Will YOU Let Ohio Execute An Innocent Man?

“There’s too much doubt, and the state of Ohio should not carry out this execution,” organization spokesman Abe Bonowitz said. “And this guy still needs his justice. He should have his new trial. This evidence should all be [heard] in a courtroom.” — in yesterday’s Toledo Blade

Dear Friend,

I want to tell you what’s happening in Ohio, but first, Tennessee has announced 11 new execution dates — 8 before June 1 — after having conducted no executions for nearly 10 years. Please sign this petition to help stop the Tennessee executions.

As to Ohio, the next execution is scheduled for April 11. There’s just one problem — WT Montgomery may be actually innocent. I don’t say that lightly. The more we look at this case, the more questions come up. In fact, there is just #TooMuchDoubt to carry out this execution.

#WTMontgomery — he’s not just a hashtag, but that’s how people can search for information about him. This is a recent photo — the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Correction like to put out an outdated prison mugshot of prisoners set to be executed. We’ve recently been successful at getting some media outlets to use a more current, more humanizing image. How? We simply offer it!

As co-Director of Death Penalty Action, I’ve been working hand in hand with Ohioans to Stop Executions (OTSE) to help develop strategy and lead the organizing and strategic communications. This weekend we hit a home run! Our message was included (and I am quoted) in the front page newspaper story and we held a local event in Toledo that was covered fairly by all three local TV stations (1, 2). This is just the start. On Wednesday we hold a press conference in advance of Thursday’s Clemency hearing before Ohio’s Parole Board. We have five more weeks to stop the killing.

I’ve been working with OTSE since 2013. No state anti-death penalty organization works more closely with legal teams then OTSE. And it shows. We stopped the execution of Alva Campbell in November. Last month we stopped the execution of Raymond Tibbetts. And together, we’re going to stop the execution of WT Montgomery.

Here is how YOU can help:

1. Sign & share this Change.org petition — we need to gather as many signatures as possible for presentation to Governor Kasich — possibly on Good Friday.
2. Invest in Death Penalty Action’s work in Ohio via this special link.

When we knew the Toledo Blade would publish it’s major update on the 32-year-old case on March 4th, we set out to further the message by providing something for the local TV stations to cover that same day. All three came! With the story on the front page of the local paper, how could they not? We featured a special showing of The Gathering and provided this expert panel, from left: Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan Jr, OTSE Chairman (also Death Penalty Action Advisory Board Member) and brother of a homicide survivor; Joe D’Ambrosio, of Witness to Innocence, one of Ohio’s 9 exonerated death row survivors — he knew WT on death row; Kevin Werner, executive director of Ohioans to Stop Executions; and Joe Moran, of Toledoans for Prison Awareness.

Last month with the help of a few of you, Death Penalty Action printed the signs you see in the photo above. With your investment today, you can help us do more of this life-saving work in Ohio.

Please ask others to join you in supporting Death Penalty Action’s life-saving work by sharing this message along with your own encouragement.

There’s no time to waste — we can stop this execution! Please sign & chip in now!

Thank you,

— abe

Abraham J. Bonowitz, co-Director

PS: Did I mention that Death Penalty Action has received it’s 501c3 certification? All investments are now tax-deductible to the full extent of the law! Invest in Death Penalty Action today!