William Van Poyck: A great Chance for him! Please, sign the Petition!

Will you please help save William Van Poyck? On the heels of new legislation in Florida to speed up executions, the governor has signed his death warrant. Billy was convicted under Florida’s felony-murder rule. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Bill’s lawyer wants to flood the Governor’s office with letters. He will send a form letter and can be modified by the individual. Is there anything you can do to help?

“It is both tragic and ironic that the state that sends the highest number of wrongfully convicted people to death row is considering speeding up executions,” said Mark Elliott, of the group Innocent on Death Row. “Speeding up executions virtually guarantees that innocent people will be executed.”.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/628/191/633/save-billys-life/?cid=FB_TAF

Death warrant signed for man accused of killing prison guard (wpbf.com)
Execution set for man convicted of fatal escape (news4jax.com)
Death warrant signed for man convicted of fatal escape (TBO.com)
Death warrant for man convicted of fatal escape (miamiherald.com)
Murder Is Our National Sport (counterinformation.wordpress.com)
Murder, America’s Favorite Pastime (alternet.org)
Murder Is Our National Sport by Chris Hedges (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
William Van Poyck – Please, Take Action for him (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
William Van Poyck – Please, Take Action for him (incaseofinnocence.wordpress.com)

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty ask for Help in order to save the Life of two Prisoners

FADP Update

Friends,

Today, Gov. Scott ordered the execution of Marshal Gore. He is scheduled to be executed Monday, June 24 at 6pm ET.

Elmer Carroll is scheduled for execution on Wed. May 29 and William Van Poyck on Wed. June 12.

WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW! Things are getting really ugly here in Florida. Actions and underway and many more are planned.

We are working to present FL Death Row exoneree Juan Melendez’s petition to Gov. Scott with 10,000 signatures. Please share everywhere. Time is running out fast.

Please sign and share Juan Melendez’s petition to Gov. Rick Scott to VETO THE TIMELY JUSTICE ACT (HB7083) which limits appeals and speeds up executions. Juan was miraculously exonerated and released after almost 18 years on Florida’s Death Row. He is one of 24 innocent men exonerated many years after the State of Florida sentenced them to death. How many more innocent people are still on Death Row? How many of them will be executed? With the “FASTER EXECUTION ACT” we will never know.

Contact Governor Rick Scott and ask him to STOP SIGNING DEATH WARRANTS and VETO THE TIMELY JUSTICE ACT.

Gov. Rick Scott – Phone: 850-488-7146

Email: Rick.Scott@eog.myflorida.com

The ACLU of Florida has issued an Action to contact Gov. Scott to veto the Timely Justice Act. “Don’t Make Our Unjust Death Penalty System Even Worse”

Miami Herald editorial on The Timely Justice Act,”Stop Death Penalty Bill Gov. Scott”

PLEASE JOIN THE STRUGGLE AND HELP!

Shine the light,

—Mark

Please “like” and share the FADP Facebook page.

Sent by:

Mark Elliott

Executive Director

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, fadp.org

P.O. Box 82943

Tampa, FL 82943

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is a coalition of organizations and individuals united to abolish the Death Penalty in Florida.

FADP works to build a strong, diverse, statewide grassroots movement which:

* Opposes executions

* Supports reforms aimed at reducing the application of the Death Penalty until it is abolished

* Protects the humanity of all persons impacted by the Death Penalty

* Educates Floridians about the Death Penalty

* Provides concrete action steps for individuals and groups

William Van Poyck – Please, Take Action for him

FADP Update

NEW DEATH WARRANT

Friends,

Gov. Rick Scott has signed a Death Warrant for William Van Poyck and has scheduled his execution for Wednesday, June 12th at 6pm ET. Billy Van Poyck is to be killed for the 1987 homicide of corrections officer Fred Griffis during a failed escape attempt.

Please TAKE ACTION!!! Contact Governor Rick Scott and ask him to STOP SIGNING DEATH WARRANTS and VETO THE TIMELY JUSTICE ACT.

Gov. Rick Scott – Phone: 850-488-7146

Email: Rick.Scott@eog.myflorida.com

Please sign and share the petition of Juan Melendez to Gov. Rick Scott to VETO THE TIMELY JUSTICE ACT (HB7083). Juan was exonerated and released after almost 18 years on Florida’s Death Row.

In the face of the growing national movement away from executions and death sentences, Florida executions are set to forcibly speed up and the numbers to explode. Florida now accounts for more than a fourth of all new death sentences in the nation (22 of 78). It has degenerated into a killing contest among a few ambitious and powerful politicians in Tallahassee. It is not about justice, being smart and tough on crime, or wise use of taxpayer dollars…it’s about political posturing.

