US Newswire  

USA: Demonstration, Prayer Vigil to Highlight Issue of Juvenile Death Penalty Before U.S. Supreme Court

Contact: Bishop Thomas Masters of Under Our Wings, 561-662-7421; Web: http://www.underourwings.org

A Florida minister and leader of a child advocacy group will head a demonstration and prayer vigil protesting the juvenile death penalty in front of the U.S. Supreme Court at noon Thursday, April 1.

Bishop Thomas Masters, founder and executive director of Under Our Wings, will highlight the fact that the United States is one of only a half dozen countries that is known to have executed juvenile offenders since 1990. In the United States, 72 people are under sentence of death for crimes committed at the age of 16 or 17. More than 1/2 of these juvenile offenders are in the states of Alabama and Texas and about 2/3 are black, Latino or Asian.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider during its next term whether executing juvenile offenders violates the 8th Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Within the past month, 2 states -- South Dakota and Wyoming -- have abolished the juvenile death penalty, and at least 5 other states -- Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire -- are studying the issue.

"We pray that the U.S. Supreme Court will act to bring the United States in line with almost every other country in the world," Bishop Masters said. "And we pray that we can find better ways to lead and nurture our children and provide them with powerful and loving role models instead of teaching them that the answer to killing is more killing."

Under Our Wings is a grassroots coalition dedicated to ending the prosecution and adjudication of children as adults and to the abolition of the juvenile death penalty. Bishops Masters recently led the high-profile campaign to gain the release of Lionel Tate, a 12-year-old who was initially sentenced to life in prison for the accidental death of six-year-old Tiffany Eunick.

A number of organizations, including child advocacy groups, psychiatric and other medical associations, mental health associations and education groups have endorsed the campaign to abolish the juvenile death penalty. These groups include the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the Children's Defense Fund and the National Mental Health Association.