PRESS RELEASE
24 April 2002
CONTACT: <abe@fadp.org>
Mobile Phone: 561-371-5204
SON OF "FUGITIVE" BRINGS ANTI-DEATH PENALTY
MESSAGE TO GERMANY
Sam Reese Sheppard, son of Dr. Sam Sheppard and Marilyn
Reese Sheppard, will appear on German television and will also make
appearances with CUADP Director Abe Bonowitz in three German cities
between April 29 and May 4.
Sam Reese Sheppard, whose father was wrongly convicted
in the murder of his mother in the famous 1954 case commonly thought to
be the inspiration for the film and television programs, "The
Fugitive," will tour with Abraham Bonowitz, director of the US
based Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (CUADP).
Sheppard will share insights and recent developments in the still
unsolved case, and both he and Bonowitz will discuss the current
situation with the death penalty in the United States, including the
cases of several German citizens on death rows in the United States.
Sheppard will appear on the television program "Menschen
der Woche" ("Personality of the Week") at 10:20 on
Saturday, April 27 on two channels of the ARD, the SW and SFW (German
television networks). (CONTACT: Elsa Ibanez Ferrer <e.bender@freenet.de>)
Bonowitz and Sheppard are seeking (and have arranged
some) meetings with government and business leaders in order to ask them
to bring pressure on their counterparts in the United States with regard
to the death penalty. They will also seek to discourage a possible
economic (travel, tourism and commerce) boycott of Florida by Europeans,
as well as fund raising and other support for US Abolitionists by
potential European donors. Finally, Bonowitz and Sheppard seek to
explore the possibility of a "Walk Across (part of) Europe" by
Sam in the not-to-distant future.
Public appearances are scheduled in Munich, Dusseldorf,
and Berlin, as follows:
MUNICH
Monday, April 29 at 6.30 p.m.
Institute of American Culture and Sciences
CONTACT: Katrin Otremba <Cupresa@aol.com>
Visit <http://www.amnesty.de/>
DUSSELDORF
Tuesday, April 30 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
At the offices of Amnesty International
Neusser Strasse 86, 40219 Dusseldorf
and
Wednesday, May 1 -- at the May Day rally in Dusseldorf
CONTACT: Astrid Weber <Astrid-Weber@gmx.de>
Visit <http://www.amnesty.de/>
BERLIN
Thursday, May 2 at 6:30 p.m.
University of Berlin
CONTACT: Dieter Wenderlein (of Sant'Egido ) <dwenderlein@t-online.de>
Visit <http://www.santegidio.org/de/solidarieta/senzadimora/guida.htm>.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT REGARDING DEATH PENALTY ISSUES
Initiative gegen die Todesstrafe e.V. /
German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
<http://www.initiative-gegen-die-todesstrafe.de>
<http://www.gcadp.org>
Karl H. Rodenberg
Phone 05722-71507/913729
email <Karl.Rodenberg@t-online.de>
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Sam Reese Sheppard has a story to tell about the
wrongful conviction of his father for the murder of his mother, and his
own lifelong pursuit of the truth, and justice. Sam is a murder victim's
family member who opposes the death penalty, and grew up visiting his
father in prison. This case is commonly thought to have inspired the
movie and television program, "The Fugitive," and is the
subject of a newly released and highly acclaimed book (Edgar Award
Nominee) entitled "The Wrong Man," by James Neff.
Sam Reese Sheppard <http://www.samreesesheppard.org>
is devoted to the cause of prison reform and abolition of the death
penalty and speaks knowledgeably and eloquently on both subjects both
within and outside the context of his personal and family experiences.
Sheppard serves on the advisory board of Citizens United for
Alternatives to the Death Penalty <http://www.cuadp.org>
and was a founding board member of the Journey of Hope ...From Violence
to Healing, Inc. <http://www.journeyofhope.org>,
and also a founding board member of Murder Victim's Families for
Reconciliation <http://www.mvfr.org>.
Abraham J. Bonowitz will accompany Sheppard. Bonowitz is
the co-founder and director of Citizens United for Alternatives to the
Death Penalty (<http://www.CUADP.org>).
As a former proponent of the death penalty, he brings a unique
perspective to the struggle for Abolition. As a leader in the movement
to abolish the death penalty in the United States, and as the lead
organizer for the Abolitionist Action Committee <http://www.abolition.org>
and Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty <http://www.fadp.org>,
Bonowitz provides perspective on the state and progress of the movement
in the United States. See <http://www.cuadp.org/abe_bio.html>
for additional biographical information.
ABOUT THE SHEPPARD CASE
The Sheppard case created new laws about the role and
responsibility of the media in courtrooms when it was finally heard and
ruled upon by the United States Supreme Court in 1966. Anyone can read
that decision at <http://www.samreesesheppard.org/shepvsmax.html>.
The Sheppard case was important in the "fair"
trial in 1966 and also in the civil trial in 2000 because of its use
relatively new forensic science. In 1966, the "new" science
had to do with the study of blood spatter -- or the patterns created by
blood found at the crime scene, and the fact that the blood of two
different individuals, neither of whom was Dr. Sheppard, was present at
the scene. In the recent civil trial, the Sheppard case was unique in
that it was the oldest open criminal case in which DNA testing was a
factor. DNA testing was used to rule out Dr. Sheppard as the source of
the blood found at the scene, and also to include a different suspect as
the possible killer.
Perhaps the most important contribution the Sheppard
case has made in the field of criminal justice is that it provided
lessons to police about how NOT to handle a crime scene. In part because
of the common perception that the film and television program "The
Fugitive" were based on this case, the Sheppard case continues to
raise concern among the general public that wrongful convictions do
happen.
The most recent development in the Sheppard case is the
soon-to-be-released book, "Tailspin: The Strange Case of Major
Call," in which a second very compelling suspect in the murder of
Marilyn Sheppard is examined and documented.
When presented with this new information, Sam Reese
Sheppard said "Now we have TWO very compelling suspects: Richard
Eberling and James Call. Neither of these suspects were ever properly
investigated by the authorities at any time from 1954 until now.
Cayahoga county prosecutors continue to insist that my father murdered
my mother, ignoring all other possible suspects. As happens today, when
the wrong person is convicted, the true murderer goes free - often to
kill again. I urge everyone to read both of these books, and to examine
all of the evidence available. And know that if this can happen to my
family, it can happen to yours...."
*******
"In recording for my boy what I have been subjected
to, it will be necessary to make known American injustice perpetrated
not by the laws of our land, but by those who have sworn themselves to
uphold those laws... A frightening breach of American rights has taken
place, and the important point is that the breach has happened here in
America, not who it has happened to."
1955, Dr. Sam Sheppard From his prison journal
Please visit http://www.samreesesheppard.org
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POSTED BY:
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Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director
Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
(CUADP)
PMB 335, 2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy,
Gainesville, FL 32609
800-973-6548 <http://www.cuadp.org>
<abe@cuadp.org>
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