The
Declaration of Life is an anti-
death penalty document, a
request on behalf of the signer that if they are
murdered, their
killer is not put to death. It is circulated by
Cherish Life
Circle, an organization based in
Brooklyn, NY. The group was
started in 1993, by a
Roman Catholic nun named Sister Camille
D'Arienzo. At the bottom of the document, there is a slip that
the group asks you to send back with
$1 after you sign. They
have received about 10,000 slips so far, although they guess the
actual number of signers to be much higher.
Here is the text of the document:
A Declaration of Life
I, the undersigned, being of sound and disposing mind and memory,
do hereby in the presence of witnesses make this Declaration of Life,
I believe that the killing of one human being by another is morally wrong.
I believe it is morally wrong for any state or other governmental entity to
take the life of a human being for any reason
I believe that capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime and serves
only the purpose of revenge.
THEREFORE, I hereby declare that should I die as a result of a violent
crime, I request that the person or persons found guilty of homicide for my
killing not be subject to or put in jeopardy of the death penalty under any
circumstances, no matter how heinous their crime or how much I may have
suffered. The death penalty would only increase my suffering.
I request that the Prosecutor or District Attorney having the jurisdiction
of the person or persons alleged to have committed my homicide not file or
prosecute an action for capital punishment as a result of my homicide.
I request that this Declaration be made admissible in any trial of any
person charged with my homicide, and read and delivered to the jury. I also
request the Court to allow this Declaration to be admissible as a statement
of the victim at the sentencing of the person or persons charged and
convicted of my homicide; and, to pass sentence in accordance with my
wishes.
I request that the Governor or other executive officer(s) grant pardon,
clemency or take whatever action is necessary to stay and prohibit the
carrying out of the execution of any person or persons found guilty of my
homicide.
This Declaration is not meant to be, and should not be taken as, a
statement that the person or persons who have committed my homicide should
go unpunished.
I request that my family and friends take whatever actions are necessary to
carry out the intent and purpose of this Declaration; and, I further
request them to take no action contrary to this Declaration.
I request that, should I die under the circumstances as set forth in the
Declaration and the death penalty is requested, my family, friends and
personal representative deliver copies of this Declaration as follows: to
the Prosecutor or District Attorney having jurisdiction over the person or
persons charged with my homicide; to the Attorney representing the person
or persons charged with my homicide; to the judge presiding over the case
involving my homicide; for recording, to the Recorder of the County in
which my homicide took place and to the recorder of the County in which the
person or persons charged with my homicide are to be tried; to all
newspapers, radio and television stations of general circulation in the
County in which my homicide took place and the County in which the person
or persons charged with my homicide are to be tried; and, to any other
person, persons or entities my family, friends or personal representative
deem appropriate in order to carry out my wishes as set forth herein.
I affirm under the pains and penalties for perjury that the above
Declaration of Life is true.