He is one of the fasters, noting the 20th anniversary of Gregg v. Georgia at the Supreme Court.
"Death-penalty opponents gather to press cause," is by Jamie Smith Hopkins for the Baltimore Sun.
Kirk Bloodsworth celebrated his 20th year of freedom Friday after he was wrongfully convicted of murder in Maryland and sentenced to death.
On Saturday, he joined with activists to mark other anniversaries: 41 years since the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted executions and 37 years (come Tuesday) since it allowed them to resume.
Dozens who gathered in front of the court Saturday want to see the death penalty permanently abolished. They kicked off a four-day vigil and fast to bring attention to the cause.
Organizers have held — coincidentally — the Fast & Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty every year since Bloodsworth walked out of prison, exonerated by DNA evidence that later led to the true killer. This time, he spoke to the crowd.
"I would love to stand here and tell you my story is unique," said Bloodsworth, 52, who now lives in Philadelphia. "But it is not."
Others speaking out at the event included relatives of murder victims and of people on death row. The banners behind them were somber: "37 years of blood on our hands." And, "We remember the victims … but not with more killing." And "Should It Be Constitutional to Execute the Innocent? The U.S. Supreme Court says 'YES.'"
But the mood was largely upbeat. Gov. Martin O'Malley signed legislation in May to repeal Maryland's death penalty, making it the sixth state in sixth years to outlaw the practice.
AP circulates, "Former Md. death row inmate now witness advocate in Pa.," by Brian Witte. It's via Delmarva Now.
A man who was on Maryland’s death row for a murder he didn’t commit is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his release.Kirk Bloodsworth of Dorchester County marked the anniversary Friday.
Bloodsworth, who recently moved from Maryland to Philadelphia to be director of advocacy for Witness to Innocence, was twice convicted of a girl’s 1984 murder. He spent two years on death row following his first trial.
And:
Bloodsworth was cleared in 1993, becoming the first American freed because of DNA evidence after being convicted in a death penalty case.
Earlier coverage of Kirk Bloodsworth is at the links. He is now the Director of Communications at Witness to Innocence.
Tim Junkin's book, Bloodsworth, written with Kirk's involvement, is available in the right column under Books. It is the harrowing tale of Kirk's journey.
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