Activities

This page is meant to show you examples of activities and efforts that have been made to raise public interest in the destiny of Debra Jean Milke.

Many supporters all over the world are willing to help and to spread the word of the injustice that happened to Debbie. If you know about such activities, please send in your information and photos.

Debbie's mother, Renate Janka takes part in the first ever "National Convention of the Wrongfully Accused" in Chicago, Il.

Berlin journalists I. Hasselbach and Christian Kruppa go on a four-weeks-trip to Arizona to investigate the Debra Milke case. Their findings are contained in a published article called "Death In The Desert".

Event in Berlin at the "Haus der Demokratie". Participants are Renate Janka, Wolfram Gisenstein (founder of the Initiative "Freedom for Debbie Milke"), and a representative of Amnesty International. This week many TV spots of this topic are released; many important newspapers report the case.

The published TIP article called "Death In The Desert" results in a flood of supporting letters to Debbie Milke. The TIP also starts a signature campaign and asks Arizona Govenor Jane D. Hull to advocate for Debbie.

Karl Hermann, editor of TIP and co-author of the article, is part of a controversy with US journalist Don Jordan (NBC). Even Jordan, known as a hardliner, confesses herein, that he would suggest a re-open of the legal proceedings in the Debra Jean Milke case.

Press conference at the "Schinkelpalais" with (f.l.t.r.) Debbie's cousin Mark Prüfer, Renate Janka, Angelika Wedekind, Wolfram Gisenstein and Amnesty International member, Martin Reimer.

A simulated execution is performed by Angelika Wedekind at the Breitscheidplatz.

Demonstration of an injection scene. Berlin actress Angelika Wedekind and other supporters of the "Initiative Freedom for Debbie Milke" provoke public interest in front of the "German-American Fairground" in Berlin. The scene is being filmed by Berlin TV (Abendschau).

The International Bannister Foundation in cooperation with Amnesty International and ECADP (European Coalition for the Abolishment of the Death Penalty) held their first conference in Holstebro/Denmark from March 17 to March 19, 2000.

Goal of the conference in general:

• A portrayal of the judicial practices of those countries, which still administer the death penalty
• Eye-witness and other reports of executions of persons with no reliable or substantiated evidence and it's effects on their families
• Presentation of current death penalty cases in the USA from family members and their trauma and efforts

Renate Janka, Debbie's mother, was permitted to speak on the podium for one hour to describe her daughter's case and its effects on her family in front of an international forum.

Attorney General of Arizona, Janet Napolitano, speaks to the student body of the University of Arizona in Tucson. The local student support group of Debbie Milke used the opportunity to provide broader attention to her tragedy. Debbie's mother was able to briefly talk to Ms. Napolitano and to hand over the voluminous (approx. 5,000) protest signature list.

f.l.t.r.: General State Attorney Janet Napolitano,
Debbie's mother Renate Janka and P.I. Paul Huebl