P R E S S   R E L E A S E
from
F L O R I D I A N S   FOR   A L T E R N A T I V E S
                                    TO THE DEATH PENALTY   (FADP)

25 December 2003

CONTACTS: Abe Bonowitz: 561-371-5204
Hannah Floyd:  904-964-4303
SueZann Bosler:  Contact Abe at 561-371-5204 for referral


TRANSCRIPT of Governor Bush's Open Office Hours meeting with Floridians for
Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)

Wherein Jeb is confronted with his inconsistent positions on Life issues,
meets and is challenged by family members of a death row prisoner, and
admits that the death penalty is applied in an unequal manner.

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) began arriving more
than 15 hours early in the tiny and isolated town of Mayo, in rural
north-central Florida, in anticipation of meeting with Governor Bush and
Lt. Governor Jennings.   The officials held a rare "Open Office Hours" at
the Lafayette County Courthouse on Friday, December 19th.  "Open Office
Hours" allows citizens who wait on line to have five minute one-on-one
meetings with either the Governor or the Lt. Governor on a first come,
first served basis.  Members of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty traveled from many major metropolitan areas to express gratitude
that Governor Bush did not sign any death warrants for this holiday season
and to implore him to declare an indefinite "time-out" on executions in
Florida, as Republican leaders have done elsewhere.  Unfortunately, the
same day FADP issued a press release announcing its intentions, Governor
Bush signed a death warrant - an early Christmas present - for Johnny
Robinson and his family.

"Governor Bush has been willing to execute prisoners during the holiday
season in two of the past three years," said Abe Bonowitz, director of
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.  "Just days before
Christmas he signed a new death warrant.  The pain is the same for the
loved ones of the prisoners we kill, no matter what the season.  Open
Office Hours provided a rare opportunity for the wives and children of
death row prisoners to show Jeb Bush the faces of those left behind when
the state kills their loved one.  These folks wanted to let Jeb Bush know
that his belief in "the sanctity of life" must be consistent to have any
credibility."

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



The TRANSCRIPTION of the meeting between Floridians for Alternatives to the
Death Penalty (FADP) and Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Friday, December 19,
2003, in Mayo, Florida is available by CLICKING HERE.

SENT BY:

Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director

         Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)

         800-973-6548    http://www.fadp.org    
         PMB 335, 2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy, Gainesville, FL 32609

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty works for restorative
justice in the form of effective alternatives to the death penalty.  It
does so by
   # supporting and coordinating the work of organizations and individuals
   # educating and energizing the general public and state legislators
   # supporting the many persons affected by capital crime and punishment
   # advocating specific legislative improvements