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'Dead Man Walking' author joins protesters here
Carrying signs and chanting "don't kill kids," a group of death
penalty
opponents marched on the University of Arizona yesterday, asking
Arizona to
end capital punishment for teens convicted of murder.
Sister Helen Prejean, whose book inspired the film "Dead Man
Walking," told
about 50 people that poverty, drugs and underfunded schools are
to blame
for the actions of youths who kill.
Prejean is calling for an end to the death penalty, but
especially wants an
end to capital punishment for teens convicted of murder. "It's
not a good
idea to kill anybody, much less to kill kids," Prejean told the
charged
group that gathered yesterday afternoon outside Old Main. "We
identify
human beings solely by the actions of their crimes. We
freeze-frame them,"
she said.
Singer Linda Ronstadt, who lives in Tucson and has pledged her
support to a
local anti-death penalty group, did not attend the rally.
Sanctity of Life: People Against Execution organized the
protest.
Ronstadt was the host of a reception for Prejean last night at a
Northwest
Side church.
The protest group marched to UA from Catalina Park, at North
Fourth Avenue
and East Second Street.
Most carried protest signs or banners; some read "Stop executing
Arizona's
children" or "No more killing."
Phoenix resident Casey Espinoza, 31, was embraced by Prejean
after telling
the crowd she did not wish to see her brother's killer executed,
if he is
ever captured.
Tommy Espinoza, 22, was killed in an attack 8 years ago in
Phoenix. Police
have not made an arrest in the case, saying they have
insufficient
evidence.
Casey Espinoza said her brother's killing inspired her to fight
against the
death penalty.
"If you love someone, you won't have closure just because his
murderer is
killed," she said.
"To me, the death penalty doesn't equal justice. The death
penalty equals
vengeance."
(Tucson Citizen, Feb. 18)
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