Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director and Co-Founder
Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
abe@cuadp.org
Abe Bonowitz now serves as the Director of Affiliate Support at the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
Abe Bonowitz co-founded and directed Citizens
United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty from 1997 to 2008, when he
took a position with the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
CUADP is a national non-profit organization which promotes positive dialog
regarding capital punishment and invigorated tactical grassroots activism by
the global death penalty abolition movement.
|
Bonowitz has been working to educate the public about
human rights problems, in particular the death penalty and the need
for alternatives to the death penalty, for over 17 years. But he
only came to his position after arguing FOR the death penalty
for almost a year in an attempt to disprove the facts presented by
death penalty opponents. In addition to much interaction with
communities directly involved and impacted by capital punishment, he
has personally conducted extensive research on the issue by studying
the academic and statistical research available from the government,
scholars and various non-government organizations.
Bonowitz has gained first hand knowledge of the issue by
working in the death penalty section of the Ohio Public Defender
Commission, with murder victims' family members, and with death row
inmates in Alabama, California, Florida, Ohio, Texas and other
states as well. He appears briefly in the film "Dead Man
Walking" and has worked closely on several projects with author
and spiritual advisor Helen Prejean, CSJ.
He has been a long-time activist with the U.S. Section of
Amnesty International (AIUSA), including four years as a member
of the Board of Directors of AIUSA. In addition to coordinating
CUADP's efforts, he served as National Coordinator of the Journey
of Hope ...From Violence to Healing(tm), Inc. from January to
July, 1998. Bonowitz served on the board of directors of the Journey
of Hope ...From Violence to Healing, Inc. until May, 2007, and was the director of
Floridians for
Alternatives to the Death Penalty from its inception in 1999 until January, 2007.
In October, 2004 Bonowitz was elected to the board of directors of the
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
He served on that board for more than four years, resigning in January 2008 to
take a staff position with that organization, where he currently serves as Director of Affiliate Support.
From 2005 until 2008, Bonowitz served first as a consultant and then as Field Manager with
New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, the organization whose work was completed when NJ Governor John
Corzine signed the bill that abolished New Jersey's death penalty in December 17, 2007.
|
|
|
Photo by Associated
Press Used without Permission
|
|
Abraham J. Bonowitz,
of Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty, demonstrates in front of the
U.S. Supreme Court during "Starvin' for Justice,"
the 7th annual Fast & Vigil to Abolish the Death
Penalty, June 30, 2000.
|
In January, 1997, Bonowitz was one of 18
abolitionists arrested for unfurling a banner reading "Stop
Executions!" at the U.S. Supreme Court, an act of civil
disobedience committed on the 20th anniversary of the state assisted
suicide of Gary Gilmore. Bonowitz' other arrests include:
With eight others for blocking the entrance to Broad River
Correctional Facility in South Carolina on December 18th,
1998, protesting the 500th execution under current death penalty
laws.
With five others at the mansion of Ohio Governor Bob Taft
on February 18, 1999, for attempting to deliver a letter
asking the governor not to resume executions in Ohio for the
first time since 1963.
With nine others, in September 1999, for blocking access
to the office of Philadelphia District Attorney Lynn Abraham,
the most-killing D.A. in the nation.
With 17 others, in April, 2000, for blocking the entrance
to the residence of Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist in
protest of his refusal to meet with religious and other
community leaders concerned with Tennessee's first
prisoner-killing in 40 years.
With 14 others, in July, 2000, for attempting to walk past
a checkpoint set up to keep the public from attending the
meeting of the National
Governor's Association. We had intended to plea
for a moratorium on executions.
With 6 others, for unfurling a banner reading "Stop
Executions!" at the U.S.
Supreme Court, an act of civil disobedience committed on
January 17, 2002, the 25th anniversary of the state assisted
suicide of Gary Gilmore.
With 16 others, on December 1, 2005 in protest of the 1000th execution in the United
States since the resumption of executions in 1977.
Previously, Bonowitz served in various capacities with the
Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, including eight months as acting
Executive Director. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio and holds several
degrees in photographic technology from the Ohio Institute of
Photography. When he is not on the road educating and agitating for abolition,
Bonowitz lives with his partner Beth, their son Isaac, their dog Lance and
Bucky Katt in Cheverly, Maryland.
