As Death Penalty Use Declines, Highly Visible Anti-Death Penalty Activists Continue Four Day Fast and Vigil at U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Survivors of wrongful conviction who faced execution, murder victim family members, and family members of those currently on death row are among dozens of death penalty abolitionists from across the United States and beyond who today enter the third of the four day 26th Annual Fast & Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty on the sidewalk in front of the US Supreme Court. Wearing t-shirts, holding signs and sharing information with tourists, students and other passers-by, abolitionists are gathering signatures on petitions to stop upcoming executions in Florida, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and Sri Lanka.
Background: June 29, 2019 marks the 47th anniversary of the 1972 Furman v. Georgia decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated all death penalty laws in the US, finding capital punishment to be "arbitrary and capricious." July 2nd marks the 43rd anniversary of the 1976 Gregg decision, which upheld new state death penalty laws and allowed the resumption of executions. This is the 26th consecutive year that the Abolitionist Action Committee is holding its annual Fast and Vigil between the dates of these two landmark decisions.
WHEN: July 1 and 2 - around the clock, 24-hour presence, ending at midnight on July 2 with a unique meal to break their fast on the sidewalk in front of the Court. Evening teach-ins with noted speakers each day from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm (SEE BELOW)
*** Interviews and photo ops available anytime***
WHAT: A four day liquid-only fast and vigil to mark the anniversaries of the historic 1972 Furman and 1976 Gregg Supreme Court decisions on the death penalty.
WHO: Exonerated death row prisoners, murder victim family members, 100+ anti-death penalty activists from as many as 20 states, clergy, scholars and leaders of state and national anti-death penalty organizations.
WHERE: On the sidewalk in front of the United States Supreme Court
Details at http://www.abolition.org/fastandvigil/schedule.html.
To arrange interviews with activists from your specific state or region, contact Abe Bonowitz at 561-371-5204.
The Abolitionist Action Committee is an ad-hoc group of individuals committed to highly visible and effective public education for alternatives to the death penalty through nonviolent direct action.
Contact: Abe Bonowitz
(561) 371-5204
[email protected]
SOURCE Abolitionist Action Committee
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