To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor

Contact: Abe Bonowitz of the Abolitionist Action Committee, 800-973-6548; 561-371-5204 (mobile -- starting 6/26) e-mail: abe@cuadp.org David Elliot of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, 202-543-9577, ext. 16; 202-607-7036 (cell) e-mail: delliot@ncadp.org

News Advisory:

-- Starvin' For Justice 2003; The 10th Annual Fast and Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty at the U.S. Supreme Court

Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas and Florida death row survivor Juan Melendez will be among anti-death penalty activists from at least 17 states and two foreign countries to converge on Washington, D.C. Sunday, June 29 through Wednesday, July 2 for four days of activities commemorating the historic 1972 and 1976 Supreme Court rulings that suspended the death penalty in the United States and later allowed executions to resume.

June 29 marks the 31st anniversary of the Furman v. Georgia decision suspending executions, while July 2 marks the 27th anniversary of the Gregg v. Georgia ruling allowing executions to resume. Since Gregg, 859 people have been executed in the United States. This is the tenth year in a row that the Abolitionist Action Committee has held its annual Fast and Vigil between the dates of these two landmark decisions. Activists, many of whom are fasting the entire four days, are travelling to Washington D.C. from across the United States and beyond, including from:

-- Alaska

-- California

-- Florida

-- Indiana

-- Maryland

-- Massachusetts

-- Michigan

-- Montana

-- New Jersey

-- New York

-- North Carolina

-- South Carolina

-- Ohio

-- Pennsylvania

-- Tennessee

-- Texas

-- Virginia

and also Canada, Great Britain and Puerto Rico.

ATTENTION REPORTERS, EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Consider interviews with activists from your specific state or region. A "media availability" will be held at 11:15 a.m. Monday, June 30 on the sidewalk in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. Among those available at that time: Florida death row survivor Juan Melendez, the NBA's Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas, Musician Steve Earle, and leaders from various organizations opposing the death penalty. A public rally, complete with interesting visuals, will begin at noon, and musician Steve Earle will perform at an evening rally.

For more information please visit

http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=18103&Link=http://www.abolition.org

http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=18103&Link=http://www.abolition.org/annual.html

The Abolitionist Action Committee is an ad-hoc group of individuals committed to highly visible and effective public education for alternatives to the death penalty through nonviolent direct action.

Contact the AAC at: 800-973-6548; e-mail: aac@abolition.org; web: http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=18103&Link=http://www.abolition.org

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2003 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/