Our leadership has made NO mention of solving more of the 14,000 unsolved Florida homicides, boosting programs to effectively help murder victim’s families, or reviving successful crime prevention programs. These public safety programs and others have been cut back while a million dollars a week is blindly thrown at our failed government program for the Death Penalty with almost no accountability or oversight and absolutely no cost-benefit analysis. With the national record of 24 Death Row exonerations, no amount of executions will hide the fact that Florida’s Death Penalty is “the worst of the worst” of failed government programs.

Please support the Florida statewide coalition effort to end executions.

It is not about what those on Death Row may have done…it is about US and what WE do.

Please “like” and share the FADP Facebook page.

Shine the light,

—Mark

Sent by:

Mark Elliott

Executive Director

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, fadp.org

P.O. Box 82943

Tampa, FL 82943

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is a coalition of organizations and individuals united to abolish the Death Penalty in Florida.

FADP works to build a strong, diverse, statewide grassroots movement which:

* Opposes executions

* Supports reforms aimed at reducing the application of the Death Penalty until it is abolished

* Protects the humanity of all persons impacted by the Death Penalty

* Educates Floridians about the Death Penalty

* Provides concrete action steps for individuals and groups

Execution set for man convicted of fatal escape (news4jax.com)
Death warrant for man convicted of fatal escape (miamiherald.com)
Death warrant signed for man convicted of fatal escape (TBO.com)
Death Penalty in Florida: Very urgent to act now! (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
Governor Signs Repeal of Death Penalty in Md.! (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
Bold New Radio Show Explores the Death Penalty (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
Stop death penalty bill, Gov. Scott (miamiherald.com)

Death Penalty in Florida: Very urgent to act now!

牛裂き (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

FADP Update

Friends,

The legislature has passed the very dangerous TIMELY JUSTICE ACT. It is now on Gov. Scott’s desk to be signed. Once signed, this bill will become law. Please contact Gov. Scott’s office and ask him to VETO THIS BILL.

Gov. Rick Scott: 850-488-7146

Email: rick.scott@eog.myflorida.com

This law will limit appeals for ALL those under sentence of death. It also forces the Governor to sign their Death Warrants within 30 days after appeals are exhausted and clemency is denied. It demands that their executions take place within 180 days. Reports are that 13 prisoners are in this category today and another 80 have exhausted appeals and are awaiting clemency hearings. There are now over 400 people on Florida’s Death Row.

Gov. Rick Scott: 850-488-7146

Email: rick.scott@eog.myflorida.com

Please say whatever you like. Here are some quick points:

Speeding up executions increases the risk of executing innocent people. 24 people have been exonerated long after being sentenced to death in Florida. Eight were under a death sentence longer than 10 years. For some it took 18 – 20 years to be exonerated and released. There has been one exoneration for every three executions in our state (24 exonerations and 75 executions).

This law surrenders powerful Executive Branch authority and gives it to the Legislative Branch. Florida’s governors would no longer decide which Death Warrants to sign, when to sign and when to schedule executions.

There is no need to rush these hasty and dangerous changes into law. For those sentenced to death in Florida, the average time from conviction to execution is almost 2 years less than the national average (13.2 yrs vs. 14.8 yrs). The Florida Supreme Court has formed a Commission to investigate the issues that prompted this bill. The report is due in September. Let’s get the facts before rushing risky life or death changes into law.

Please call or email ASAP – the Governor is making his decision now!

Please distribute and share this message widely.

—Mark

Sent by:

Mark Elliott

Executive Director

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, fadp.org

P.O. Box 82943

Tampa, FL 33682

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty is a coalition of organizations and individuals united to abolish the Death Penalty in Florida.

FADP works to build a strong, diverse, statewide grassroots movement which:

* Opposes executions

* Supports reforms aimed at reducing the application of the Death Penalty until it is abolished

* Protects the humanity of all persons impacted by the Death Penalty

* Educates Floridians about the Death Penalty

* Provides concrete action steps for individuals and groups

PAUL HOWELL: Rick Scott put a Hold on the Execution! Now here is a PETITION! (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
Stop death penalty bill, Gov. Scott (miamiherald.com)
Bold New Radio Show Explores the Death Penalty (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
Gov. Rick Scott has signed a Death Warrant for Elmer Carroll. Please, take Action (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)
Bill reducing delays in implementation of death penalty approved (miamiherald.com)

George Zimmermann “Stand your Ground” Defense Dead Line Looming

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/george-zimmerman-stand-your-ground-defense_n_3176955.html?ir=Black%20Voices&utm_campaign=042913&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Alert-black-voices&utm_content=FullStor

By Barbara Listo

ORLANDO, April 29 (Reuters) – Prosecutors in Florida want George Zimmerman to state publicly at a court hearing on Tuesday whether he will pursue his immunity defense in the 2012 shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin on the basis of the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law, or waive his right to use it.

