FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - INNOCENCE WATCH FLORIDA - May 26, 2000 PLEASE GIVE BENNIE DEMPS A STAY AND TIME TO PROVE HIS INNOCENCE The Innocence Watch Group thanks the Bishops of Florida for their heartfelt concern for a human life and appeals to the Florida courts to stay the execution of Bennie Demps. We also appeal to Jeb Bush to provide necessary time and safeguards in this case to be absolutely sure an innocent man is not executed. History has shown us that innocent lifes have been executed in US. The history must not repeat itself in Florida now. >From all over the world people are concerned about the possibility of rushing into execution without necessary time to prevent a tragedy. For information: THE INNOCENCE WATCH GROUP Dianne Abshire [EMAIL PROTECTED] Pat Hoover [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sissel Egeland [EMAIL PROTECTED] PRESSRELEASE May 26, 2000 The Florida Catholic Conference May 26, 2000 Contact: D. Michael McCarron, PhD 850.222.3803 [EMAIL PROTECTED] RETRIBUTION DOES NOT JUSTIFY EXECUTION (A Plea For Mercy for Bennie E. Demps) Tallahassee — The 1976 murder of Alfred Sturgis was a terrible crime. His brutalization and loss of his life arouse our deepest regrets and our sympathy for his survivors. Bennie Demps is scheduled to die on Wednesday evening, May 31, for this crime. The Bishops of Florida ask Governor Bush to halt this execution. Neither retribution nor deterrence justify taking a human life, even one guilty of a terrible crime. It is only when society cannot be protected in any other way that the death penalty is justified. We diminish ourselves as a people by taking away a human life. Every human life must be respected, even lives who fail to show that respect for others. Florida's alternative law of providing life imprisonment with no opportunity for parole allows our society to be protected, and allows for remediation of those who have committed crimes. Only a few do not acknowledge that our system of capital punishment is imperfect. We are regularly reminded of this by government appointed task forces and commissions, new Supreme Court rules, recurring legislation and even a special session to deal with problems of the death penalty. Still we do not find the affluent on death row; sometimes it happens that co-defendants who plea bargain are even more culpable than those who end up on death row; and, our consciences are plagued by concerns for racial disparity and the possibility of executing an innocent person. We join with others in calling for a moratorium on executions, but here and now appeal to Governor Bush for clemency and a stay of the death sentence for Bennie E. Demps. # # # The Florida Catholic Conference is an agency of the Catholic Bishops, established in 1969. It speaks for the Church in matters of public policy, serves as liaison to government and the legislature, and coordinates communications and activities between the church and secular agencies. The Bishops of the seven dioceses in Florida constitutes its Board of Directors. _________ earthradioTV.com - Alternative News Forum for ecology, politics & consciousness. 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, misdirections 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, CTRL gives 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