|
|
| Former inmate recounts fight from death row |
| By Pensacola News Journal |
| Published: 10/23/2002 |
|
Seventeen years, 8 months and a day. That's how much time Juan Melendez spent on death row before the evidence was produced that another man had already confessed to the murder 17 years ago. Melendez, the 24th man exonerated and released from Florida's death row, came to Pensacola on Monday night to fight against the death penalty. A handful of people attended his talk - part of the Florida Innocence Tour - at the Center for Social Justice. 'My freedom is a miracle. I am a prime example of why the system is not fair,' said Melendez, 51, who was sentenced to death in 1984 for the murder of an Auburndale beauty salon owner. Melendez lost several rounds of appeals, and his death sentence was upheld before a judge finally granted him a new trial. Polk County prosecutors set Melendez free in January when they announced that they did not have sufficient evidence to retry him. 'A lot of times I gave up; I wanted to commit suicide,' he told the small crowd. Katy De La Piedra, 24, attended the event because she is against the death penalty. 'Juan's speech was very moving,' she said. The local attorney said she is impressed by his positive attitude. Other advocates against the death penalty also spoke, including victim SueZann Bosler, who watched her father stabbed to death. He was stabbed 24 times by a burglar. Bosler, then 24, also was stabbed five times by the same man. 'I wanted to hurt his man, and I felt ashamed because I never felt that way before,' she said, crying. 'But how are they going to find remorse unless we give them a chance to be remorseful?' |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think