"Juan Melendez is a critically important voice for the abolition of the death penalty. Released from Florida prison in 2002 after spending 17 years on death row for a murder he did not commit, Juan Melendez illustrates the risks of wrongful conviction and the wide- ranging damage that the death penalty causes. Death penalty abolitionists in the United States and worldwide count Juan Melendez among the movement’s most effective spokespeople. His heartfelt retelling of his own story combines with his clear articulation of the broad issues involved in the application of the death penalty.
Though Juan finally succeeded in proving his innocence and winning his release from death row, he has not turned his back on those who are still affected by the death penalty. Last October, Juan attended a ceremony that family members of people who have been executed throughout the United States held in Austin, Texas to mark the launch of a new project called “No Silence, No Shame: Organizing Families of the Executed.” I watched Juan embrace the mother of a man who had been executed in South Carolina in 2004. “That could’ve been my Mama,” Juan said.
As the son of a murder victim, I know how valuable it is when people who work for abolition of the death penalty are able to embrace the variety of people whom the death penalty affects. Juan Melendez suffered the pain of wrongful conviction and of losing 17 years of his freedom, yet he does not wish that pain on others; instead, he works to end the death penalty. I am the director of an international organization called Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights, whose members have suffered the pain of losing a loved one to murder and who do not wish that pain on others; instead, we work to end the death penalty. We believe that the response to one human rights violation should not be another human rights violation, and that we honor victims by preventing violence, not by perpetuating it.
Renny Cushing
Executive Director
Murder Victims’ Families for Human Rights"

Juan Mendelez, an innocent former Death-Row-Inmate, is touring Germany to convince people that the DP is wrong. He's supported by Amnesty International (German Section), ALIVE - Koalition gegen die Todesstrafe e.V., Innocent In Prison Project International (IIPPI) and Initiative gegen die Todesstrafe e.V (= German Coalition to abolish the Death Penalty).
Actor Mike Farrell commented the tour:
"Thank you for the work you're doing to expose the utter inhumanity of the death penalty. I wish I could join you for this tour, but perhaps another time.
Here in the United States, a country that claims to be a world leader in the advancement of human rights, thoughtful people are embarrassed by the continued use of the death system, not only because it is inherently inhumane but also because its application is based on considerations of politics rather than any serious notion of justice.
As your tour with Mr. Melendez will attest, the capital system in America is rife with problems. It entraps the innocent, it is used disproportionately against the poor and people of color. The system is biased not only racially but geographically, in that the same crime results in a different penalty in different areas of our country.
While our constitution requires that those too poor to be able to afford an attorney to defend them must have one provided by the court, in too many instances the court-appointed attorney is untrained in capital defense or simply incompetent. And, because of the political pressure to "solve" serious crimes, police often find themselves so pushed to find a solution that they cut legal corners, often entrapping the innocent. By the same token, politically ambitious prosecutors sometimes become so lost in the desire to "win" a conviction that they engage in prosecutorial misconduct with a wrongful conviction the result.
Add to these problems the inevitability of human error and we find ourselves at the mercy of a system state-sponsored-homicide that has no place in a civilized society. I send my thanks to you for your work and offer my congratulations for your having the good sense to bring Juan Melendez to educate your countrymen and women."

I read the book by Lola Valens and Dave Eggers. It had Juan's story. I cried so hard reading that story. He is such an amazing person, brave and humane, and he goes on fighting for justice. he is an inspiration, as is your whole organization. Thanks for posting.

Juan is a great guy! He does alot for the DP movement and he has a wonderful sense of humor. I've been on a couple Journey's with him in the last couple of years. It's wonderful to see these guys who get off the Row go out and do all they can to help the one's left behind.

Juan is the honorary member of our organisation (Justice for the innocent e. V.) and he is very important for the fight against the DP. I wish much more of former death row inmates would get involved in the struggle against the DP.