Press Releases

For Immediate Release
February 21, 2012

For more information, contact
John Follaco
(585) 395-5159
jfollaco@brockport.edu

Leading Death Penalty Opponent to Speak at Brockport Feb. 29

Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, to share her experiences

Sister Helen Prejean, a leading opponent of the death penalty, will visit Brockport Feb. 29.

BROCKPORT, NY—Roman Catholic nun and noted anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean will bring her message to The College at Brockport, State University of New York, Feb. 29. Prejean will deliver a lecture at 7:30 pm in Hartwell Hall

Prejean is best known as the author of Dead Man Walking, an autobiographical account of her relationship with inmates on death row—where she frequently ministered to those awaiting capital punishment. The book was on The New York Times best-seller list for 31 weeks and was later turned into a movie that starred Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, including best actress—which Sarandon won for her portrayal of Prejean.

Her second book, The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions, tells the story of two men who were put to death. Prejean believes both of them were innocent.

Prejean’s experiences, which include witnessing five executions, have led her to become a strong opponent of the death penalty. She has served on the board of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and has made numerous media appearances to advocate the cause.

Her talk is presented by Brockport’s chapter of The American Democracy Project and is presented with the Department of Theatre’s production of Coyote on a Fence, and the Tower Fine Arts Gallery’s photography exhibition of Lucinda Devlin’s “Omega Suites.”

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