Bad News and Good News

Dear Friends,

The bad new first: Although there are ongoing appeals on behalf of Mark Schwab, he is scheduled to be killed by the State of Florida on July 1st. We will keep you posted on the outcome of these appeals and plans for a vigil for Mark in front of Gov. Crist’s mansion on July 1 and for a memorial on July 2nd for Mark and for Junny Rios-Martinez.
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The good news: there are two important events coming up in the next 10 days.

#1 On Friday, June 20th there will be a fund raiser (only $10) for the Innocence Project of Florida. This event is to help add dollars to the funds for those people who were wrongly accused and who will finally get out of prison with nothing in their pockets and no place to live. This is truly an emergency fund and is extremely worthwhile. If you cannot attend, please consider sending a contribution. The website is: www.floridainnocence.org

The Innocence Project of Florida will host Innocence Rocks!, an evening of food, ’60s and ’70s music by The Big Kahunas, a silent auction and a cash bar. The event, 7:00 p.m. – midnight at the American Legion Hall at Lake Ella, is being held to raise money for IPF’s Exoneree Emergency Fund.
You can purchase advance tickets by contacting Toni Shrewsbury, at 850-561-6767. You can also see the beautiful flier for the event at http://www.floridainnocence.org

Innocence Rocks!
June 20, 2008
7:00 p.m. - Midnight
American Legion Hall at Lake Ella
$10 per person (tax deductible)
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#2) The FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights is proud to present:
Mark Schneider, Senior Vice-President, International Crisis Group and former Director of the Peace Corps will speak on: “Chaos in Afghanistan.”

Human Rights & National Security in the 21st Century Lecture Series
Monday, June 23, 2008
12:30 PM
FSU College of Law — Rotunda
(425 W. Jefferson St.)

Mark Schneider, will kick off a summer lecture series that will examine human rights interests and national security imperatives within the context of the U.S.-led “War on Terror.”

Schneider will address the current conditions in Afghanistan, the ongoing military engagement by the United States and the role of humanitarian assistance and foreign aid. *This special event is free and open to the public. Public parking available across the street at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center — A light lunch buffet will be available from noon to 12:30 while it lasts. Q & A will follow the lecture.

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Sheila Meehan
Chair, TCADP

CALL TO ACTION!

Subject: TAKE ACTION: CONTINUE THE TIME-OUT ON EXECUTIONS!
*Please forward and post widely*

Dear friends,
Late last year, executions in Florida were put on hold because of the flawed
process of lethal injection.  Now that a government commission has reviewed the lethal injection process (www.fadp.org, Governor’s Commission on the Administrationof Lethal Injection Releases Report), Read More

Public Forum: The Death Penalty as Public Policy: Florida Governor Leroy Collins – May 19, 1986

Monday, November 20th, 7:00 p.m.
Community of Faith Church
1533 South Monroe Street
In September 2006 an Assessment Team of the American Bar Association released a report in which
they found numerous flaws in the way the death penalty is administered in Florida.

Our state should have responded to the ABA Assessment by suspending all executions until its findings are addressed. Instead…
Florida responded with 3 executions.

Speakers:
Gail Anderson, Attorney for Prisoners on Death Row
Dale Landry, Tallahassee Chapter of the NAACP
Marty McClain, Attorney for Prisoners on Death Row
Michael Minerva, Florida Death Penalty Assessment Team
Larry Spalding, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU)

Moderator:
Sheila Meehan, Tallahassee Citizens Against the Death Penalty

Sponsors:
American Civil Liberties Union of Florida (ACLU)
League of Women Voters of Tallahassee
Tallahassee Chapter of NAACP
Tallahassee Citizens Against the Death Penalty

“…Florida’s Gutter of Shame.”

The American Bar Association selected nine states, including Florida, for close examination to determine whether those convicted of capital crimes are receiving fair representation, whether our system really works. The Assessment Team have just completed their assessment of Florida, and the report was released in September. They found serious flaw and made a number of significant recommendations.

TCADP and the Tallahassee branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People will co-sponsor a public forum, “The Death Penalty as Public Policy: Florida’s ‘Gutter of Shame.’” The panel will include, among others, representatives from the NAACP and the American Civil Liberties Union, a member of the Florida Assessment Team of the American Bar Association, and an attorney who represents many clients on Florida’s death row.
Read More

Kindred Spirits funds

Many of us in TCADP know of the fine work of KINDRED SPIRITS. Please give this request your careful consideration.
Thank you.

Urgent Appeal from Kindred Spirits!

Kindred Spirits provides friendship and personal support to prisoners in Florida under sentence of death. KS is an all volunteer organization established in 1991 and it is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Each quarter Kindred Spirits makes a small deposit in the accounts of many death row prisoners, most of whom have no family or financial help of any kind. This money is used to buy such things as shoes, toothpaste, writing paper, thermal underwear in winter, or a snack from the canteen. Kindred Spirits also sends letters, stamps, and birthday cards to prisoners. All of this is done through volunteers with virtually no administrative costs. Until now, the organization has been funded through donations and also a small church grant. These monies are running out and there is an urgent need for donations of any size before the next quartrly contributions to prisoner accounts is made in mid-April. Please help with any amount by sending a check to: Audrey Rivers, Kindred Spirits Charitable Trust, 820 McGuire Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32303.

Nancy Smith Fichter and the board of the TCADP

CADP Chair-Elect, Walter Moore to speak

TCADP Chair-Elect, Walter Moore, is the final speaker in a four-week series on Religion in Public Life, sponsored by Trinity United Methodist Church. The series is offered each Spring and is referred to as The Academy.
Walter Moore will speak on the death penalty; his lecture is scheduled for 6:30 PM- 7:30 PM, May 3. The other dates have been changed as well (Bob Spivey will speak April 19, Leo Sandon April 26, and Bill Swain May 10.)

[Other speakers/ topics : Bob Spivey, Introduction; Leo Sandon, Church and State; Bill Swain, Abortion.]

Trinity United Methodist Church is at the Corner of Park and Duval Streets, Tallahassee, Florida.