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P R E S S R E L E A S E
from
F L O R I DI A N S FOR A L T E R N A T I V E S
TO THE DEATH PENALTY (FADP)
16 December 2004
CONTACT: Abe Bonowitz: 561-371-5204 (Cell phone)
ACTIVISTS/SUPPORTERS TO DEMAND A FAIR TRIAL FOR ZEIGLER!
29 Years Later, Hearing Could Spell Freedom For Wrongly Convicted Winter Garden Man.
Just days before the anniversary of the 1975 “Christmas Eve Massacre” in Winter Garden, activists and supporters will hold several events in Orlando leading up to Monday’s evidentiary hearing on the DNA test results in the case of William Thomas Zeigler, set for December 20-21 before Judge Whitehead in Orlando, Florida (State of Florida 9th Judicial Circuit). The hearing will determine if Zeigler is to be granted a new trial based upon recent DNA test results. Activists and supporters plan to attend the hearing in large numbers.
The events include a film screening and a press conference featuring, among others, Vernon Davids, one of Zeigler’s original trial attorneys. Event details are below.
CASE DETAILS
Much more information on this case is available at https://www.fadp.org/Zeigler/https://www.fadp.orgwordpress/?page_id=3533
The State was successful in its motion to prevent the hearing from addressing the mountain of other post-trial evidence of innocence by claiming that the evidence is procedurally barred because it was introduced too late. Only the DNA test results are to be evaluated. The DNA test results, which were completed over two years ago, are totally consistent with Zeigler’s description of events the night of the murders and inconsistent with the State’s version. The DNA tests show that the blood of Zeigler’s murdered father-in-law, Perry Edwards, was on Charlie Mays, not on Zeigler. The blood on Zeigler was the blood of Charlie Mays, whom Zeigler has always claimed jumped him, resulting in a fight almost to the death.
For 29 years the State has claimed that Mays, who was found beaten to death with a linoleum roll crank, was a hapless victim of the crime. Now, in the face of the DNA test results, the State is attempting to redefine Mays as a co-perpetrator of Zeigler who was then killed by Zeigler. The State’s obvious problem is that if Zeigler didn’t kill Mays, then the co-perpetrators in this horrible massacre are still walking around free, possibly right in Orange County, Florida. Instead of acknowledging that reality, the State is pressing forward with new theories of how the crimes might have occurred with Zeigler being responsible.
EVENT NOTIFICATION
Event #1 – Film Screening and Case Update – Sunday, 12/19/04 at 7:15pm
Event #2 – Pre-Hearing Press Conference – Monday, 12/20/04 at 8:30am
Event #3 – TOMMY ZEIGLER HEARING IN ORANGE COUNTY – DEC. 20 & 21
Event #1 – Film Screening and Case Update – Sunday, 12/19/04 from 7:15pm to 9:30pm
FEATURING a screening of “A Matter of Life & Death,” the nationally broadcast “trial” hosted by John McLoughlin
AND
A case update by one of Zeigler’s original trial attorney’s, Vernon Davids, and others.
DATE: THIS SUNDAY, 12/19/04
TIME: 7:15pm to 9:30pm
LOCATION: Damascus Room in the Family Life Building at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Winter Park.
DIRECTIONS
- Consult your map to get to the Orlando area
- Exit I-4 at Fairbanks, go East on Fairbanks toward Winter Park
- Turn LEFT (North) onto Park Ave.
- Go past the shopping area/park, the church is on the RIGHT.
- Turn RIGHT (East) onto Swoope to access the parking lot.
526 N. Park Ave. in Winter Park.
A map is at:
http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?ed=Ryk6Yup_0To1T5H79rsbndUqYo_WeN4-&csz=32789&country=us&cat=
*****************
- Event #2 – Pre-Hearing Press Conference & Rally – Monday, 12/20/04 at 9am
December 20, 2004
9am press conference
10am hearing at the Orange County Courthouse in Downtown Orlando.
425 N. Orange Ave.
For a map and directions, please visit
http://www.ninja9.org/courts/courthouses/orange.htm
*****************
SENT BY:
Abraham J. Bonowitz
Director
- Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP)
- 800-973-6548
https://www.fadp.org[email protected]
- 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
Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
PMB 335
2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy
Gainesville, FL 32609
(800) 973-6548
[email protected]
Copyright ©2004 FADP. All rights reserved.
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