"As the sister of a murder victim, I am fully aware of the pain and hurt that violent death causes for the survivors. As a Christian, I know that inflicting death on another is not the way to break the cycle of pain, but instead extends it."
Pledge Signers and Supporters - Voices of Experience
More">Delia Perez Meyer
"My brother, Louis Castro Perez, was wrongfully convicted for a triple homicide nearly 20 years ago. We continue to have love, faith, hope, mercy, and compassion for not only Louis, but for all men and women across the world who are on death row."
More">George White
"As a murder victim's family member, I know now that the death penalty does not heal the wounds of our loss. My wife loved life, let that be her legacy."
More">Juan Melendez
"As an innocent man who endured nearly two decades of torturous conditions on death row and lost many good friends to execution, I understand firsthand, the cruelty, inhumanity and futility of the death penalty and the need to abolish it throughout the entire world. I am delighted to sign the national pledge and answer Pope Francis’s call to action to end the death penalty. The pledge is a great way to energize and unite people of faith and goodwill to help educate the public and policymakers and bring an end to the death penalty in the United States."
More">Marge Mattice
"Our Catholic faith calls each of us to act for the Common Good. That means saying NO to a mentality of vengeance and retribution, and saying YES to mercy, knowing this is the very nature of the God we profess to love."
More">Marietta Jaeger-Lane
"As a Catholic woman whose little daughter's life was taken by a serial child killer, I came to realize that the kidnapper's life was just as precious as my Susie's. That might seem like a big stretch for others, but that's the kind of God in whom I believe -- a God who is crazy in love with ALL of us, no matter who we are and what we've ever done, including all the inmates I visit every week, doing time for many murders, here in Florida."
More">Terri Steinberg
"I am signing this because I know that the death penalty does more harm than good. The death penalty delays the healing process necessary for the loved ones of the victim and creates more victims in the loved ones of the condemned, as well as those instructed to carry out this premeditated act of murder. Jesus said “whatever you do to the least of my brothers, you do to me” (Matthew 25:40) The 5th commandment - Thou shall not kill-came with no footnotes or exceptions.
More">Bill Pelke
"The answer is love and compassion for all of humanity! You can not have love and compassion for all of humanity and want to see anybody put into the death chamber and their life taken from them. It is impossible!"