Speaking in Montana

MVFHR Board President Bud Welch is in Montana this week, speaking at a series of events around the state organized by the Montana Abolition Coalition. You can see the schedule here. We'll post coverage of these events as we get it.

Montana is one of many states that incorporates the voices of victims' family members into death penalty abolition efforts. Last year, 34 victims' family members signed a letter to the Montana House of Representatives in support of a repeal bill there. The letter included these lines: "It is vitally important that our state address the needs of surviving family and friends as we struggle to heal. We know that elected officials who promote the death penalty often do so with the best intentions of helping family members like us. We are writing to say that there are better ways to help us. The death penalty is a broken and costly system."