Hundreds who oppose the death penalty gathered at the Governor's Mansion Saturday for their annual protest.

Those demonstrating were not just from Austin -- but from places like California, Florida and everywhere in between.

Most are protesting for their own personal reasons. One man said his brother, who was mentally ill, was executed for the murder of a woman.

"All killing is wrong. We say all killing is wrong. We say killing should be in God's hands, not man's hands," Bill Babbitt said.

Others protested because they believe the death penalty is racially motivated.

"It's black people and it's brown people. How often is a white person executed for killing a black person? How often is a black person not executed for killing a white person?" David Morris said.

There was also a considerable number of people protesting who are family members of murdered victims. They say an eye for an eye is not for them.

"Even though we hurt, we forgive. We forgive because that's the only way we are going to heal. If we do not heal, we'll have this anger eating us like cancer," Vera Crutcher said.

The protesters began at Austin City Hall and marched through downtown, ending up at the Governor's Mansion. They wrapped crime scene tape around the mansion and shouted.

Texas executes more inmates on death row than any other state.
A Scripps Howard poll in 2001 showed three out of four Texans support the death penalty, but there was no counterprotest at Saturday's rally.