For Victims’ Families
If you have lost a loved one to murder, you have a special voice in this discussion, and we’d like to talk with you – regardless of how you feel about the death penalty. Please be in touch with our Interim Director at info@indianaabolition.org for more information. If you know you want to speak out against the death penalty, below is a statement below in support of ending the death penalty, specifically for murder victims’ families. You can sign it here.
Sign-on Letter to End Indiana’s Death Penalty for Family Members of Murder Victims
Dear Governor Braun and Indiana Lawmakers,
We are individuals and families who have lost loved ones to murder. We have all experienced unimaginable loss due to senseless violence. While we each have a unique story, our experiences with the criminal justice system and our struggles with grief and trauma have united us. Together, we ask you to do everything in your power to end Indiana’s use of the death penalty and take steps to ensure that no executions will be carried out.
We never asked to be in this position, and would do anything to change it. We realize, however, that nothing can erase the loss that a senseless act of violence brought into our lives. But we can honor the memory of our loved ones and other families who may face tragedy by working for effective responses to violence.
The death penalty does not prevent violence or make our communities safer. It does not solve crime. It does not provide services for grieving families like ours. It does not help solve the approximately 42% of Indiana homicides that remain unsolved. The protracted legal process that is constitutionally required in capital cases can exacerbate the trauma of losing a loved one and it creates yet another grieving family. It also wastes many millions of dollars that could be better invested in programs that actually reduce crime and violence and that address the needs of families like ours. Particularly with the federal government’s recent cuts to funding for crime victims’ services, the money Indiana spends on the death penalty is sorely needed to support programs and policies that actually improve public safety and support survivors.
It is also worth noting that the current system divides murder victims’ families by cherry-picking just a handful of cases to receive a disproportionate share of attention and resources. This sends the hurtful message that some murders are worse than others and some victims matter more than others, even while most of us never receive the services we need in the wake of violence.
We want a justice system that holds people who commit violence accountable, reduces crime, provides healing, and is responsive to the needs of survivors. We want effective responses to crime. On all these measures, the death penalty fails miserably. This is why we now believe the death penalty has no place in our society and should be ended. We urge you to take immediate action to end the death penalty in Indiana and prevent future executions.
Respectfully,
The undersigned