Family members of murder victims will gather for a press conference at the Colorado State Capitol Monday morning to call on lawmakers to end Colorado’s death penalty. Below is the letter they will be presenting, signed by more than 55 Coloradans who have lost loved ones to violence.
January 27, 2020
To the Members of the Colorado Legislature:
Each of us has had a loved one taken from us by senseless violence. At a moment none of us could have predicted or prepared for, tragedy robbed from us children, parents, spouses, siblings, and other family members. Our direct experiences with the criminal justice system and our struggles with grief have led us all to the same conclusion: Colorado’s death penalty fails victims’ families.
We never asked to be in this position and would do anything to change it. Nothing can erase the pain that a senseless act of violence brought into our lives, but we can honor the memory of our loved ones, and other families who may face tragedy, by working for effective responses to violence.
The reality of the death penalty is that it drags on for decades. In Colorado, only one person has been executed in more than fifty years. Victims’ families in capital cases go back to court for years on end where the press replays the details of the crime again and again. The result is that the defendant is turned into a celebrity while the victim’s family waits for justice that never comes. This system burdens the justice system, taking resources from both programs that are proven to improve public safety and also from solving the over 1,300 homicide cold cases in Colorado.
The death penalty is said to be reserved for “particularly heinous murders.” We have difficulty understanding this position. The implication is that other murders are “ordinary.” From experience, we can tell you that every murder is heinous to the family of the victim. As Colorado holds on to its broken death penalty system – cherry-picking cases to receive the disproportionate attention and resources of a capital trial – it wastes millions of dollars that could be spent on policies that benefit all victims.
As you consider whether to keep or end Colorado’s death penalty, we urge you to make the choice that best serves the interests of victims’ families. We hope you will conclude what we have: that the death penalty fails victims’ families. We urge you to repeal Colorado’s death penalty.
Respectfully,
Son of Wendy Mae Aldern, murdered in AuroraBob Autobee of Pueblo
Father of Eric Jason Autobee, murdered in the Limon Correctional Facility
Victoria Baker-Willford
Daughter of Carolyn Jansen, murdered in Aurora
Dale Beck of Estes Park
Brother-in-law of Christine Ann Clark, murdered in Wisconsin
Margaret Beck of Estes Park
Sister of Christine Ann Clark, murdered in Wisconsin
Katie Benson Smith of Cotopaxi
Daughter of Sergeant Mary K. Ricard, murdered in the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Crowley
Rachel Beutel-Hadley of Aurora
Daughter of Tammy Augustine, murdered in Iowa
Linda Burks-Brown of Denver
Sister of Willie Frazier, murdered in Denver
Brenda Carrasco of Denver
Cousin of a victim, murdered in Denver
Pastor Mike Pennington Devine of Denver
Father of Devon T Sutton, murdered in Florida
Barbara Scout Dunn of Fort Collins
Sister of John Kent Breckenridge, murdered in The Caribbean
Judith Elane
Sister of Ronald Eugene Schlatter, murdered in Denver
Frank C Evans of Denver
Uncle of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Mable Inez Evans of Aurora
Grandmother of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Sharletta Evans of Aurora
Mother of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Tilisha Evans of Denver
Cousin of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Robert M May of Denver
Brother-in-law of a victim, murdered in Oregon
William H Mayes Evans of Aurora
Uncle of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Rachel Jean Gaines of Aurora
