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MEDIA ADVISORY FROM FLORIDIANS FOR ALTERNATIVES TO THE DEATH PENALTY (FADP.org)DATE: 10 January 2002Contact: Abe Bonowitz - 800-973-6548 Mobile: 561-371-5204
AMOS KING FIRES LAWYERS/HEARING FRIDAY Amos Lee King, scheduled to be executed in Florida on January 24th, 2002, has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to appoint new attorneys who will thoroughly and vigorously represent his interests, or alternatively, to allow him to drop his appeals. King, who has always claimed innocence, maintains that Capital Collateral Regional Counsel (CCRC) Middle Region attorneys are not adequately representing him. In fact, King has an offer of assistance from Barry Scheck's Innocence Project, pending direct communication from King's attorney of record. King was promised that such communication would be made by one of the CCRC Middle attorneys, but as of this time it has not been made. "Clearly, Mr. King feels that CCRC Middle attorneys are playing games, and he's had enough," said Abe Bonowitz, director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. "I think it says a lot that King is willing to waive further proceedings and be killed rather than simply go along with appeals that are intended to fail." THE KEY ISSUE: CCRC Middle Region is directed by Bill Jennings, a political functionary whose purpose is to hurry cases along to execution, instead of fighting to defend the lives of the prisoners they are mandated to represent. Jennings, a former prosecutor, was appointed by Governor Bush last year and promptly fired the most effective lawyers in the office. Jennings claims he fired attorneys Harry Brody and Jeff Hazen because there were multiple complaints from the inmates they represented. In fact, nearly all of those prisoners have filed motions similar to the request now made by King -- to be moved from CCRC Middle to CCRC North -- where, surprise surprise, Harry Brody and Jeff Hazen now work. SEE KINGS' ARTICULATELY HAND WRITTEN PLEADINGS AT In attempting to forestall tomorrow's hearing, attorney's for the State argued that Kings' motion for new attorneys was frivolous and abusive, however the Florida Supreme Court yesterday rebuked the State by remanding the motion to the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pinellas County, Florida, for that court "to conduct a hearing as soon as possible and for consideration and determination on an expedited basis." The hearing will be in front of Judge Susan Schaeffer at 12:30 pm in Courtroom #1 at the Criminal Justice Center in Clearwater. Members of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will observe the proceedings and be available for comment afterwards. In the wake of the recent exoneration of Juan Melendez, and the growing awareness that there exists a high probability that more innocent men and women are imprisoned wrongly on Florida's death row, every claim of innocence must be fully investigated. Florida leads the nation with 24 death row exonerations. When one inmate is released for every two who are executed, every precaution must be taken to insure that an innocent man is not killed in the name of the people of this great state. SENT BY:
Abraham J. Bonowitz
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)
# educating and energizing the general public and state legislators # supporting the many persons affected by capital crime and punishment # advocating specific legislative improvements
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