MVFR’s Mission

Founded in 1976, Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation (MVFR) is a national organization of family members of victims of both homicide and executions who oppose the death penalty in all cases. MVFR includes people of many different perspectives. Because violent crime cuts across a broad spectrum of society, our members are geographically, racially and economically diverse.

Highlights

Welcome! We are happy you found us and hope you will sign up for our action alerts. We currently have high-level campaigns in New Mexico, North Carolina, and California; additionally we are actively working for abolition in all states that continue to execute.

Over the next year we expect to expand our presence in additional, targeted states by recruiting, training and mobilizing family members. MVFR will roll out more resources for our members, speak at more events and raise awareness through the media by telling our stories.

NCADP Annual Conference

January 22 - January 25, 2009 Join anti-death penalty volunteers and staff from around the U.S. and world for four days of inspiration, training, networking and fun.

State News — New Mexico

Families of murder victims met in Albuquerque last month to renew old friendships and become acquainted with new members of the club no one wants to join. Local family members and the national MVFR board gathered at the Amy Biehl Charter School, named after the Santa Fe High graduate who was killed in South Africa while working against apartheid. Amy’s parents testified before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and have worked on behalf of repeal in New Mexico.

The workshop, modeled after a guide provided by MVFR, was geared specifically to family members and organizers who work directly with family members. It provided participants with the chance to learn new ways of locating and connecting with other family members, offered tips and a chance to practice telling their stories to decision-makers, and shared ways to communicate with legislators and the public.

New Mexico’s repeal bill sponsor, Rep. Gail Chasey topped the day off with a visit and congratulated the group on its dedication and called them her inspiration. “It is because of MVFR that I sponsor this bill. As I told them when first approached 9 years ago, this will not be an easy or quick process - but my grandmother lived to be 100.”

Rep. Gail Chasey

New Mexico’s repeal bill passed in the NM House of Representatives on a 38 to 31 bipartisan vote in 2005 and a 41-28 bipartisan vote in 2007. In a recent Santa Fe New Mexican news article, NM Repeal’s Executive Director Viki Elkey said that she is “more optimistic about the chances for a repeal bill this year because of two major political developments — Democratic victories in legislative races, including three state Senate seats, and the likelihood that Diane Denish and not Bill Richardson will be governor”. (quote from SF New Mexican, Steve Terrell, Legislature 2009: Political shift could spell end to death penalty, 11/29/2008).

Feedback was positive:

I often forget how powerful these group settings can be
There were so many great opportunities to learn

New Acquaintances were supported:

To see other people who have had their hearts ripped out, and yet can still function and look normal on the outside was inspiring
Meeting other people who live the same struggle I am, is a very touching thing

And Participants left at the end of the day fired up to work hard in the weeks leading up to the legislative session, and on into the campaign:

I’m new but at a gut level I am very “ok” with the issue (repeal) and with lending my efforts where I can.
I particularly enjoyed having Gail there at the end to share the positive energy that repeal has a strong chance this session

Family members are now busy compiling their stories and photos to be put into a local New Mexico version of “Not In Our Name” and will be working closely with the New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty (www.nmrepeal.org) in the upcoming session which starts January 20, 2009. If you are a New Mexico family member interested in joining this effort contact, NM Repeal Executive Director Viki Elkey can be reached at 505-205-3750, Cathy Ansheles with Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation (MVFR) can be reached at info@mvfr.org.