Sister of Frederick Leon Martin, murdered in Missouri
Jean Gregory of Denver
Mother of Steven Gregory, murdered in Aurora
Sean Gruno of Westminster
Nephew of Polly Elizabeth Sullivan, murdered in Denver
Senator Lucia Guzman of Denver
Daughter of Tom Guzman, murdered in Texas
Lieutenant Hollis of Denver
Uncle of Faye Johnson, murdered in Denver
Calvin Hurd of Aurora
Brother of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Lori Janssen of Bolder
Daughter of Helen and Richard Pelham, murdered in Golden
Arlis Keller of Greeley
Sister of Dwight Tobyne, murdered in Arizona
Brian Keller of Greeley
Brother-in-law of Dwight Tobyne, murdered in Arizona
Sherri Landrum of Denver
Mother of Kurt Lydell Levias Jr, murdered in Denver
Francey Kuizenga Liefert of Loveland
Daughter of Rev. Dr. Henry Kuizenga, murdered in California
Angela Lee of Denver
Mother of Gailen J Armstrong, murdered in Denver
Frank D Lytle of Colorado Springs
Son-in-law of Johnnie Banks Sr, murdered in Indiana
Rosemary Harris Lytle of Colorado Springs
Daughter of Johnnie Banks Sr, murdered in Indiana
Cathleen Maestas of Denver
Mother of Geranimo ‘Mo’ Maestas, murdered in Denver
Antoinette Martinez of Denver
Mother of David Martinez, murdered in Denver
Tom Mauser of Littleton
Father of Daniel Mauser, murdered at Columbine High School in Littleton
Bernard Mayes of Aurora
Nephew of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Michalla Mayes-Milliner of Aurora
Cousin of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Elvira Maxwell
Mother of Darron Dwayne Sneed and Charles Sneed Jr., murdered in Denver
Dr. Mary McNeil-Jones, PhD of Denver
Wife of Wayne McNeil, murdered in Kansas
Rebecca L Oakes of Denver
Daughter of Marge Kohnberg, murdered at Chuck-E-Cheese in Aurora
Sara Perez of Denver
Aunt of Deont’a McDonald, murdered in Denver
Angell Pérez of Denver
Cousin of Anthony Montoya Jr, murdered in Thornton
Michael Pinelli of Englewood
Brother of Anthony Martinez, murdered in Illinois
Amy Plapp of Colorado Springs
Sister of Steven F. Plapp, murdered in Texas
Lynn Porter of Aurora
Aunt of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Susanne D Price of Denver
Mother of André Price, murdered in Denver
Alice Randolph of Lakewood
Mother of Loren Anthony Collins, murdered in Aurora
Kristopher Randolf of Thornton
Brother of Loren Anthony Collins, murdered in Aurora
Tim Ricard of Crowley
Husband of Sergeant Mary K. Ricard, murdered at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Crowley
Gail VanderJagt Rice
Sister of Denver police officer Bruce VanderJagt, murdered in Denver
Dr. Robert Rice
Brother-in-law of Denver police officer Bruce VanderJagt, murdered in Denver
Gail Rogers of Aurora
Cousin of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Priss Sanders of Denver
Daughter-in-law of Stacey Coad, murdered in Denver
Marilyn Shelton of Denver
Mother of Tyrone Ivan Adair Jr “BossMan Goodie,” murdered in Denver
Christine Sykes of Denver
Aunt of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
Carissa Tomlin of Aurora
Niece of Fredrick Leon Martin, murdered in Missouri
Barbara Otte Voss of Grand Junction
Sister of Thomas E. Otte, murdered in Connecticut
Charles Derrick Waits of Denver
Father of Dawan Derrick Childress, murdered in Denver
Monica Lynette Waits of Denver
Stepmother of Dawan Derrick Childress, murdered in Denver
Isaiah Ward of Denver
Cousin of Kerrick Summers, murdered in Denver
Thomas G Ward Jr of Colorado Springs
Brother-in-law of Steven F. Plapp, murdered in Texas
Dominae Ware of Aurora
Niece of Fredrick Leon Martin, murdered in Missouri
Roy Wayne Watley of Aurora
Cousin of Casson Xavier Evans, murdered in Denver
David Works of Denver
Father of Stephanie & Rachel Works, murdered at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs
Marie Works of Denver
Mother of Stephanie & Rachel Works, murdered at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs
Davida Young of Denver
Family member of a murder victim
