Controversial Rhode Islander included in Benny’s ad

July 1, 2016 11:53 pm

By: Christina Myers

cmyers@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE (ABC6) – A recent Benny’s commercial features Rhode Islanders singing about the state, but its inclusion of a former felon has some people upset.

"The first time I saw it, right away I noticed that they had an individual that did time here for involved in a pretty serious murder and we thought that it was, you know, in bad taste," said Richard Ferruccio with the RI Brotherhood of Correctional Officers.

Ferrucio worked with the man in the commercial, Sal Monteiro, as he served 12 years for his crime. Monteiro was convicted of second degree murder in 1992 for his involvement in a carjacking in which the other man he was with shot and killed the victim.

Ferruccio said he believes Sal should be edited out of the commercial because of the impact on the victim’s family having to watch it.

"He’s finished his time that he, you know, owed to the state, but I don’t think he’s paid his debt to the family. (The victim) Mr. Silva’s wife, his family, his child, probably would feel different,” said Ferruccio.

However, since Sal was released from prison in 2004, he has worked to not only turn his own life around, but also help make sure others never make the same mistake he did.

"Sal started off as a street worker, he became a Case Manager and he is now the Director of Nonviolence Training. In his current capacity, he teaches all over the state, all over the country the principles and practices of nonviolence," said PJ Fox, President of the Institute for Study and Practice of Nonviolence.

Working with the institute, Sal has teamed-up with law enforcement to try and curb the rising violence rate in Providence.

It is this work that has brought some members of the Providence community to rally behind him.

There is even a Facebook group asking people to shop at Benny’s on Saturday in support of their decision to include Sal in the commercial.

Fox said Sal is the perfect example of what our justice system is supposed to be about.

"The focus needs to be not on Sal but on the larger issue of redemption and reconciliation, said Fox. “How do we, what does that mean to us as a society, what does that mean to us in Rhode Island?"