Dear friend of WTI ,

Imagine 25 exonerated death row survivors who were once caged for 24 hours a day in isolation on America's death rows coming together with 25 of their loved ones for peer support, personal development and political empowerment on a beautiful, 150 acre retreat center in rural Virginia.

It's not a fantasy scenario- it's what's happening at the Witness to Innocence 2011 Empowerment Gathering that will held from June 9-12 at the pastoral Roslyn Retreat Center near Richmond, Virginia.

Randal and Brenda Padgett will be coming to Virginia in June! Randal Padgett was convicted and sentenced to death in 1992 for the rape and murder of his estranged wife, spending three years on death row and another three waiting for a second trial. In 1995, Randal was granted a new trial due to exculpatory evidence being withheld by the State during his first trial. In 1997, at retrial, Randal was found not guilty of the crime.

Now, Randal and his wife Brenda operate a discount grocery business in Alabama. They are "starting over" at the age of 59 years after losing their six house poultry operation in 2008.  The Padgetts are proud to be members of Witness to Innocence- and participants of the 2011 Empowerment Gathering.

"It's hard for Randal and me to take off time from our business for four days... but these Gatherings mean so much to us," said Brenda Padgett. "No one else in the world can understand what Randal and I go through each day except the other members of Witness to Innocence. It makes us feel good to be a part of a movement to fight the death penalty and to win justice for all of America's exonerated death row survivors."

PLEASE HELP SUPPORT RANDAL AND BRENDA'S SOJOURN AT THE 2011 EMPOWERMENT GATHERING

It will cost Witness to Innocence $2,000 to pay for the Padgett's travel, lodging, meals and related expenses to attend the Gathering. You can be a true friend to the exonerated by giving $2,000 to support the full cost of sending the Padgetts or another exonerated couple to the Gathering. $1,000 can send one exonerated death row survivor. $500 can pay for one couple's travel to and from the Gathering. $250 can pay for their meals. And any financial gifts help and are appreciated by the exonerated community.

All donations to Witness to Innocence are tax deductible. To make a donation, click the Donate button above and follow the instructions.

Thank you,

Ray Krone

Witness to Innocence Director of Communications and Training

Exonerated Survivor of Arizona's Death Row

On March 9, 2011, Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois signed Bill 3539, and the death penalty was ended in the State of Illinois. The signing statement he read included these words:

"As a state, we cannot tolerate the executions of innocent people because such actions strike at the very legitimacy of a government."

Noted Illinois exoneree Nate Fields, " I have been sure this would come since Anthony Porter's exoneration in 1999. Still, I felt great relief when I heard it finally happened." Illinois exoneree Randy Steidl added, "After 20 exonerations, a moratorium, and a study commission, this decision was certainly due." Randy also singled out the African-American contingent in the Illinois House for their commitment and hard work. Delbert Tibbs, who, though a Florida Death Row exoneree, is a lifelong Illinois resident, said "We had been sending cards to Governor Quinn, and calling his office, so when he signed, I sent him a thank you card for doing the right thing."

WTI speaker and death row survivor Greg Wilhoit and Nancy Vollertsen, WTI Board member and Greg's sister, participated in a panel on the Death Penalty at Amnesty International's 50th Anniversary Annual Conference in San Francisco. The panel, "Unimpeachable Voices Against the Death Penalty," also included Remy Cushing of Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation, and Jeremy Schroeder of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Over 100 people attended the event sponsored by AI's Death Penalty Abolition Campaign.

Randy Steidl, fresh off his successful efforts to help end the death penalty in Illinois on March 9, began a major speaking tour in Alaska, where he visited the University of Alaska, K-12 classrooms, churches, and other venues from March 18-22. To find out more about future events, visit our "Attend an event" page, or host your own very special community event with one of our death row survivor speakers by writing kspillman@witnesstoinnocence.org.

This year marked the sixth annual Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break in Austin, Texas. Students, community members and exonerated death row survivors from across the country came together March 14-18 for "the most successful spring break we have had," according to WTI Texas Field Organizer Hooman Hedayati.

Highlights of the 2011 Spring Break schedule included the Day of Innocence Lobby Day and Rally to Stop Executions at the Texas Capitol, a trip to the SXSW Film Festival to see "Incendiary" and attend an after film discussion with the filmmakers, and a panel discussion with Sam Millsap and Judge Charlie Baird.

The events attracted significant attention from several television news stations as well as print and online publications. The Dallas Morning News published an editorial on March 15, 2011 praising the role of students in the recent repeal of the death penalty in Illinois and commending those attending the events in Austin. "We urge those students who are skipping the beaches this week in order to gather in Austin to find ways to work together, learn from one another and never give up this monumental quest," wrote the newspaper.

Slide Show: Day of Innocence held at Texas Capitol

WTI Members and Staff