Sept. 23
TEXAS:
Murder Victims' Families Oppose Death Penalty for People With Severe
Mental Illnesses
Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights (MVFHR) and the National
Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will launch a national project opposing
the death penalty for persons with severe mental illnesses at a press
conference in San Antonio, Texas on October 3.
The initiative builds on recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions that raise
questions about the capacity of individuals diagnosed with severe mental
illnesses sentenced to death to understand why they are being executed or
even that they will die. A national report on the issue will be released
in June 2009, based in part on testimony from family members at San
Antonio event.
WHAT: National project launch–Press conference WHEN: Friday, October 3,
2008 3:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. WHERE: University of the Incarnate Word Bonilla
Science Hall 129 Hildebrande — just west of Broadway intersection San
Antonio, Texas 78209 WHO: Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights
(MVFHR) National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Renny Cushing, MVFHR
Executive Director Ron Honberg, NAMI Policy & Legal Director
Bill Babbitt, brother of a Vietnam veteran, who was diagnosed with PTSD
and schizophrenia, killed a 78-year old woman, and was executed.
Lois Robison, a mother whose mentally ill son was discharged from a
hospital when his insurance ran out. A county hospital could not admit him
unless he became violent. He killed five people. Instead of treatment, he
got the death penalty.
Kim Crespi, mother of victims murdered by husband who suffers from mental
illness
Amanda & Nick Wilcox, parents of victim who was murdered by a person with
mental illness
Other family members of murder victims or executed persons from around the
United States
MVFHR is a national organization of family members of murder victims and
families of the executed. NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots
organization dedicated to helping individuals and families affected by
mental illnesses.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
(source: US Newswire)