THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 21, 1996 TAG: 9609210238
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DIANE TENNANT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 56 lines
Death penalty opponents will visit Hampton Roads schools, churches and public sidewalks this week as a two-week national speaking tour targets Virginia.
The fourth annual Journey of Hope will include a Norfolk rally on Wednesday led by the son of a man whose life story inspired ``The Fugitive.'' Other speakers from the 50-person entourage will speak about death penalty alternatives to middle, high school and college students at about 30 schools statewide, to civic groups and religious gatherings.
The Journey of Hope began in 1993 in Indiana, and in subsequent years traveled to Georgia and California, said Henry Heller, director of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, a co-sponsor of the tour. It comes to Virginia at the request of Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation, the other co-sponsor, which was founded by a Richmond woman.
Virginia has executed 32 people since reinstating the death penalty in 1976, Heller said. Virginia also has a rule which says new evidence of innocence must be presented within 21 days of conviction, or it cannot be presented in court. The organization believes that rule leaves many innocent people sentenced to die, he said.
Journey of Hope tries to educate people, Heller said, and present alternatives to the death penalty, such as life in prison.
``What's the death penalty doing for our society?'' Heller asked. ``Is it preventing murders? No, it's not a deterrent. You've got innocent people who are being executed. It costs more than even life in prison. It's a form of vengeance. Is that what we're trying to do?''
Many of the speakers with the Journey of Hope are family members of murder victims, he said.
The speaking tour will target religious schools, and has the support of many religious organizations, including the Catholic diocese of Richmond's Office of Peace and Justice.
``Teenagers are open and they're formulating their opinions,'' he said. ``All they see is violence on TV and in the newspapers. Here we come at them with a different angle of talking about reconciliation and getting away from vengeance.''
Sister Helen Prejean is the best-known speaker on the tour. The Catholic nun wrote the account of a death row inmate that was made into the movie ``Dead Man Walking.'' She will help kick off the Journey of Hope with a rally at 3 p.m. Sunday at the state capitol, followed by a 7:30 p.m. talk at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond.
Sam Reese Sheppard will speak at a noon rally on Wednesday in front of Norfolk City Hall, joined by Episcopal Bishop Frank H. Vest Jr. Sheppard's father was convicted of killing his wife, then retried and acquitted 10 years later. ``The Fugitive'' television series and movie were based on his story.
Old Dominion University will host a forum at 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in Webb Center.
Other events, rallies and marches are scheduled for cities across the state. The tour concludes in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 4 and 5.
KEYWORDS: DEATH PENALTY JOURNEY OF HOPE by CNB