Dror at least one each day. To join the list of peoople who write to, and, hear from Dror, as well as receive legal updates, please register on our home page. Hundreds of letters from family, friends, supporters, and complete strangers continue to pour in. This has had a great impact on Dror. His knowing that his family and friends are working for him and sending him letters, keeps his spirits up. He has told us many times that without the support and contact of so many members of the taskforce, he does not believe he could have surivived prison this long. This reinforces his motivation to survive this ordeal and perpetuates the hope that he will be free soon. This Spring (2004), the Taskforce was blessed with the volunteer involvement of a marketing firm. The professionals at RMS updated the design and content of the website, along with other volunteers.
