Walk from Raiford to Tallahassee calls for suspension of executions

Walk from Raiford to Tallahassee calls for suspension of executions
January 2002

Starting January 21, Floridians from across the state will be walking from Union Correctional Institution, where death row is located, to Tallahassee. The goal of the Florida Moratorium Walk is to draw attention to the need for an immediate 'time-out!' on executions in Florida.

Florida leads the nation in the number of people wrongly convicted of capital crimes and subsequently released from death row. With the recent release of Juan Melendez, Florida's record is 24 wrongly convinced to 51 executed.

Florida needs a formal moratorium on executions pending an unbiased, independent and thorough review of our death penalty process. At the end of the Walk, death row survivors will give Governor Bush over 20,000 signed petitions asking for a moratorium.

Gainesville Citizens for Alternatives to the Death Penalty has been active in helping plan the walk. Supporters from Gainesville will walk the first two miles and some will walk the first day's distance of nine miles. For information on the walk, visit www.fadp.org or call 1-800-973-6548.

The kickoff is Monday, January 21 at noon. Organizers invite everyone to join them at the large oak tree just beyond the west end of the parking lot at Union Correctional Institution, located on US 16. To carpool from Gainesville on Jan. 21, or to Tallahassee on Jan. 31, call GCADP at 271-6941 or e-mail barbhowe@ufl.edu. The Walk also needs financial support to cover the many operational expenses as well as helping death row survivors get to Tallahassee. Please send checks made out to Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and send to FADP, PMB 297, 177 US Highway #1, Tequesta, FL 33469, or donate on-line at www.fadp.org. If you want to help collect petition signatures, send an email to amyjo1350@aol.com.