Pelke's Open Letter to John Edwards//Vote for Abolition

I wrote the following open letter to John Edwards after hearing him speak on NPR.

It would be great if you would go to the John Edwards blog at the link below and respond to this post. If John Edwards took a stand calling for a moratorium on the death penalty it could muster votes he would need for a win in the primary election. It would give abolitionist a chance to show some power at the polls.

Peace,

Bill

http://blog.johnedwards. com/story/2008/1/15/114024/833

Death Penalty
Bill Pelke in Quick Posts
1/15/2008 at 12:38 PM EST

Does John Edwards response on NPR about the death penalty warrant a call for a national moratorium?

January 14, 2007

Dear Senator Edwards,

I listened to you today on NPR radio. Angela, of Wichita, Kansas asked you for your thoughts on the death penalty in America and what kind of affect it would have socially on our ideals.

You stated that you have historically supported the death penalty, but that you have HUGE problems with it right now.

You mentioned race. You stated that if you are a man or woman of color in American today you are more likely to be charged with a capital offence, you are more likely to be convicted and you are more likely to get the death penalty. You said it was the reality of the criminal justice system in America today.

You also said that we have to ensure that it is impossible for us to execute somebody who is innocent.

You also said that in many cases, if we have high quality representation, it makes a huge difference in the likelihood of conviction and the likelihood of the death penalty.

You also stated you were opposed to "death qualified juries" and how it stacked the jury in favor for the prosecution, both for conviction and for the vote on the death penalty itself.

Senator Edwards, these are some of the same reasons that I have been working for a moratorium of the death penalty. If you really believe in your response to Angela then I would ask you to add "Death Penalty Moratorium" to your platform.

This would be in step with the United Nations call for worldwide moratorium on the death penalty.

I would be happy to discuss these and other reasons with you for supporting a moratorium.

Bill Pelke
Anchorage, Alaska

For NPR interview in its entirety
http://www.npr. org/templates/ story/story .php?storyId= 18085237