[CUADPUpdate] NJ Today & Fwd: [tollbells] In Memory of Dot Briggs

[Abraham J. Bonowitz]

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Greetings All!

Two items:   New Jersey Today & In Memory of Dot Briggs

paz!

--abe


NJ Study Commission Hearing at 1pm WEDS

Hello All,

The New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission will hold its second
public hearing Wednesday (9/13/06) starting at 1pm. Hopefully this
time they will be punctual AND the webcast and p/a equipment will be
working from the start, but there are no guarantees! NJADP members
will be present and much media coverage is expected. See below for a
news item about the hearing and a press release about the speaking
tour that NJADP will kick off on Friday!

Among the witnesses expected to testify - Murder Victim Family Member
Vicki Schieber and Florida Death Row Survivor Juan Melendez.

LISTEN to the hearing, starting at 1pm
EDT: 
<http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/LIVE_AUDIO.ASP>http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/LIVE_AUDIO.ASP

Read transcripts of the past two hearings at
<http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/pubhearings2006.asp#DPSC>http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/pubhearings2006.asp#DPSC

Learn more about the Study
Commission: 
<http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/committees/njdeath_penalty.asp>http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/committees/njdeath_penalty.asp

In the coming days, see news coverage, etc. at 
<http://www.njadp.org/>http://www.njadp.org/

Thanks to all who have helped make NJADP's efforts possible -
especially NJADP's funders and volunteers!

Yours in the Struggle,

--abe

Abraham J. Bonowitz
Field Manager
New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
<mailto:abe%40njadp.org>abe at njadp.org
http://www.NJADP.org
561-371-5204 - mobile

NEW JERSEY:

Death penalty debate heats up this week

The cost of the states seldom-used death penalty will dominate debate at
the Legislature this week as relatives of murder victims get their say.

A death penalty study commission is scheduled to meet Wednesday to take
testimony from witnesses, including relatives of murder victims. Officials
want to hear whether there is a major cost difference between the death
penalty and life in prison without parole.

The special commission formed last year has until mid-November to give
recommendations on whether New Jerseys capital punishment law needs to be
either revised or abolished. The state has 10 men on death row, but the
law that created the commission imposed a moratorium on executions until
60 days after the panel completes its work.

No execution was imminent. New Jersey reinstated the death penalty in 1982
but hasnt used it since 1963.

Sharon Hazard-Johnson, whose parents were killed in their Pleasantville
home in 2001 by death row inmate Brian Wakefield, has been wary of the
commissions work.

"I am very concerned that this is a bid to abolish the death penalty, she
said.

Death penalty foes are hopeful that will happen.

New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty recently released a
report that detailed how 25 New Jerseyans were convicted of crimes they
didnt commit.

"Our state is not immune from the types of errors that result in an
innocent person being sentenced to die, said Celeste Fitzgerald, the
groups executive director.

As the commission debates the death penalty, property tax reform talks
also are to continue at the Statehouse, with lawmakers expected to discuss
regional taxation and shared services.

The committee mulling whether the state can save money by consolidating
its hundreds of local governments is slated to meet Wednesday to discuss
delivering local services on a regional basis.

Senate Majority Leader Bernard F. Kenny, D-Hudson, said the committee
studying if the states constitution needs amending to provide property tax
relief will consider whether New Jersey should replace local property
taxes with statewide or regional property taxes.

A statewide property tax has been considered for years in New Jersey, but
widely opposed, especially by shore communities with that tend to have
lower local property taxes than the rest of the state.

The committee studying school funding plans to study how state and federal
legal mandates influence school property taxes, while the panel studying
public worker benefits plans to study health benefits for government
workers.

(source: Trentonian)

************************

Murder Victim's Mother, Death Row Exoneree to Hold Death Penalty Forums
Across New Jersey

News Advisory:

WHAT: "Journeys Through Violence and Injustice: A Death Penalty Forum
Tour" As a Study Commission continues to review New Jersey's death penalty
system, New Jersey residents are invited to participate in a week-long
series of open forums on the issue of capital punishment in the state.
Leading the discussion will be Vicki Schieber and Juan Melendez. Schieber,
whose daughter was brutally raped and murdered eight years ago by the
"Center-City Rapist," and Melendez, who was found innocent after more than
17 years on Florida's death row, testified before the commission at its
hearing in Trenton on Sept. 13.

The forums are sponsored by local organizations (see below) and New
Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty; they will be held in
Vineland (Sept. 15), Pitman (Sept. 16), Asbury Park (Sept. 17), Rahway
(Sept. 18), Manasquan (Sept. 19), Perth Amboy (Sept. 20) and Rutherford
(Sept. 21).

