Two people directly affected by Nebraska murders are speaking out against the death penalty.

The sister of a victim and one of the falsely accused Beatrice Six spoke in Grand Island Thursday night.

Miriam Kelle's brother, James Thimm was brutally murdered by a cult he belonged to back in 1985.

His death has been labeled part of the Rulo Cult murders.

The same year another murder was committed that landed Thomas Winslow behind bars for 20 years.

Kelle told a half a dozen listeners who gathered at the Trinity United Methodist Church that waiting for her brother's killer to be put to death has taken a toll on her family.

She says she'd like to know convicted murderer Michael Ryan will spend the rest of his life in jail, so she can move on.

"They say we have to do it for the families. No you don't. We don't need that long and lingering wonder if it'll ever get done in our lifetime," said Kelle. "In fact, 25 years later you're not even killing the same person."

Winslow says he would have been put to death more than a decade ago if he wouldn't have taken a plea deal.

He said he confessed to the murder of Helen Wilson to avoid the death penalty.

"We chose to, I guess save our lives out of fear of losing our lives for a crime we did not commit," said Winslow. "I hope no one else has to ever go through that again."

Winslow was exonerated last year.

Thimm's killer still sits on death row.

Both Winslow and Kelle say they support treatment options, both for those convicted of crimes and to prevent future crimes.

The two will tell their stories again in Kearney Friday.

The talks were sponsored by Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty.

Earlier this year Governor Dave Heineman signed a bill making lethal injection the state's form of execution, saying there was broad support for the death penalty across Nebraska.

If You Attend:
Friday, 7:00 p.m.
St. James Catholic Church, 3801 Avenue A, Kearney