Prosecutors asked Judge Debra Nelson in a motion to remind Zimmerman “that should defendant in fact wish to waive any pre-trial immunity challenge under this statute, he may not attempt to do so later, particularly once trial has commenced.”

Zimmerman will attend Tuesday’s hearing, according to his lawyer, Mark O’Mara. However, O’Mara told Reuters he hadn’t decided what he will do if the judge tries to question his client.

“I know the state would like to have that information, it seems. I don’t feel compelled to advise anybody of my strategy in this case,” O’Mara said.

Zimmerman goes on trial June 10 on a second-degree murder charge for shooting Martin after prosecutors say he profiled and confronted the unarmed black teenager, despite a police dispatcher instructing him not to do so.

Zimmerman’s Defense Deadline Looming (huffingtonpost.com)
Hoodies Up 4 Trayvon: Jury Selection Begins June 10th, 2013 (theobamacrat.com)
State Prosecutors want to question Zimmerman in using SYG (3chicspolitico.com)
Prosecutor: Zimmerman needs to state immunity plan (news4jax.com)
Social Media’s Impact On Trayvon Martin Case (miami.cbslocal.com)
Is George Zimmerman Seeking an Immunity Hearing? (wtvy.com)
Lawyer: Zimmerman needs to make decision (wptv.com)
Lawyer: Zimmerman needs to make decision (abcactionnews.com)

Zimmerman´s Mother Open Letter Lashes Out At Media

http://toolbar.yahoo.com/bh/v8/search/rsa?.intl=de

Zimmerman’s Mother Open Letter Lashes Out At Media

One year after her son was arrested for the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman’s mother has penned an open letter to the public thanking the family’s supporters and chastising the media for it’s treatment of her son’s case.

George Zimmerman’s brother, Robert Zimmerman, tweeted the two-page letter in which his mother calls today the anniversary of “the day the justice system failed us as Americans.”

Continue reading…

Zimmerman Mom: Media Has Turned My Son Into ‘Mythological Monster’ (tampa.cbslocal.com)
‘Justice system failed us,’ Zimmerman’s mom writes year after arrest (cnn.com)

“Why is Leonard Peltier Still in Prison?” asked Michelle Bollinger, Counterpunch

Justice is 33 Years Overdue for America‘s Most Famous Political Prisoner

Why is Leonard Peltier Still in Prison?

By MICHELLE BOLLINGER July 16, 2009

http://www.counterpunch.org/bollinger07162009.html

Friends of Peltier
http://www.FreePeltierNow.org

#OpValentine: Show a Prisoner Revolutionary Love (my.firedoglake.com)
In The Land Of The Free – in cinemas March 26 (aboriginalpress.wordpress.com)
Saturday Day of Solidarity with Leonard Peltier (moorbey.wordpress.com)
Justice for all? Ask Leonard Peltier (inprisonedwomen.wordpress.com)

PAUL HOWELL: Rick Scott put a Hold on the Execution! Now here is a PETITION!

2013/3/12 Peacebuilders with Justice of Florida <noreply@list.signon.org>

Brothers and Sisters,

Rick Scott put a hold (temporary) on the execution of Paul Howell. Even the governor is having second thoughts!

Those of us on this path see the injustice of the legal system that sends so many to Death Row and later realizes it failed to prove its case. The failure is seen in the number of exonerations. Florida as more failures than any other state. People’s lives are taken whether by years in prison or the killing chamber.

We want to educate people because when people know the truth about the system, they will see the need to halt the death penalty until it has been studied. Many are working for this cause: here are some good people you might know who have worked to halt Florida’s executions. Joe Durocher was Public Defender for Orange County for 25 years. Rita Lucey, Miguel Rodriguez, Adele Azar-Rucqois and many others, more than 1000 others in fact have signed the petition.

But the man who knows the most is Mark Eliot who has devoted years of his life putting together the facts. To see details about the system, go to Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. There you will see statistics on race, the impact on families of the victims and on the families of the person accused of the crime. You can compare costs between life in prison and execution. You’ll find this and many other details at

www.fadp.org/

Then read our petition and stand with us. Send the petition to all your friends and colleagues, co-workers and neighbors. Encourage them not just to sign but to pass it on.

Here’s the link:

http://signon.org/sign/the-death-penalty-in?mailing_id=10132&source=s.icn.em.cr&r_by=5246414

Blessings on us all–
Penny Villegas and friends

http://crime.about.com/od/deathrow/ig/Florida-Death-Row-Inmates/Paul-Howell.htm