Press Release

FROM CITIZENS UNITED FOR ALTERNATIVES TO THE DEATH PENALTY (CUADP)

For Immediate Release: 15 August 2003

CONTACT: Abe Bonowitz
800-973-6548
abe@cuadp.org

FADP URGES COMMUTATION OF ANTI-ABORTION EXTREMIST'S DEATH SENTENCE

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty director Abe Bonowitz today sent the attached letter to Florida Governor Jeb Bush, urging him to commute the death sentence of Paul Hill to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The letter kicks off a public education campaign about the potential of this execution to inspire other extremists in the anti-abortion movement to follow Paul Hill's example. FADP has placed additional information on its web site at http://www.FADP.org , and will conduct a "Tele-Press Conference" on the matter at 10:30am on August 25, 2003 (details to be released next week).
The following letter has thus far been acknowledged by Governor Bush's auto-responder.
 
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Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2003 21:09:05 -0400
To: jeb.bush@myflorida.com
From: "Abraham J. Bonowitz" abe@fadp.org
Subject: The Martyrdom of Paul Hill - Letter to Governor Bush
 
Sent Via E-Mail
15 August 2003
 
Dear Governor Bush,
 
I am writing to ask you to commute the death sentence of Paul Hill to life without the possibility of parole.
Paul Hill, an anti-abortion extremist, murdered Dr. John B. Britton and retired Air Force Lt. Col. James H. Barrett because the doctor worked at a facility that provides abortions and Barrett happened to be his escort that day. Hill readily admits that he committed this act of terror with the full knowledge that he could receive the death penalty. Hill wanted to put the abortion issue on trial. From the time he was sentenced to death, Hill has sought to drop his appeals and be executed.
By exterminating Paul Hill, the State of Florida will play into his hands by making him a martyr. Hill wants to die for his cause and has repeatedly said that he is willing to sacrifice his life to save unborn babies. According to his spiritual advisor, Hill believes Jesus told him to kill the abortion doctor. According to others who champion Hill's action, "20 or 30 babies were saved that day." Extremist anti-abortion activists have several web pages in which they discuss their perspective about Paul Hill, suggesting that what he did was "justifiable homicide." One such page includes a list of the types of people for whom similar treatment ("justifiable homicide") is warranted. Just about anyone who does not agree with these extremists would fit into one of the categories on that list, which is a thinly veiled invitation to any person for whom "Jesus speaks to me" to go out and take similar actions. The following link takes you to one such extremist web page. If you click on this link, you will be immediately subjected to gruesome photographs of dead people and chopped up fetuses. Once on that site, you can hear an interview with Paul Hill's spiritual advisor which provides a window into the thinking of this crowd. www.christiangallery.com
Like few other cases, the Paul Hill case demonstrates how the death penalty truly continues the cycle of violence: Hill deplores what he sees as the "violence" of abortion and reacts to it by use of violence. Now the state of Florida will use violence against Hill, playing into his hands, and thus encouraging anti-abortion extremists to respond to Hill's execution with more violence. Where will it end?
Governor Bush, you are acting in a spectacularly irresponsible way by once again allowing "the tail to wag the dog" when you sign a death warrant for a prisoner who wants to be executed. By helping Paul Hill martyr himself, you will give Hill and his followers a platform to encourage others to copy the crime. The martyrdom of Paul Hill will be a prime example of how the death penalty can actually encourage more murder and violence.
No person other than you, Governor Bush, can stop the martyrdom of Paul Hill. Please commute Paul Hill's death sentence to life in prison with no possibility of parole, because killing Hill will actually encourage more murders.
 
Sincerely,
 
abe

SENT BY:
 
Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director, CUADP

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