WHO:

-- Vicki Schieber, whose daughter was murdered by the "Center- City
Rapist" in 1998

-- Juan Melendez, who was exonerated from Florida's death row after
evidence of his innocence was discovered.

WHEN and WHERE:

-- Friday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m., Sacred Heart High School, 15 N. East Ave.,
Vineland

-- Saturday, Sept. 16 at 8:30 a.m., Pitman Baptist Church, 30 N. Broadway,
Pitman

-- Sunday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., Holy Spirit, St. Peter Clavell Catholic
Church, 705 2nd Ave., Asbury Park

-- Monday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m., Rahway Ministerium, First Presbyterian
Church, 1731 Church St., Rahway

-- Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m., Manasquan Ministerium, Holy Trinity
Lutheran Church, 6 Osborn Ave., Manasquan

-- Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 600 New
Brunswick Ave., Perth Amboy

-- Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m., Rutherford United Methodist Church, 56
W. Passaic Ave., Rutherford

For more information or to schedule an interview with Schieber, Melendez
or a tour spokesperson, please contact Abe Bonowitz at 609-278-6719 or
Toby Fallsgraff at 202-478-6184.

SENT BY:

Abraham J. Bonowitz
Field Manager, New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
<mailto:abe%40njadp.org>abe at njadp.org * http://www.NJADP.org
mobile: 561-371-5204 * office: 609-278-6719 * fax: 609-278-6859
986 S. Broad St., Trenton, NJ 08611

****************

In Memory of Dot Briggs,

I met Dot when I learned about the For Whom the Bells Toll Campaign 
that she started.  I Thought, "that needs a weekly e-mail update list 
to let people know when killings are scheduled."  I called Dot to 
suggest it, and she said, "well why don't you do it?"  And there I 
was.  Not thinking clearly, I set up the "ringbells" list.  Dot was 
right on me, saying that ringing is happy, but TOLLING is 
mournful.  The name was changed, and today more than 500 
abolitionists receive the usually weekly Tollbells listing of 
upcoming prisoner-killings and the names of the victims in the 
case.  And thank the heavens for Sabine, who does 90% of the work, 
and Pam, who backs us up.  Anyway, I spoke with Dot a few more times, 
e-mailed a bit, and then she passed the For Whom the Bells Toll to 
Madeline Murphy.  Today, reading the following notes, I actually got 
to know Dot Briggs.  Celebrate her life with me.  Read on.  (and join 
the tollbells list by sending an e-mail to 
<tollbells-subscribe at yahoogroups.com>.

From: "Abraham J. Bonowitz" <<mailto:abe at cuadp.org>abe at cuadp.org>
Date: September 12, 2006 2:22:58 PM EDT
To: <mailto:tollbells at yahoogroups.com>tollbells at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [tollbells] In Memory of Dot Briggs
Reply-To: 
<mailto:tollbells-owner at yahoogroups.com>tollbells-owner at yahoogroups.com

Dear Friends,

The following was sent by Charlie Sullivan, director of Citizens
United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE).  The For Whom the
Bells Toll Campaign is a project of CURE.

Thanks to all who offered prayers to help ease Dot Briggs to the next level....

--abe

Dear Friends, if you were lucky enough to meet Dot at one of CURE's
events, you would never forget her! She was bubbling over with
focusing ON YOU and totally comfortable as if she knew you your entire life.

She was like a sister!  And, she was! She was a Dominican nun.

Dot was also an artist. In fact, she became involved in prisons when
she needed someone to make her frames for her paintings. She knew a
prison chaplain who suggested John, a lifer.

Later, she was the director of our Massachusetts chapter and quite an
advocate. Pauline and I went to the state legislature with her once.
She not only knew all the people there but she even baked them
cookies. How could any legislator turn her down!

One she really got to know was State Sen. Dan Leahy. In 1997,
National CURE honored him for his leadership.

Besides "walking the legislative halls," she also went to the parole
board for John and other lifers. Eventually, John was released, but
tragically died soon afterwards.

A few years ago, Dot passed "the baton" on to others to lead MA-CURE.
However, it never had the effectiveness that it had under Dot, and is
presently inactive.

But, Dot did not retire from criminal justice reform. With health
problems and in her eighties, she still was actively involved in two
prison reform initiatives. Dot started in this country For Whom the
Bells Toll. This project recruits religious organizations to toll
their bells whenever there is an execution.

She was so excited when she had a church, synagogue or mosque in
every state and some foreign countries committed to participating.
Madeline Murphy is now the coordinator.

She also assisted our Chair Kay Perry to launch the successful eTc
(Equitable Telephone Charges) Campaign. Dot and Kay became very close
friends when they roomed together at one of our annual national board
meetings.

