The public is encouraged to join other concerned citizens in this event re-considering various aspectsof the death penalty, any time Wednesday, June 29. A fast and vigil will take place throughout the day, with a teach-in beginning at 12 Noon, featuring several speakers and live music by folk guitarist Steve Jacobs.

Teach-In Speakers will include:

--Mike Lenza, UMC Sociology Instructor, Lead Author of “Perspectives on the Politics of Death: A Statistical, Theoretical and Historical Examination of the Death Penalty in Missouri;”

--Melinda Pendergraff, Capital Defense Attorney

--Rep. Judy Baker (D-Columbia), 25^th District State Legislator

--Don Miller, Retired Counselor, Teacher & Crisis Manager with Dept. of Corrections Prisons

--Lana Jacobs, Consistent Life Network Executive Director

Individuals will gather in solidarity with those participating in a four-day fast by the same name occuring at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC. The Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional on June 29, 1972. Four years later on July 2, the justices allowed capital punishment to resume, ruling new state procedures again made the practice constitutional. Since Missouri lawmakers re-enacted the death penalty in 1977, state officials have executed 64 people, 4^th most of any U.S. state. Wrongful convictions, plus other issues of apparent unfairness and injustices in Missouri have nutured the development of a campaign for a thorough review of the state's death penalty with a subsequent moratorium on executions.

For more information about the event contact Jeff at 449-4585. Co-sponsors include the Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation, Missouri Association for Social Welfare (Central Missouri chapter), St. Francis House Catholic Worker Community and the Consistent Life Network. For more details about the Washington activities, log onto http://www.abolition.org/starvin12.htm.