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Pensacola Activists to Protest Against Upcoming Execution |
Current rating: 1 |
by Scott Mylxine
Email: mylxine (nospam) hotmail.com |
23 May 2004
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On May 25, 2004 a group of local activists plan to hold a vigil to protest the execution of John Blackwelder and the death penalty in Florida.
Governor Jeb Bush signed the death warrant that set a date for John Blackwelder to be executed by lethal injection after the convicted murderer gave up his right to further appeals.
Blackwelder was initially sent to prison for threatening the life of then Vice President Dan Quayle, but later for child molestation. While in prison, claiming he could not cope with life behind bars, Blackwelder killed a fellow prisoner so that he would be given the death penalty. He was sentenced to death in 2002.
Although Blackwelder said he didn't want to live anymore, he said he couldn't kill himself either. Abe Bonowitz, a Florida anti-death penalty activist, calls the state's decision to kill Blackwelder "cop assisted suicide." Many Floridians agree and plan to hold protests around the state, including one in Pensacola.
The Pensacola vigil will take place at Martin Luther King Plaza at 5pm and go until the hour of execution at 6pm. The last execution vigil held in Pensacola was in September 2003 to protest the state's execution of anti-choice murderer Paul Hill.
Concerned individuals who are opposed to the death penalty are encouraged to attend.
When: March 25 at 5pm
Where: Martin Luther King Plaza on the corner of Palafox and Gregory, downtown Pensacola |
This work is in the public domain |
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Re: Pensacola Activists to Protest Against Upcoming Execution |
by ScottMylxine
mylxine (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
27 May 2004
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The execution was delayed for one day to check on the confession of another person who said they did the killing Blackwelder was going to be executed for. The state later deemed there was no reason to stop the execution any further and John Blackwelder was murdered by the state of Florida on May 26, 2004. |
