2025 Journey of Hope Speaker Bios

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS:

SueZann Bosler and her father were brutally attacked in their Miami, Florida, parsonage. She survived multiple stab wounds and called 911 before losing consciousness, but her father did not survive. Determined to prevent her attacker from receiving the death penalty, she became a leading advocate for abolition. As a co-founder of *Journey of Hope…From Violence to Healing, SueZann continues to speak out against capital punishment.

Rev. Dr. Crystal D. Walker, Executive Director of The Vine Ecumenical Ministries and Resident Chaplain at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, is a dedicated advocate for ending the death penalty. After losing her son Edward to gun violence in 2013, she became a leader in the movement, serving as co-chair of Ohioans to Stop Executions and a board member of *Journey of Hope…From Violence to Healing*. She and her husband, Pastor Shelby Walker, have a blended family of five children (one deceased).

Rev. Dr. Jack Sullivan, Jr., an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is the executive director of the Ohio Council of Churches. A dedicated ecumenist, preacher, and justice advocate, he is a leading voice in the movement to end the death penalty. His work has earned numerous honors, including the 2022 Death Penalty Abolition Award from Restorative Justice International and the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Social Justice Award. He holds degrees from Ohio University, Lexington Theological Seminary, and United Theological Seminary, with an honorary doctorate from Bethany College.

Sarah Gregory, a Patient Services Administrator at a Maryland substance use treatment center, has spent eight years helping individuals achieve sobriety. Pursuing a master’s in social work, she aims to work within the prison system.  After losing her grandmother, Dottie Epps, to murder in 2001, Sarah channeled her pain into advocacy for forgiveness and ending the death penalty. Dedicated to improving lives, she balances her career, studies, and activism while cherishing time with her family.

At 20, Terri Steinberg’s son, Justin Wolfe, was falsely convicted and sentenced to death for a murder he didn’t commit. Sent to Virginia’s death row in 2002, he became its youngest resident, facing multiple execution dates before his sentence was vacated in 2012. Yet, he remains imprisoned, a testament to a broken system.  Two days after Justin’s sentencing, Terri joined an anti-death penalty protest, beginning her lifelong fight for justice. In 2003, she traveled with Journey of Hope, sharing her family’s story to advocate for abolition and raise awareness of the death penalty’s collateral damage. She has since spoken worldwide on behalf of those still on death row and their families.  Terri is a member of Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, Journey of Hope…From Violence to Healing, and the Catholic Mobilizing Network.

JOIN US! 

GFADP Day at the Capitol 

supporting the bill to protect those with intellectual disabilities from death sentencing and execution

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

meet at Trinity United Methodist Church downtown Atlanta 

Join GFADP and Partners for the 2025 Day at the Capitol on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, from 9am to 2pm.

Advocacy Days at the Georgia Capitol give us the chance to connect directly with our state leaders. They are a great opportunity for both new advocates and seasoned ones to have a real impact on our state's policies.

This year, we are advocating for a bill sponsored by Chairman Bill Werkheiser (R) protecting people with intellectual disabilities from death sentencing. This bill is supported by the Georgia Speaker of the House, Jon Burns.

Intellectual Disability and the Death Penalty

After the execution of an intellectually disabled man, Jerome Bowden, on June 24, 1986, Georgia legislators drafted and passed a bill to protect the intellectually disabled in Georgia from death sentencing. However, that legislation has not done what it set out to do. Georgia is now on the oopposite side of the coin: we are the true outlier of all states and even the U. S. Supreme Court. We do not protect people with intellectual disabilities from being executed. On March 20, 2024, the State of Georgia executed Willie Pye, who had an IQ of 68. We need to change the law so that no more Georgians with intellectual disabilities will be sentenced to death.

Find Your Legislator: Your Georgia state representative and state senator represent your district in the Georgia General Assembly. Additionally, it's important to know what committees they sit on and what bills they have sponsored in the past. Find your Senator and Representative online using Plural.

Parking is available in the deck next to Trinity United Methodist Church. There is wheelchair access from the parking deck to the church where we are meeting. There will be ASL translation. Please reach out to Cathy Harmon-Christian at 770-316-85

PROGRAM FOR FEB 12th:

8:00am - Coffee continental breakfast - Trinity United Methodist Church

8:15am - Welcome and orientation of background on bill

9:30am - go to the Capitol

10am - Bishop Robin Dease - Senate Chaplain of the Day - Sen Sally Harrell will introduce her - they will recognize us in the gallery! Wear button and wave bandana

10:30am - work the ropes until they adjourn by noon

Noon - lunch for legislators and advocates: invite in writing!

1pm-1:30pm- press conference on the South Steps (inside Capitol Building) Press Conference

1:30pm - Ring Around the Capitol in the Rotunda - silence for those with ID who have been sentenced to death and or executed by the State of Georgia

Ring bell at Central Presbyterian, Shrine, and Trinity Methodist

 To help prepare for Advocacy Days, our partner GCDD offers the following resources:

• An Advocates' Guide to the Ropes: How to speak to your legislators during session.

• Navigate Before You Advocate: How to get to the Capitol and Coverdell Legislative Office Building.

• Finding Your State Legislator: How to know who represents you under The Gold Dome.

Death Penalty Information Center's (DPIC) fact sheet on the death penalty:

DPIC's fact sheet 

You can call GFADP at (770) 316-8592 or email info@gfadp.org. We would love to connect with you!