Exonerated Death Row Inmates Visit Oregon University Campuses After serving 18 years on Florida’s death row, Juan Melendez walked out and into a very different world. Unable to read or write English when he went in, now Melendez will address universities. He will joined Greg Wilhoit, who served time on Oklahoma’s death row, and was also exonerated as an innocent man. Wilhoit is featured in the best-selling non-fiction book by John Grisham, The Innocent Man. The tour is sponsored by Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (OADP) and Witness to Innocence, a nation-wide organization of exonerated death row inmates who travel the country to talk about the mistakes and injustices that too frequently happen in the American judicial system when the death penalty is involved. Since 1976, when the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty, there have been 142 exonerations of innocent people, wrongfully convicted of aggravated murder. Join Juan, Greg and I as we discuss their experiences and this Thursday Feb 28, 2013 from 8:00-9:00AM on Voices from the Edge on KBOO 90.7 FM and call in at 503-231-8187 to join the conversation. The Oregon campus tour will begin at the Lewis & Clark Law School, 10015 SW Terwilliger Blvd, in Portland, at 6PM on Wed. March 6th. For more information, times and locations, visit www.oadp.org or access the accompanying flyer. Reporters who wish to interview Mr. Melendez and Mr. Wilhoit in advance of the tour dates should call (503) 990-7060.
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