Bonnita Spikes, whose husband was murdered during a convenience store robbery, said she does not want his killers to receive the death penalty if they are caught, at a forum in the School of International Service lounge Tuesday evening.
The forum, organized by the AU Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, hosted Spikes, who now serves as an anti-death row activist. Mike Stark, another activist present at the event, moderated a conference call from two inmates currently on death row in Maryland.
"People really get a new perspective on the death penalty when they realize someone on death row is a person," Caroline Barrett, a senior in the School of Public Affairs and member of the Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, said. "[The] more they know about it, the more likely they are to be against the death penalty."
Spikes' husband, Michael, was murdered more than 10 years ago. The murder greatly impacted her family. When the police brought her to the body of her husband, she fainted, Spike said.
Her 13-year old son at that time was also largely affected by the murder, she said.
"He tried to kill himself three times, he spent three years in the hospital," Spikes said. She said he is on medication and is better now.
Despite the hardship her family has been through, Spikes said she does not want the death penalty for her husbands' killers, who have not been found.
"They didn't find the people," she said. "I had to let go and I let go."
She said race plays a large role in the death penalty and that is one reason why she opposes it.
"I was appalled at the number of people of color [on death row], especially African Americans," Spikes said.
Two inmates at an unidentified maximum-security prison in Maryland called in to provide their view on the debate.
One inmate, John Booth, said he has been on death row for 24 years. He said he objects to the death penalty in part because of the "dehumanization process that goes with this."
He said tours are ushered by his cell almost every day, which portray him as "some exotic animal."
The visitors and guides, who are correctional officers, "perceive me as less then human," he said.
He said cost is another issue.
"Since 1983, the state has spent approximately $8.3 million in an attempt to kill me, money that can be used in so many different ways," Booth said.
Students who attended were disappointed that only the side against the death penalty was presented.
"[I'm] interested to hear the perspective of someone on death row," Jessica Deary, a freshman in the School of International Service, said. "It's good to have this, but [it would be] better if [it were] two-sided."
Erika Eckstrom, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said by only representing one side, the talk missed a major point.
"In order to support one argument, you need to represent the other side," she said.
The coalition may achieve its goal, as Spikes said Maryland is very close to abolishing the death penalty. A bill was introduced in the Maryland General Assembly in late January 2007 to abolish the death penalty, according to the Daily Times of Salisbury, Md.
