Saturday, February 20, 1999
Evanston marks Berry's final hour
BY PERRY BROTHERS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Many of the two dozen people gathered at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Friday night knew it was too late to save Wilford Berry's life. They attended the candlelight vigil to try to save his soul.
“Lord, we ask that you keep his heart focused on you until he breathes no more,” the Rev. Edward Payne, of St. Simon of Cyrene Episcopal Church in Lincoln Heights, said in prayer before the candles were lit.
The Evanston vigil was organized by Justice Watch, a Cincinnati group affiliated with the Coalition Against the Death Penalty. The local group has about 1,000 members on its mailing list.
“We are holding it to let people know that we are not part of the collective decision to kill Berry in order to punish him,” said Suhith Wickrema, director of Justice Watch.
“I don't think vengeance and retribution is what public policy should be based on,” Mr. Wickrema said.
A recurring theme of the vigil was forgiveness — not just for Mr. Berry, but for Gov. Bob Taft and others involved in meting out the punishment.
“To ask Governor Taft to forgive Wilford Berry, I must be able to forgive him,” the Rev. Mr. Payne said.
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