>>The Honourable Jeb Bush The Capitol Talllahassee FL 32399, USA 21 June 2000 Dear Governor I am writing on behalf of the more than one million members of Amnesty International worldwide to express the organization's profound concern about events that have unfolded in Florida's lethal injection chamber over the past 24 hours in relation to Thomas Harrison Provenzano. Thomas Provenzano came within 11 minutes of execution on Tuesday evening. He was already strapped to the gurney with the lethal injection needles inserted into his body, when the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals granted a stay of execution. That stay has now been dissolved and the state of Florida intends to repeat the same macabre and cruel ritual again tonight. Amnesty International in no way seeks to belittle the suffering that Thomas Provenzano has caused his victims and their families. However, the organization condemns unreservedly the response of the state to this man's crimes. We believe that his treatment last night, regardless of the 11th Circuit Court's motivation for its actions, was cruel, inhuman and nothing short of a mock execution. With respect, I ask you, how does what happened to Thomas Provenzano last night not constitute torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, in violation of US obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other international instruments? I remind you of Judge Bentley's obvious disquiet in having to rule, under the "minimal" domestic standards that govern such cases, that Thomas Provenzano was competent for execution, despite Provenzano's belief that he is being killed because he is Jesus Christ. Judge Bentley said his ruling "should not be misinterpreted as a finding that Thomas Provenzano is a normal human being without serious mental health problems, because he most certainly is not." We appeal to you to step back from what can only be interpreted as an act of state-sanctioned vengeance against a man who has been diagnosed with serious mental disorders since before his terrible crime. We urge you to rethink your decision to deny clemency to Thomas Provenzano, and to offer the leadership required to stop this calculated, premeditated, killing. Yours sincerely Javier Zúńiga Program Director - America. (source: Amnesty International//London) ________ earthradioTV.com - Alternative News Portal for ecology, politics & consciousness. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] earthradioTV.com MIRROR SITES: USA http://www.earthradioTV.com/ CZECH http://mujweb.cz/www/ecologynews/ UK http://members.tripod.co.uk/ecologynews/ Canada http://www.ecologynews.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
