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)

21 February 2005

CONTACT: Abe Bonowitz: 561-371-5204
 	
NOTE:  Melendez is fluent in SPANISH and ENGLISH


DEATH ROW SURVIVOR CONTINUES ON STATE TOUR - AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT
MELENDEZ SPEAKS THIS WEEK AT UF LAW SCHOOL, BARRY UNIV. LAW SCHOOL AND 
MIAMI U. LAW SCHOOL

Florida Death Row Survivor Juan Melendez, who spent almost 18 years on 
death row for a crime he did not commit, continues his state-wide speaking 
tour with stops at three law schools this week:  University of Florida in 
Gainesville, Barry University in Orlando, and Miami University in Coral 
Gables.  Melendez will share his story of how the legal system was 
manipulated to wrongfully convict him, and offer suggestions for changes in 
the law that will help prevent such a miscarriage of justice from taking 
place again.

This speaking tour, timed to mobilize Floridians in advance of the 2005 
Florida Legislative Session, is organized by Floridians for Alternatives to 
the Death Penalty (FADP).  FADP Director Abe Bonowitz is also speaking with 
audiences.

BOTH SPEAKERS AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT AND DISCUSSION ON TALK SHOWS and the 
like.  Please contact Abe at 561-371-5204 to discuss details.

Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) offers Director its 
2005 Legislative Agenda, including the following specific items:

* Ending immunity for law enforcement officials who knowingly send an 
innocent person to prison;
* Establishing a compensation fund for persons wrongly convicted and 
imprisoned in Florida;
* Requiring a unanimous jury to sentence a convicted murderer to death;
* Raising the minimum age to be eligible for the death penalty to 18 at the 
time of the crime.

See FADP's Legislative Agenda at http://www.fadp.org/2005legislativeAgenda.html.

Learn more about Juan Melendez and the CURRENT TOUR SCHEDULE AT 
http://www.fadp.org/MelendezSpeakingOut.html.



*****


SENT BY:

Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director


           Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)

           800-973-6548    http://www.fadp.org    <fadp@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