Juan Melendez:

Juan Roberto Melendez Colon became the 24th person exonerated and released from Florida's death row when he was freed on January 3, 2002 after spending 17 years, eight months and one day facing execution for a crime he did not commit. Melendez was convicted in 1984 at the age of 33 with no physical evidence linking him to the crime and testimony from questionable witnesses. In fact, prosecutors hid evidence and lied to the court in order to protect the real killer, a police informant. Melendez's conviction fell apart when the police informant's confession came to light in 1999 - a confession that prosecutors knew about before they took Melendez to trial. More information about this case is available on the internet at: www.fadp.org/24threlease.html

Bill Pelke:

Bill Pelke's 78 - year - old grandmother Ruth, taught Bible lessons to neighborhood children in Gary, Indiana. On May 14th, 1985, four ninth grade girls from the local high school come to her door asking about the lessons, and she invited them into her home. As she turned to get information for them, one grabbed a vase and hit her over the head. Another pulled a knife out of her purse and began to stab her. Ruth was stabbed a total of 33 times. While one of the girls held the knife inside her, the others ransacked her house. They ended up with $10.00 and her ten-year-old car. A year later, one of the girls, Paula Cooper, was sentenced to death for the crime. She had been 15 when the murder occurred, and at 16 became the youngest female on death row in America. Originally supportive of Paula's death sentence, Bill eventually forgave Paula, began corresponding and visiting with her, and worked to overturn her sentence. She is now serving 60 years in prison. Bill recently retired after over 30 years of service with Bethlehem Steel and has devoted his retirement to abolishing the death penalty. He recently wrote a book about his experiences and travels worldwide to share his message of forgiveness and hope.
More information is available at www.journeyofhope.org/People/bill_pelke.htm

Abe Bonowitz:

Abe Bonowitz has been working to educate the public about human rights problems, in particular the death penalty and the need for alternatives to the death penalty, for over 15 years. But he only came to his position after arguing FOR the death penalty for almost a year in an attempt to disprove the facts presented by death penalty opponents. Bonowitz has gained first hand knowledge of the issue by working in the death penalty section of the Ohio Public Defender Commission, with murder victims' family members and death row family members, and with death row inmates in Alabama, California, Florida, Ohio, Texas and other states as well. He appears briefly in the film "Dead Man Walking" and has worked closely on several projects with author and spiritual advisor Helen Prejean, CSJ. Bonowitz is former board member of Amnesty International USA, former executive director of the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, and currently serves as the Director of Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (CUADP). Working with closely with Melendez and Pelke, Bonowitz fills in the "pragmatics" of the issue, and provides the tools for next steps for those ready to take action to Stop State Killing! More information is available at www.cuadp.org/abe_bio.html