SCHEDULE OF EVENTS in 2017

June 27	Tuesday	ANYTIME - Our housing site, CCNV, is available for check in. For information on housing, please register in advance. 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Teach-in and Vigil for Death Penalty Abolition. Join legal experts, activists and faith leaders in Washington, DC to support efforts to end the death penalty. This 1 hour program will provide both a legal overview of the death penalty and a theological grounding for abolishing it. Please join us for the Facebook Livestream which will be hosted at the Sojourners' Facebook page. Download the toolkit and discussion guide HERE.
June 28	Wednesday	9:00 am - Death Penalty on Trial - come to DC Superior Court to support the 12 abolitionist defendants who were arrested in a January protest action in DC. Location: 500 Indiana Avenue NW (Judiciary Square). Sit in the courtroom for an hour, two hours or as long as you can be there. Court closes at 5 pm, and the trial may carry over into June 29th. We beleive the trial will be in Judge Robert Salerno's court, which may be courtroom 210. You can inquire on site with court officers. ANYTIME - Our housing site, CCNV, is available for check in. For information on housing, please register in advance. 8:30 pm to 11:40pm - "Last supper" at the Lutheran Church Of The Reformation, in the basement Parish Hall, 212 East Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20003. Special evening programming will include hearing from Sam Reese Sheppard (murder victim family member and child of a wrongly convicted father), a short film, and a report from the trial of the 12 abolitionists. Everyone is welcome, including event participants, fasters, non-fasters, trial supporters, and any guests and friends that you want to invite. This is a catered dinner, so everyone MUST RSVP through our registration page so we order the correct amount. We ask that you bring $10-$20 to help cover the food costs. We will also provide non-alcoholic drinks. Potluck side dishes, appetizers, and alcoholic drinks are encouraged. Note about parking: there is on-street parking only. We suggest you park closer to court and walk over. There usually are plenty of afterhours Court spots along Maryland Ave, NE. 11:40 pm - Head over as a group from the last supper to the Supreme Court for a 12:00 am midnight opening gathering to start the fast together. The Court is a half-mile walk (10 minutes) from the last supper venue. If you cannot walk that distance, there are probably others at the dinner that will share a cab with you.
June 29	Thursday	Marks the 45th anniversary of the 1972 Furman v. Georgia decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court found the death penalty to be applied in an arbitrary and capricious manner. 12:01 am - Fasting officially starts, with a 30 minute opening gathering at the court to kick off the fast. 9:00 am to 9:30 am - An orientation meeting to hear more about how the vigil works, what to expect, and ways you can be involved over the next four days. Highly recommended for all participants both new and old. 9:30 am to 6:00 pm - Vigil outside the court, gathering petition signatures, holding signs, and handing out pamphlets. Busloads of tourists just waiting for YOU to hand them some information, and possibly have a conversation! The adjacent United Methodist Building will be open the entire time for air conditioning, bathrooms and for drinks. 6:00 to 8:30 pm - Abolition Teach-In and Q&A, featuring death row exonerees, death row family members, murder victim family members, as well as leaders and organizers in the local and national abolition movement. We will go live via Facebook starting at 6pm (or a few minutes after). Watch live here. Anticipated speakers are listed alphabetically and may not present in the order listed. Nicholas Cote, a libertarian who serves on the board of directors of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Jerry Givens, Retired Corrections Officer & Former Executioner in Virginia Dawn Davison, an attorney on William Morva legal team (Morva is scheduled to be executed on July 6, 2017 despite evidence of his severe mental illness) Michael Stone, Executive Director, Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty Terri Steinberg, Mother of a former death row prisoner Brian Stolarz, Attorney for Texas Death Row Exoneree Alfred Dewayne Brown and bestselling author of Grace and Justice on Death Row George White, Murder Victim Family Member, Journey of Hope ...From Violence to Healing
