WI Victims Speak out Against the Death Penalty

I recently ran across these powerful statements by Wisconsin residents, who depsite loosing loved ones to murder, still reject the death penalty as a solution to violence. They are truly inspiring stories.


DEBRA FIFER, Wisconsin
Mother of Kirk Bickham, Jr.,
murdered in Wisconsin in 2003

Debra Fifer's 22-year-old son was shot
and killed, along with Deshawn Windbush
and Carl Hall, in Milwaukee in 2003.
Jaki Marion was convicted of the three
murders and is serving three
consecutive life sentences in prison.

Debra founded the group Mothers
Against Gang Violence, is Chair of the
Wisconsin chapter of the Million Mom
March, and serves on the City of
Milwaukee Safety Commission. She has
spoken to numerous university and
other groups. In 2005, the
Congressional Black Caucus presented
Debra with its Celebration of Leadership
Unsung Hero Award.

"If the death penalty could bring my son
back, then sure, I'd be all for it. But
that's not how it works, and in fact I
believe that just as citizens do not have
the right to take someone else's life, the
state should not have that right either.
States that have the death penalty are
not crime-free, and it's already been
proven that the death penalty is not a
deterrent to crime. We do not need
the death penalty in Wisconsin."


THERESA MATTHEWS, Wisconsin
Mother of Ishmal Matthews,
murdered in Wisconsin in 2002

Theresa Matthews's 23-year-old son was
shot and killed in Milwaukee in 2002.
The case remains unsolved.

Theresa has been active in efforts to
oppose gun violence in Wisconsin, and
in 2004 she participated in a bell-ringing
ceremony at the state capitol
commemorating victims of homicide.
She is the organizer of a local event
called Day of Peace, held each year on
Ishmal's birthday, in which members of
the community, homicide detectives, and
members of the fire department and the
sheriff's department come together to
enjoy a peaceful day in memory of
homicide victims. Through the
organization The Children Are Crying,
Theresa has also made a scholarship in
Ishmal's name available to students at
his former high school.

"A lot of people thought that I would
want the person who did this terrible
thing to my son to be executed, but
that's not what I want. We keep our
hope that the person willl be found and
held accountable, but who are we to
say a life for a life? That's not what
Ishmal would want. We don't need the
death penalty in Wisconsin. We have
enough violence, and I don't believe the
death penalty would have prevented my
son's murder. To me the death penalty
is just legalized murder, and I'm not for
that."

posted by Sachin @ 6:15 PM