Date: Sat, 24  Apr  2004 17:25:04 -0400
From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@MIT.EDU>
To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" <belmonte@mit.edu>
Subject: oppose HR 2934, the Terrorist Penalties Enhancement Act

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Message sent to the following recipients:
Representative Capuano
Message text follows:

Matthew Belmonte
[address]


April 24, 2004

[recipient address was inserted here]


 [recipient name was inserted here],

I urge you to oppose the  "Terrorist Penalties 
Enhancement Act of 2003" (HR 2934) which would be an unprecedented 
expansion of the federal death penalty, including application under the 
PATRIOT Act’s overbroad definition of terrorism.

Expansion of the death penalty to all crimes that might fit the PATRIOT 
Act's vaguely worded definition of 'terrorism' would further chill free 
speech.  Protestors and activists from Greenpeace to Operation Rescue 
would risk being executed for participating in civil disobedience events, 
such as blocking traffic, if these events somehow contributed to a death 
of one of the participants or someone else.

Furthermore, in actual cases of terrorism the death penalty would likely 
be no deterrent at all to individuals who are so driven.  Instead this 
expansion of capital punishment would supply only a petty sense of 
vengeance.

In addition, this legislation may actually harm international cooperation 
in the pursuit of outlaws.  Already, many nations in Europe and elsewhere 
that have abolished the death penalty are unwilling to extradite or 
provide evidence in federal terrorism cases if the death penalty might 
result from their cooperation.  This bill would further limit their 
cooperation and participation.
 
Once again, I urge you to oppose HR 2934 which would expand the 
application of the death penalty.
 
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Sincerely,


Matthew Belmonte