Press Release
 FLORIDIANS FOR ALTERNATIVES TO THE DEATH PENALTY PRESS RELEASE 3 January 2001 For immediate release CONTACT: Abraham J. Bonowitz 800-973-6548 24th FLORIDA DEATH ROW EXONERATION DEMANDS AN IMMEDIATE
"TIME-OUT" ON EXECUTIONS!
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) welcomes Juan Roberto Melendez Colon to the free world. After 17 years on Florida's death row, today Melendez became the ***24th*** prisoner to be exonerated and released from a death sentence in Florida since 1972. For details and background, please visit <http://www.FADP.org>. With the release of Florida death row inmate Juan Melendez, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) demands an immediate halt to all executions in Florida, including the three scheduled for later this month and early in February. Amos King is scheduled to be executed on January 24, 2002 for his alleged murder of Natalie Brady. Mr. King has always maintained his innocence. FADP is concerned about King's assertion that important evidence was never properly developed or brought to light during his trial, and since his conviction specific pieces of evidence have been destroyed, dashing any possibility of DNA testing. Further, Mr. King has been seeking to have a new appellate attorney appointed, or in the absence of a new attorney, a paralegal, to assist him in pursuing his legal claims. Please find details on this and the other two cases at <http://www.FADP.org>. ALSO, FADP re-emphasizes its call on Florida Governor Jeb Bush to declare an immediate moratorium on executions. "Florida leads the nation in the number of innocent people released from our death row," said Abe Bonowitz, director of the statewide group. "Illinois Governor George Ryan, a staunch Republican who still supports the death penalty, declared a total halt to executions in Illinois after that state released it's 13th wrongly convicted prisoner so that the system can be thoroughly examined, mistakes found and corrected, and flaws eliminated. We in Florida have now released 24. The time for a moratorium and an independent and thorough study is well past due." ALSO, beginning on Martin Luther King Day (1/21/02), Floridians from throughout the state will "Walk for a 'Time-Out on Executions!'" from death row in Raiford to the Office of the Governor in Tallahassee to deliver thousands of petitions calling for a moratorium on executions in Florida. Details on all this, and more, are available at <http://www.FADP.org> or by calling 800-973-6548.
SENT BY: Abraham J. Bonowitz, Director Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty works for restorative justice in the form of effective alternatives to the death penalty. It does so by # supporting and coordinating the work of organizations
and individuals
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty PMB 297 |
