Events Near You Oct 3, 10 & 11!

October is shaping up to be a tremendous month for OTSE and our partners in the fight to abolish the death penalty in Ohio. We’re kicking off the month with some amazing events in the Cleveland area, and we want to make sure that every one of our supporters has the opportunity to join us:

October 3 – Fairness and Forgiveness: A Forum on the Death Penalty

The Diocesan Social Action office is hosting a forum on the fairness of the death penalty in Ohio. This event corresponds to Pope Francis’ call for a Year of Mercy and Respect Life Month in October. This forum will include two judges who will provide an overview of the recommendations from the Ohio Supreme Court Task Force on the Death Penalty. Other speakers, including OTSE board members Charles Keith and Melinda Dawson, will share their personal experiences of how Ohio’s system has impacted them and their families. There will also be an overview of Catholic Social Teaching on the death penalty and time for reflection and action on the information presented.

October 10th and 11th – Witness to Innocence – The Gathering: Exonerees Empowered to End the Death Penalty World Wid

Witness to Innocence is hosting a day-long conference of workshops and events in conjunction with its Annual Gathering of exonerees and loved ones and World Day Against the Death Penalty. All events will take place at St Clarence Church.

Featuring 25 exonerees from around the country. Murder Victim Family Member Sam Reese Sheppard. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo. Former M*A*S*H star, actor and president Death Penalty Focus Mike Farrell, OTSE Executive Director Kevin Werner and other leading experts on our issue.

Please note: Sam Reese Sheppard will be in town for the Witness to Innocence conference and we've been looking for an opportunity for him to share his story with communities of faith on Sunday, October 11. If you know of a community we should contact, or if you can help us arrange an event, please e-mail abe@otse.org

Also on October 10th, for those of you inclined to a different sort of action, come to Columbus to walk the final 2.5 miles of the 83 mile Walk to Stop Executions, which starts this Sunday and ends in Columbus next Saturday.

For more information about any of our upcoming events, contact Abe Bonowitz at abe@otse.org or 561-371-5204.

I hope you will join us at these important events!

Yours in the Struggle,

Abe Bonowitz

Ohioans to Stop Executions