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About 100 protesters crowded around the north steps of the Nebraska State Capitol late Tuesday afternoon to demonstrate their opposition to the execution of Carey Dean Moore.
Serena Frete says she has attended too many anti-death penalty rallies in Nebraska and her home state of South Dakota to remember the exact number. (Photo by Pamela Thompson, NET News).
Matt Maly, operations coordinator for Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty speaks to those gathered at the rally. In back of him stand assorted members of the clergy as well as Lincoln state senator Patty Pansing Brooks. (Photo by Pamela Thompson, NET News).
Diane and Paul Smith oppose the death penalty for many reasons, one of which is that Paul is a lay clergyman who works with inmates and knows many of those on death row personally. (Photo by Pamela Thompson, NET News).
Waving placards, drying tears and sharing hugs, about 100 protesters crowded around the north steps of the Nebraska State Capitol late Tuesday afternoon to demonstrate their opposition to the death penalty. Several area clergy members, anti-death penalty advocates, and state senator Patty Pansing Brooks spoke to the crowd.
Matt Maly with Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, says Nebraskans should be grieving and angry about the events of the day.
"We should be angry that our elected officials used our tax dollars to buy secret death drugs in an experiment," Maly said. "It’s wrong, absolutely wrong, and Governor Ricketts needs to hear about it."
Paul Smith, a lay clergyman who works with inmates, says he knows the men on death row personally.
"I know they did heinous things, but I don’t believe a civilized society executes its own citizens," Smith said. "There’s no way you can convince me – financially, or with crime statistics— anyway that this is the way to do things. I think we’re better than this. And this is not the way I want my Nebraska to be."
Maureen Ose said she needed to attend the Capitol rally in person because she feels so strongly against capital punishment.
"I think every time we kill somebody like that, we kill a little bit of ourselves. Everybody in Nebraska is diminished today," Ose said.
Serena Frete stood in a line with other protestors carrying signs. She said the death penalty is inhumane and doesn’t deter crime.
"It doesn’t make people feel better about the crimes that have been committed, it doesn’t make people feel peaceful after an execution happens, it’s a waste of resources, a waste of money and really detrimental to a community," Frete said.
Wiping away tears with one hand, and balancing her sign with the other, Frete says many attending the rally have a passionate, emotional connection to the subject.
"Human life is important," she said.