American Civil Liberties Union

The American Civil Liberties Union is named as one of the organizations Dick approached in his effort to challenge his conviction. Its role in the account is specific but limited: it is a recipient of his legal protest and request for help, with no response or institutional action described.

Role in Dick’s Appeal

While imprisoned on death row, Dick spent hours reading law books and assembling research he hoped might help reverse his conviction. He also sent letters to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Kansas State Bar Association, disputing the fairness of his trial and urging both organizations to help him secure a new trial. The passage presents the Union as one point of appeal in a broader campaign, rather than as the sole or principal target of his efforts.

Perry’s Involvement and the Limits of the Record

Dick persuaded Perry Smith to prepare similar pleas. The account does not specify whether Perry’s letters went to the American Civil Liberties Union, nor does it report that the Union answered either man or intervened in the case. Its documented connection to the narrative therefore rests on Dick’s appeal for assistance; the outcome of that appeal is left unstated.