Darby Tillis was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit. He was tried five times--including three hung juries--before he won his freedom. After nine years, one month, and seventeen days on death row, he was finally acquitted and released on January 21, 1987. For twenty years, he has
preached, worked and walked among gang members and drug abusers, fed the homeless and helped the fallen and oppressed. He is a fiery and outspoken advocate of the abolition of the death penalty and a fair and just judicial system.

Now, in the wake of the recent moratorium on executions in Florida, California and Maryland, and the recent legislative report in New Jersey calling for abolition of the death penalty, Darby is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his exoneration and calling for abolition in Illinois. As he says, "We're pushing for abolition now because it's been proven to the world that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. With the recent botched execution of Angel Nieves Diaz in Florida and the many other
botched executions, the whole world can see that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment and doesn't deter crime. The risk of killing an innocent man is too great. Once an innocent man is executed, you can't bring him back from the grave."

Darby's Accomplishments:
Founder, Pastor, Friends to Strangers Ministry; Founder, Director, WXO.FM, working with ex-offenders; "Death to Life" CD; Writer, Director, Producer of two plays: "Dead Wrong" and "Death to Life".

-Join us for music and food to celebrate Darby's life and rally for
abolition of the death penalty in Illinois.
-Hear Darby speak about:
*Life after Death Row
*Staying out of jail
*Staying with God
*Staying with the struggle

For more information, call (773)955-4841 or email cedp (at) nodeathpenalty.org.