Mark Weisenmiller

TAMPA, Florida, Aug 3 (IPS) - Juan Roberto Melendez has not been able to stop talking since he was freed from a cell on Florida's death row four years ago.

"I remember the day and date exactly -- Thursday, January 3, 2002. It's like my second birthday. The first thing I did was kiss the ground because all I did for 17 years was to walk on concrete," said Melendez, who in spite of his age, 55, still has jet black hair and sports a fashionable goatee.

Melendez was released from Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida after being condemned to die in 1984 for a crime he did not commit. The State of Florida still has not apologised.

His story is typical of other exonerated death row inmates, found caught in a prison system simply because he is poor and Hispanic. Some 96 percent of the states where death penalty sentences were studied by the American Bar Association in 1998 showed a direct link of discrimination.

Full Article
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34224

A tape with someones confession is hearsay and even if it could proof someones innocence it is not allowed in court.. hello??? :O

Though Melendez maintained his innocence and could provide four people who verified he was elsewhere that day -- police arrested the Latino on the basis of testimony of a man who held a grudge against Melendez.

Speechless. The man who testified against him refused to appear in court, citing his Fifth Amendment constitutional right. I will never be able to understand how the judicial system works. I can understand nothing is perfect, however there also seems to lack certain aspects which normally would be required in a court of law.

Somewhat reminds me of a cartoon I posted under the Day Brighteners forum: A teacher had written 2 + 2 = on the board, the student then wrote 'It depends' with the teacher then commenting, Suzie, this is math, not the law. Although it is intended as a joke, it unfortunately sounds quite plausible.

Reading this article also made me recall Article 10 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, saying that: Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing. I do wish this would be adhered to, and put into practice. As more often than not it isn't.

- Ben.

Juan Melendez is a brave and great fighter to abolish the death penalty now. He speaks of his own experiences and tells his story in a honest, clear and very touching way.
I admire his strength for talking about that.
This year Juan had a speaking tour through Europe where told his story.
I have helped to organize one of that events in Germany. It was very touching and everybody in the audience was moved. In the end they stood up and applauded Juan for his speech.
It was good to see how many people were touched by his story and that they didn't just close their eyes for the injustice.
This man is a GREAT man and many, many people could learn from his strength.
It was a pleasure to get to know this amazing man and to learn alot from him.
In struggle
Diana