FOUR HOURS TO LIVE

[Th1onein]

Dear DU,

As some of you know, I have a friend on Texas' Death Row who is due to be executed at 6pm tonight. His name is Robert Perez. And he is guilty.

For those of you who are against the death penalty, I ask you to call Governor Rick Perry's office and ask that Robert Perez be granted a 30 day stay of execution until the manner by which the state puts these prisoners to death can be studied further. It is inhumane.

I ask that you take my word for it that this execution method is inhumane. I've studied it; I've posted about it, in other threads. I don't have time to do that again for you right now. Just please MAKE THE CALL.

I also ask that if you are FOR the death penalty, or if you are FOR the death penalty IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, please do not reply to this thread. The purpose of this thread is to ask you to call Governor Perry's office and ask for a stay. That's all.

Governor Perry's contact information:

Citizen's Assistance Hotline: [phone]

Citizen's Opinion Hotline: [phone]

Citizen's Assistance and Opinion Hotline: [phone]

Office of the Governor Main Switchboard: [phone]


If you call the Opinion or Citizen's Assistance Hotline, and don't press any options, you can talk to someone live.

You can also email his office at the link below (but a phone call is better):

http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact/#contactinfo
Office of the Governor Main Switchboard: [phone]


He dies at 6pm tonight. You can stop this. Please.

Thank you so much,
Melanie Childers

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Melanie.

I emailed and called. I am opposed to the death penalty and I'm so sorry for you and your friend.

At this point, I don't think the execution will be delayed. Please, please try not to be so upset. You're tearing yourself apart. It's obvious in your posts.

I wish you the best and I'm very, very sorry this has happened. :hug:

[Th1onein]

3. Book Lover and Midlo Democrat

Thank you very much for your calls and emails and for your kind thoughts. I really am going to be okay with this. I don't have much choice.

I realized, when I began writing to Robert, that he had very little chance of living much longer, but I did it because it was the right thing to do. I will continue to correspond with him if he lives and if he doesn't, I will find another Death Row prisoner; someone who no one wants to be associated with, to correspond with. I will bring some light into these dark lives, if it is possible. It is my obligation as a human being, to do this.

I will be praying for my friend, at 6pm this evening. I will pray that he dies a peaceful death and that he meets, first, with those he loves, and who love him. Until 6pm, though, I will continue to fight for his life, and I ask that you do the same. Never, never give up.

[Book Lover]

2. I called Gov Perry again today

And I echo Midlo's post above - I fear we will not be effective in obtaining a stay this time. But we will someday stop this practice altogether, this I know. Stay strong Melanie. My thoughts are with Robert and all people on all US Death Rows.

[SCantiGOP]

4. We're with you

I passed this on to my wife. She works now for Legal Aid, but started her career with the Death Penalty Research Center. We have a picture in our house of the man whose execution she witnessed. He was guilty. He had also been raped so badly as a child that he had no control over his bowels. The death penalty is a sad, sad commentary on the racism and hate in our society. I hope for the best. Peace and strength to you, Melanie.

[Nutmegger]

5. When the the state kills in our name, we all kill.

Not in my name. The time will come when this barbaric ritual of revenge killing will be done with.

They have to hear from us and know that we won't tolerate this nonsense being done in our name.