Kay was with Dot when she died this morning from cancer.

Charlie

***


Dear Friends,

From: <mailto:KAYPERRY at aol.com>KXXXXXX at aol.com
Date: September 12, 2006 3:00:59 PM EDT
Subject: Dot Briggs

Dot Briggs passed away peacefully this morning at approximately 10:15 
am at the Sansbury Care Center on the campus of the Mother House in 
St. Catharine, Kentucky.

Consistent with her request, her body has been donated to the 
University of Kentucky for research.

A memorial service is planned in St. Catharine Hall in the Mother 
House on Thursday, September 14 at 2:30 pm.  Again, consistent with 
her request, the service will include ice cream and Bailey's Hot 
Fudge (one of Dot's favorite recipes).  Attendees are encouraged to 
bring stories, reading, poems or pictures to share in celebration of 
Dot's life.

The Mass will occur on Sunday, September 24 at 2:30 pm in St. 
Catharine Hall in the Mother House.  That service will also include 
ice cream and Bailey's Hot Fudge.

Another service will occur in Boston, with the time and place to be 
determined later.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Dot's favorite 
prison ministries by sending a check to:
     MI-CURE
     PO Box 2736
     Kalamazoo, MI 49003-2736.

Kay Perry




My friend, Sr. Dorothy Briggs died this morning.

Soon after i got involved in the movement to end the death penalty I
met Sr. Dorothy Briggs on line.  She had started the "Bells Toll" program in
which she encouraged houses of worship to toll their bells or display banners
on the days of executions.
We became friends, on line at first, but then in person. Once when I 
traveled in
the Boston area she and her friend, fellow nun, Sr. Bern Egleston invited me to
visit them in the little house they rented in Newton, Mass. & I spent 
the night there,
sleeping on a fold out sofa bed.  Sr. Bern is a sculptor so the three 
of us artists,
painter/graphic artists, sculptor, photographer hit it off 
well.  Before I left, Dot
sketched me holding a coffee cup (a year or so later she put the sketch in one
of her art shows and later she gave it to me).  Several years later 
she shared with
me that she and Bern had discussed whether or not they would be safe 
in the house
with me, a man there.
She had a map on which she colored in the states in which houses of worship
were ringing bells or displaying banners.  During my visit she gave 
me the privilege
of coloring in several new states. Later she displayed the map on 
line and I remember
a year or two later that she called to tell me that she had all fifty states.

Dot was always open to new learnings & would ask about anything she did not
understand including some of my typos on the computer.  She really 
did not know a
lot about the protestant church generally or the United Methodist 
Church specifically.
I remember her joyous excitement when she found out from me that we have female
clergy in the UMC!  She could hardly contain herself when I told her 
that we had female
bishops.

Although we corresponded with some regularity once I had not written 
to her in awhile
and I received a one word e-mail note from her;  "Well?"

Several years ago, after a bout with cancer, she moved to the Mother 
House of her order
in Kentucky.  She explained to me that she didn't know how long she 
had to live and she wanted
some quality time in the Mother House before having to move to the 
health care unit.  I was
able to visit her there twice.  In Oct., 2004 I was provided a guest 
room in the Mother House
& ate several meals there with Dot and her friends.  In Oct., 2005 
the guest rooms had been
taken by nuns who had been flooded out of New Orleans and I stayed in 
a nearby motel. I
was able to take her out in the evening for Pizza and in the morning 
to a local cafe for breakfast,
a rare treat she told me.

On both visits we spent some time in her small but wonderful art 
studio.  Her studio
was set up on a fully enclosed porch just a few feet from the chapel 
where she had become
a nun. Clearly she delighted in having the time and place to continue 
her art and I think she
had more time there than she had first feared.  Dot was nineteen 
years older than me but
better on her feet.  Seeing that the distances in the Mother House 
were great for me she
"stole" a wheelchair and very much enjoyed pushing me around.

I hope Kay & others will fill us in more on Dot's remarkable life.  I 
feel so blessed to
have shared in some of that life.  Some others who must realize how 
blessed they were
were some of her African American students when she was teaching art 
in, I believe,  Mississippi.
She was able to raise the money to take a group of her art students 
to Europe. Imagine these
young people who had barely ever gotten out of their state getting to 
Rome and other places
in Europe to see and experience truly great art.

I'm writing these thoughts through my tears.  I'll miss her greatly.

I told her once that my dream was to get the death penalty ended 
while she was alive
and could enjoy it.  Well, in NJ and NY the DP is on hold but not 
entirely gone so we didn't
quite make it, I thought we would.

Best wishes, we have lost a real friend,  John Goodwin