Today, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the death penalty repeal bill into law, officially ending capital punishment in Illinois! As you celebrate this victory, please take a moment to help build the momentum toward abolition in Kansas. Right now, HB 2323, which would repeal the Kansas death penalty and replace it with a life sentence without the possibility of parole, … [Read more...] about Illinois Governor Signs Death Penalty Repeal Into Law
Sister Helen Prejean visits Kansas
National anti-death penalty advocate Sister Helen Prejean visited Kansas last week to help raise awareness of death penalty abolition work in the state. During her visit, Sr. Helen attended a staged reading of the play Dead Man Walking, based on her book of the same name, at Washburn University. Following the reading, Sr. Helen led a discussion with more than 200 people in … [Read more...] about Sister Helen Prejean visits Kansas
Topeka Capital-Journal: Prejean Seeks End of Death Penalty
After her recent visit to Washburn University, the Topeka Capital-Journal published an article about Sister Helen Prejean and death penalty abolition work in Kansas. … [Read more...] about Topeka Capital-Journal: Prejean Seeks End of Death Penalty
Voices of Innocence: Beatrice Six
Plea Deals Risking Innocent Lives Less than 30 miles north of the Kansas border, a 68 year-old woman named Helen Wilson was raped and murdered during the winter of 1985. The heinous crime rocked the small town of Beatrice, Nebraska, and put into motion a series of events that would put not one, but six innocent people behind bars. The FBI’s initial investigation, which … [Read more...] about Voices of Innocence: Beatrice Six
Victim Voices: Celeste Dixon
"In 1986 my mother was raped and murdered in her rural home outside Houston. The murderer was eventually convicted and sentenced to death, an outcome I was initially happy with. Eventually I realized killing him was not going to bring her back. I forgave this man for what he had done—not for him, but for me. I realized supporting the death penalty meant that I was actively … [Read more...] about Victim Voices: Celeste Dixon
Victim Voices: Carol Samuelson
"When my 28 year old daughter Amy was murdered by the father of her 22 month old son, I had to rethink my belief in capital punishment. Some day his son will ask about his birth dad, and I would have to explain everything to him. How could I explain his father was killed because he killed Amy? If I cannot explain the logic of the death penalty to a child, then it is wrong. I … [Read more...] about Victim Voices: Carol Samuelson
Victim Voices: Candy Ruff
"Because my brother was murdered in 1982, I am often asked if I want his perpetrator to be punished with the death penalty. My unequivocal answer is NO. My faith confirms my belief that the person who took my brother's life will pay for his crime in the here after. The punishment the Lord has in mind is much harsher than anything our legal system could inflict on earth. … [Read more...] about Victim Voices: Candy Ruff
Victim Voices: Sue Norton
"The execution of Robert Knighton in 2003 was another crisis in my life, another trauma to heal from. He had been convicted of murdering my Daddy and Step-mother in 1990. My husband and I watched that execution not for vengeance but as a form of support since I had become the man’s only friend. Our immediate family had befriended him, all on different levels. I forgave him … [Read more...] about Victim Voices: Sue Norton
Victim Voices: Bob and Ruth Hessman
"Four years before he was executed, we began to correspond with Gregg Braun who killed our daughter, Mary. At first, he was belligerent with us; but later he began to release his bitterness, eventually expressing regret and apologized for killing her. We didn’t find forgiveness just by saying, ‘We forgive’ and moving on. We found we needed to start each day with a prayer of … [Read more...] about Victim Voices: Bob and Ruth Hessman