Many Americans, when contemplating the propriety of the death penalty, think about the relatives of those who have been killed.

But there are other victims as well: the relatives of those who are to be executed.

My friend Nancy Bailey, a member of TCADP's executive committee down in Texas, shares this email from the sister of a person set to die:

The following letter is from Letty Gonzales, sister of Andrew Flores,
scheduled to die in Texas Sept 21. She has given me permission to post
her letter as a reminder to all of us just how real the horror of
execution is and how urgent our goal is. Please keep Andrew and his
family in your heart and get those clemency letters out.

Nancy

My name is Letty Gonzales I am a sister of a man who is set to be
executed on the 21st of Sept. I just finished writing clemency
letters for him to stop this horrible sentencing. I believe that on
the 21st of this month if my brother is executed that me and my
family become victims of the state's hand. I hope and pray that people
can open their hearts and there eys and see that this just doesnt
work. I pray that one day we can Abolish the Death Penalty.