Victims' Stories

Victims' family members who oppose the death penalty come to that opposition from a variety of experiences and beliefs, but all challenge the common assumption that anyone who has lost a family member to murder is in favor of capital punishment. All challenge the notion that executions are the way to achieve justice or closure for the family that murder leaves behind. 



MVFHR’s Gallery of Victims’ Stories aims to put real faces on victim opposition to the death penalty by presenting photos and statements from survivors throughout the United States and around the world, along with photos of the murder victim and links to further information. 



We invite you to browse by name or by location, and to print out these pages to distribute them to lawmakers, students, members of the clergy, other victims’ family members, as you find it helpful to do so. 

We regularly add new pages to the Gallery, so check back often – and let us know if you'd like to have your own photo and statement included.

A print version of the Gallery of Victims' Stories is available in Japanese.

Name:
Stanley Allridge
Barbara Allen
Arnie Alpert
Anthony Aversano
Bill Babbitt
Desiree Babbitt
Michael Berg
Jo Berry
Jeanne Bishop
Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins
Hector and Susie Black
Antoinette Bosco
Elizabeth Brancato
Joe Bruce
Ron Callen
Ron Carlson
Clementina Chery
Tamara Chikunova
Beatrice Coleman
Charisse Coleman
Pam Crawford
Kim Crespi
Cathy Crino
Robert Curley
Renny Cushing
Kathy Dillon
Tina Duroy
Walter Everett
Debra Fifer
Loretta Filipov
Jim Fowler
Aba Gayle
Terry Greene
Clemmie Greenlee
Linda Gregory
Margaret Hawthorn
Melanie Hebert
Susan Hirsch
Regina Hockett
Carla Jacobs
Bill Jenkins
Milton Jones
Olivia Suzy Klassen
Bess Klassen-Landis
Judy Kerr
Azim Khamisa
Art Laffin
Gus and Audrey Lamm
Marietta Jaeger Lane
Yolanda Littlejohn
Theresa Matthews
Barbara McNally
Robert Meeropol
Derrel Myers
Julie Nelson
Bill Pelke
Ida Reid
Gail Rice
Brian Roberts
Lois and Ken Robison
Orlando Rodriguez
Gordon and Elaine Rondeau
Vicki Schieber
Pat Seaborn
Bonnita Spikes
James Staub
Charles Strobel
Robin Theurkauf
Shane Truett
Marie Verzulli
Jonnie Warner
Pat Webdale
Bud Welch
Amanda and Nick Wilcox

Location
(Note: Survivors are listed under the state of their current residence and the state where the murder occurred)

Alabama
Pam Crawford

Alaska
Bill Pelke

California
Bill Babbitt
Desiree Babbitt
Aba Gayle
Carla Jacobs
Judy Kerr
Azim Khamisa
Derrel Myers
Julie Nelson
Amanda and Nick Wilcox

Colorado
Gail Rice

Connecticut
Antoinette Bosco
Elizabeth Brancato
Walter Everett
Art Laffin
Robin Theurkauf

Delaware
Michael Berg

Florida
Kathy Dillon
Linda Gregory

Georgia
Hector and Susie Black
Gordon and Elaine Rondeau
Pat Seaborn
James Staub

Illinois
Jeanne Bishop
Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins
Cathy Crino
Bill Jenkins
Barbara McNally
Gail Rice
Gordon and Elaine Rondeau

Indiana
Suzy Klassen
Bess Klassen-Landis
Bill Pelke

Louisiana
Charisse Coleman

Maryland
Vicki Schieber
Bonnita Spikes

Maine
Joe Bruce

Massachusetts
Clementina Chery
Robert Curley
Loretta Filipov
Terry Greene
Milton Jones
Robert Meeropol
Julie Nelson
Richard Nethercut

Missouri
Jonnie Warner

Michigan
Ron Callen

Montana
Antoinette Bosco
Marietta Jaeger Lane

Nebraska
Gus and Audrey Lamm

New Hampshire
Arnie Alpert
Renny Cushing
Margaret Hawthorn

New York
Anthony Aversano
Kathy Dillon
Loretta Filipov
Robert Meeropol
Orlando Rodriguez
Bonnita Spikes
Robin Theurkauf
Marie Verzulli
Pat Webdale

North Carolina
Charisse Coleman
Pam Crawford
Kim Crespi
Yolanda Littlejohn

Ohio
Ron Callen

Oklahoma
Jim Fowler
Bud Welch

Oregon
Aba Gayle
Suzy Klassen
Gus and Audrey Lamm

Pennsylvania
Walter Everett
Terry Greene
Vicki Schieber

Rhode Island
Desiree Babbitt

South Carolina
Beatrice Coleman
Celia McWee

Tennessee
Hector and Susie Black
Clemmie Greenlee
Regina Hockett
James Staub
Charles Strobel
Shane Truett

Texas
Barbara Allen
Stanley Allridge
Ron Carlson
Cathy Crino
Tina Duroy
Melanie Hebert
Lois and Ken Robison

Vermont
Bess Klassen-Landis

Virginia
Susan Hirsch
Bill Jenkins
Ida Reid
Shane Truett

Washington
Judy Kerr
Richard Nethercut

Washington, DC
Art Laffin
Brian Roberts

Wisconsin
Debra Fifer
Theresa Matthews

Outside U.S.:
Barbara Allen - Canada
Jo Berry - England
Tamara Chikunova - Uzbekistan
Susan Hirsch - Tanzania