| For Whom the Bells Toll |
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For Whom the Bells Toll is a program coordinated by People of Faith Against the Death Penalty to encourage congregations to ring their bells at 6:00 pm for two minutes on the day of an execution in the United States. To view a current schedule of upcoming executions, please click here. If bells are not available, a banner can instead be displayed on the day of an execution. We encourage faith communities to share the meaning of tolling their bells in an effort to educate members of their faith community and local media. Participants in For Whom the Bells Toll join an email list and will receive regular updates about approaching executions in the United States. PFADP can assist with ways to inform the congregation’s broader community about the purpose of the bell ringing. How to get involved: If you would like more information about For Whom the Bells Toll please contact Amanda Lattanzio at amanda (at) pfadp (dot) org or 919.933.7567. Or you can sign-up directly by following this link: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1576/signUp.jsp?key=5043 The history of the program: The idea of ringing bells on the day of an execution was developed when Bishop Walter Sullivan of Richmond, Virginia heard about Jaime Cardinal Sin of the Philippines encouraging Catholic churches in the Philippines to toll their bells in response to the execution of a Filipino citizen. Starting on November 9, 1999, Bishop Sullivan encouraged all churches in his diocese to toll their bells on the evening of every execution until the death penalty was abolished in the United States. Sister Dorothy (Dot) Briggs founded the national program that we know today and PFADP assumed responsibility of the program in 2009. Before PFADP adopted the program, For Whom the Bells Toll was a program of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE). The history of tolling bells: The tolling bells will be a reminder to all who hear them that all of us are diminished by continuing acts of state-sponsored murder. The churches, monasteries, abbeys, temples and synagogues that join in this effort will go a long way toward stopping the death penalty in this country. The campaign will continue until the death penalty is abolished in this country. Throughout history, bells have been used to warn people of dangers such as marauders or approaching storms. They have been used to celebrate happy occasions such as weddings and to mark sorrowful occasions such as deaths. Bells have been tolled to gather village residents for meetings. In 1945, many church bells tolled to announce the end of World War II. How to help: If your place of worship has a bell: • On the date of an execution, toll the bells at 6:00 p.m. for 2 minutes. If your place of worship does not have a bell: • Hang a black drape outside the doors of the building on the day of the execution.*Banners will be coming soon. Whether there is a bell or not: • Include information in your bulletin.If you need help or advice with anything, do not hesitate to contact us. You can email Amanda Lattanzio at amanda (at) pfadp (dot) org or call 919.933.7567. If you have not signed up yet to join For Whom the Bells Toll, please do so by following this link: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1576/signUp.jsp?key=5043 The current execution schedule is as follows: Last updated May 15, 2012 2012 MAY 16 - Arizona Samuel Lopez is scheduled to be killed by the people of Arizona for the murder of Estafana Holmes. JUNE 6 - Texas Bobby Hines is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for the murder of Michelle Haupt. 6 - Ohio Abdul Hamin Awkal is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murders of Latife Awkal and Mahmoud Abdul-Aziz. JULY 18 - Texas Yokamon Hearn is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for his role in the murder of Frank Meziere. 26 - Ohio John Eley is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Ihsan Aydah. AUGUST 1 - Texas Marcus Druery is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for his role in the murder of Skyyler Brown. 3 - Missouri Michael Tisius is scheduled to be killed by the people of Missouri for the murders of Leon Egley and Jason Acton. 7 - Texas Marvin Wilson is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for the murder of Jerry Robert Williams. 22 - Texas John Balentine is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for the murders of Edward Mark Caylor, Kai Brooke Geyer, and Brady Watson. SEPTEMBER 20 - Ohio Donald Palmer is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murders of Charles Sponhaltz and Steven Vargo. NOVEMBER 13 - Ohio Brett Hartman is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Winda Snipes. 14 - Texas Ramon Hernandez is scheduled to be killed by the people of Texas for his role in the murder of Rosa Rosado. 2013 JANUARY 16 - Ohio Ronald Post is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Helen Vantz. MARCH 6 - Ohio Frederick Treesh is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Henry Dupree. MAY 1 - Ohio Steven Smith is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Autumn Frye. AUGUST 7 - Ohio Billy Slagle is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Mari Anne Pope. SEPTEMBER 25 - Ohio Harry Mitts, Jr. is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murders of John Bryant and Sergeant Dennis Glivar. NOVEMBER 14 - Ohio Ronald Phillips is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Sheila Marie Evans. 2014 January 16 - Ohio Dennis McGuire is scheduled to be killed by the people of Ohio for the murder of Joy Stewart. CONTACT ARIZONA Governor Jan Brewer 1700 West Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007 Phone: (602) 542-4331 Toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883 (within Arizona only) Fax: (602) 542-1381 Web form: http://azgovernor.gov/contact.asp MISSOURI Governor Jay Nixon P.O. Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-3222 Web form: http://governor.mo.gov/contact/ OHIO Governor John Kasich Riffe Center 77 South High Street, 30th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6108 Phone/General Info: (614) 466-3555 Fax: (614) 466-9354 Web form: http://governor.ohio.gov/Contact/ContacttheGovernor.aspx SOUTH DAKOTA Governor Dennis Daugaard Office of the Governor 500 E Capitol Ave Pierre, SD 57501 Phone: (605) 773-3212 Web form: http://www.sd.gov/governor/contact.aspx TEXAS Governor Rick Perry P.O. Box 12428 Austin, TX 78711-2428 Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1 (800) 252-9600 [for Texas callers] Information and Referral and Opinion Hotline: (512) 463-1782 [for Austin, Texas and out-of-state callers] Office of the Governor Main Switchboard: (512) 463-2000 [office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST] Fax: (512) 463-1849 Email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Web form: http://www2.governor.state.tx.us/contact/assistance.aspx
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