Conference successful all around
The growing strength of the anti-death penalty
movement was clearly demonstrated at Death Sentence 2002, a conference
held March 9-10, at DePaul University. Over 800 concerned citizens
from throughout Illinois and the nation joined together for a weekend
of education, encouragement and fellowship.
Key national figures in the struggle against the death penalty, including
Sr. Helen Prejean, Mike Farrell (of M*A*S*H and Providence fame) and
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) gave moving and inspiring presentations.
Governor George Ryan received the first Cunningham-Carey Award for
Courage. The award, named for abolitionist attorneys and ICADP Board
members Richard Cunningham and Jack Carey, honored Governor Ryan's
decision to halt executions in light of Illinois' shameful record
on capital punishment. The program also featured remarks by Cardinal
Francis George, OMI, who spoke eloquently about the immorality of
capital punishment.
Many organizations and individuals worked tirelessly to make Death
Sentence 2002 a success and local and national media gave the event
extensive coverage. Special thanks to DePaul University, which provided
planning assistance and the use of its facilities. Commemorative T-shirts
are available through the ICADP.
