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Post by CCADP on May 10, 2005 5:56:34 GMT -5
www.oranous.com/Lots of legal documents; court arguments; letters from Juan etc can be found on the site above maintained by Florida Support group. CCADPs original Juan Melendez page containing information he sent us during his last three years on death row are at : www.ccadp.org/juanmelendez.htmand news articles about Juan's visit and speaking engagement in Toronto can be found by scrolling to the March area of the CCADP news at www.ccadp.org/news2005.htm
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Post by ex member on May 11, 2005 9:23:41 GMT -5
It is cases like this one and many others that support a need to call an end to all death sentences across our nation. We need to stop this madness. 17 years on death row is a horribly long time to be away from family, friends and life, the persuit of happiness, the blue skies, the green grass all for a crime in which he did not commit. Lets thank God he wasn't killed for it. He is not the only one, there are many others like him and there will be many more if this doesn't end. What can we do? I'm a simple person who knew nothing of capital punishment until 14 months ago, my eyes were opened to things I never knew existed!! horrible, henious things. I've been on both sides, losing a loved one to murder, and loving another who was condemned to die for murder. The death penalty is wrong regardless of which side your views come from. It is taking the lives of our people, destroying the lives of those left behind and does not bring a sense of justice or closure for the victims family that remains here.
How can we stop it, what can someone like me do?
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Post by CCADP on May 11, 2005 9:34:37 GMT -5
someone in your position has a LOT of power; as you say you have seen things on both sides.
I know the name of only one victim of the Oklahoma bombing - and I know stuff about her life; and who she was; and what a loss her death was for all of us.
Julie Welch.
Why ? Because her brave father honours her name and speaks of her around the world; and he speaks of how he felt anger and wanted to kill or die when she died; and he speaks of how he came back to his - and Julie;s - original anti death penalty position; and he spoke against McVeighs' execution; and he is one of the most powerful voices in the US against the DP.
You can join MFVR Murder Victims Families For Reconciliation (which does not mean reconciling with Amanda's killer but is a victims family support group that is againt the DP unlike others.
YOU can help save a life by writing to the prosecutor and the media as the family member of your beautiful Amanda and say that though you hate her loss; and will never recover; you'd rather honor her with life rather than celebrate her with more death. That Amanda was more than a person in a news article but a living, breathing, human that we have LOST; speaking out for a LWOP sentence so that he can realize forever what he has taken...and maybe this is off topic a little but typing this out made me think of a post i made the other day in another thread; this was so powerful that whenever I see it I cry...
Finding your own strength; and finding a way to move beyond the place where fear and hatred has cornered you; and learning to trust again; has nothing to do with anyone else. You need to find your own power; and it has nothing to do with causing more pain and hurt in the world.
I found it really striking in watching the Gary Ridgeway / Green River killer trial - at sentencing (no death penalty though he killed over 50 women while there are prisoners on DR for a shooting in a robbery) he sat stoic; uncaring; unmoved when victims families yelled and cried; threatened him, called him every name in the book etc. But when one man stood up calmly and said his religious convictions taught him to forgive; and though Ridgway made it hard to do that; this man (father of a murdered girl) believed that God told you to forgive all; not just those that its easy to forgive; he said "you make it difficult to do that; but, you are forgiven sir" Ridgways chin started to tremble; and he started bawling.....
(now this father still believed in the DP and I think that took away from his statement a little ) but it just goes to show - answer hate with human kindness (again I am not a Christian but for Christians the expression 'turn the other cheek' will ring a bell)....
It can have so much more affect.
Like Dave (DaveParkinson) says - he was crying because he knew he didn't deserve that forgiveness.
That; unlike anything else; showed him what he had done; and broke his cold veneer.
I've gone off track; but just championing life over death; and even doing it publicly because of your position; can do so much. The power to change things is in each of our hands....its sooooo true!!
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Post by tulla63 on May 13, 2005 8:15:07 GMT -5
Hi, I have an interview with Bill Pelke, Abe Bonowitz (just a few sentences), and Juan Melendez Colon on a file on my other computer. It's a ram file, so if you have a sound card in your computer, you can hear about what they went through. These are extremely tough stories, and Juan Melendez' story is told so vividly that I cried rivers. As some of you might know, I'm in the process of moving, but I will send the file to Tracy and Dave once I get access to the other one. It's from a tour and it was done on Valentines day of 2004 in California someplace. I'll send it once I can get access to the file. I recommend everyone to listen to it. It's a little more than an hour and you will need a real player which you can download for free at: www.real.comIf I should forget in the middle of this unbelieavble chaos, please remind me. I really want you to hear it. I guess Tracy and Dave have already heard it, but most of us haven't - especially those of us living overseas. Love, Turid |
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Post by tulla63 on May 13, 2005 8:25:36 GMT -5
Dear Pam! You ARE doing a lot as it is!! Don't underestimate the impact you may have on others, as your experiences are extremely special and perhaps you would do Lonnie a favor if you would continue the fight? You are speaking up, you are sharing things from your life that takes a whole lot of courage to do. I'm so happy I've never been through half of what you have. I'm asking myself the same question: "What can I do?" Keep on fighting, Pam! You can do so with others!  Hug, Turid |
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