Sir, - As a result of his radio interview with Pat Kenny on October 21st, there was a huge public outcry against the proposed execution of Alan Bannister in Missouri. RTE received over 500 calls within minutes.
Unfortunately the state governor chose to ignore these pleas for clemency. Alan Bannister was executed at 6.01 am on October 22nd.
His friends in Ireland would like to thank all those people who protested against this injustice. We are determined that Alan will not have died in vain. He didn't get competent legal representation because he wasn't rich and had to rely on state legal aid. There are many more ordinary people like Alan in the US and elsewhere who are victims of such injustice. We plan to do something about it.
The death penalty, or state-sanctioned murder as it should be called, has no place in the judicial system of any society which calls itself civilised. In saying this we in no way are soft on combating crime or the social and economic conditions that spawn it. It doesn't act as a deterrent or undo the original crime and runs contrary to any progressive approach of rehabilitation.
We are holding a public meeting for those who are interested in forming a network of people who will campaign actively against such injustices in the future, at home or abroad. The meeting will be held in the North Star Hotel, Amiens Street, Dublin (opposite Connolly Station) on Thursday, December 4th at 8 pm. All are welcome. - Yours, etc.,
On behalf of Friends for Life - Ireland, Dublin 8.