June 30	Friday	8:30 am to 6:00 pm - Vigil outside the court, gathering petition signatures, holding signs, and handing out pamphlets. Busloads of tourists just waiting for YOU to hand them some information, and possibly have a conversation! The adjacent United Methodist Building will be open the entire time for air conditioning, bathrooms and for drinks. 6:00 to 8:30 pm - Abolition Teach-In and Q&A, featuring death row exonerees, death row family members, murder victim family members, as well as leaders and organizers in the local and national abolition movement. We will go live via Facebook starting at 6pm (or a few minutes after). Watch live here. Anticipated speakers are listed alphabetically and may not present in the order listed. Dale Baich, Attorney for Condemned Prisoners SueZann Bosler, Victim Family Member, Journey of Hope ...From Violence to Healing Rick Halperin, Fast & Vigil co-Founder. Professor of History & Human Rights, Southern Methodist University Lisa Sharon Harper, Author; Chief Church Engagement Officer, Sojourners Derrick Wayne Jamison, Exonerated Death Row Survivor from Ohio, Witness to Innocence Ngozi Ndulue, Senior Director of Criminal Justice Programs, NAACP Phyllis Pautrat, MSW, LCSW, Capital Mitigation Specialist/ Psychotherapist
July 1	Saturday	8:30 am to 6:00 pm - Vigil outside the court, gathering petition signatures, holding signs, and handing out pamphlets. Busloads of tourists just waiting for YOU to hand them some information, and possibly have a conversation! The adjacent United Methodist Building will be open the entire time for air conditioning, bathrooms and for drinks. 6:00 to 8:30 pm - Abolition Teach-In and Q&A, featuring death row exonerees, death row family members, murder victim family members, as well as leaders and organizers in the local and national abolition movement. We will go live via Facebook starting at 6pm (or a few minutes after). Watch live here. Anticipated speakers are listed alphabetically and may not present in the order listed. Kwame Ajamu, Exonerated Death Row Survivor; Board Chairman, Witness to Innocence LaShawn Ajamu, Co-Chair, OTSE Murder Victims Families Organizing Project Abraham Bonowitz, Co-Director, Death Penalty Action Furonda Brasfield, Executive Director, Arkansas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Shane Claiborne, Red Letter Christians Randy Gardner, Brother of Executed Prisoner Scott Langley, Photographer; Co-Director, Death Penalty Action 8:00 pm through the next morning - The vigil and presence outside the court becomes continuous with those who choose to do so maintaining the vigil overnight on the sidewalk outside the court. Bring a sleeping bag, mat, or pillow for sidewalk comfort! The United Methodist Building and its security personnel will remain open all night for those who need indoor nap breaks or restroom facilities.
July 2	Sunday	Marks the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1976 decision in Gregg V. Georgia, in which new death penalty laws were upheld and state-sponsored prisoner killings were allowed to resume. Early AM - Continuing from the all-night sleep-over presence 8:30 am to 6:00 pm - Vigil outside the court, gathering petition signatures, holding signs, and handing out pamphlets. Busloads of tourists just waiting for YOU to hand them some information, and possibly have a conversation! The adjacent United Methodist Building will be open the entire time for air conditioning, bathrooms and for drinks. *** Noon *** - Rally to mark the historic 45th anniversary of the Supreme Court's 1972 decision in Furman v. Georgia. Open to the public and the media. A great line up of speakers from around the United States will speak briefly, including murder victim family members, death row exonerees, and leaders in the national movement. 6:00 to 8:30 pm - Abolition Teach-In and Q&A, featuring death row exonerees, death row family members, murder victim family members, as well as leaders and organizers in the local and national abolition movement. We will go live via Facebook starting at 6pm (or a few minutes after). Watch live here. Anticipated speakers are listed alphabetically and may not present in the order listed. Charity Lee, The Ella Foundation Delia Meyer, Sister of a Texas Death Row Prisoner Bill Pelke, Fast & Vigil co-founder, Murder Victim Family Member, Journey of Hope ...From Violence to Healing Kyle Rohen, Child of Executed Prisoner Magdaleno M. Rose-Avila, Executive Director, Witness to Innocence Marilyn Shankle-Grant, Mother of a Texas Death Row Prisoner 12:00 Midnight - Break the fast together with a free meal, prepared by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, outside the court. A closing circle will begin at 11:15 pm so people can share about their experiences with the group. Participants are welcome to head out after the midnight meal (some buses and trains depart at this hour) or stay one more night in the CCNV.
July 3	Monday	The fast and vigil has ended, and participants may head back home. No housing is available after 12:00 pm Noon.

EXECUTION WATCH! If any state executions are scheduled to take place during the Fast & Vigil, they will be noted above. As in the past, The Fast & Vigil will focus attention on each execution and the victim (or victims) in the case around the time scheduled. Please plan to be present at the court at least ten minutes prior to the time specified.