The Missouri “Journey of Hope: From Violence to Healing” presents murder victims’ relatives who oppose the death penalty, tonight at 7 p.m. in the Saint Louis Room.

The speakers will discuss personal experiences about the killings of loved ones and why they support alternatives to the death penalty.

“It’s a really powerful experience,” said Cab Gutting, sophomore and assistant coordinator of Amnesty International. “So many people for the death penalty say that if happened to me, I would want the death penalty. But these are people who it did happen to, and they’re against the death penalty.”

The presentation is part of a build up to the state wide rally against the death penalty on Wednesday, April 3 in Jefferson City, Mo. Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, will speak at the rally in support of alternatives to the death penalty.

All of the speakers lost loved ones in a unique way, from killings taking place inside family homes to a death from the 1994 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building.

In addition to speakers, the presentation includes the music of folk singers Charlie King and Karen Bradow.

The Saint Louis University chapter of Amnesty International and the Eastern Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Forum sponsor the “Journey of Hope.”

Nine participants are speaking in more than 100 forums in St. Louis and other Missouri cities, including Kansas City, Kirksville and Columbia between March 25 and April 2. A presentation of the same forum will be presented at Washington University tonight at 7 p.m. on the second floor lounge of the School of Social Work.