BBC Radio 4 yesterday featured an interview on the "Today" programme with Rhonda Cook. She is a local journalist in Georgia, USA, who witnessed the execution by lethal injection of Troy Davis.
Many thousands of people across the world had campaigned for Troy's life to be spared, in the belief that he was innocent of the murder for which he found himself facing a capital charge. Despite this, the execution went ahead, though delayed by some four hours.
Ms Cook described having witnessed 12 executions in her role as press reporter, and added that she had developed 'a ritual' to help her cope. This involved going home and having a long, hot shower.
Although the interview came to an end almost as soon as she had uttered these words,I wished she had been pressed to explain how this could possibly help.
I could not but think that in truth, she felt dirty for being a small part in this ghastly situation.
Mr Davis himself spoke of his sorrow for the grieving family, whilst repeating his insistence of innocence. He hoped friends would carry on the search for the truth, in order to clear his name, and prayed that those carrying out the execution would be forgiven by God.
Friday 23 September 2011
Monday 12 September 2011
Pam Rhodes is Patron of the Hospice Movement, and is perhaps best known for hosting BBC TV's "Songs of Praise".
This is what she says about my new book about Colin:-
This is what she says about my new book about Colin:-
'This is a tale of love, commitment, passion, challenge, tears, laughter, pain and the deepest of faith - faith in each other, and faith in the God they both love. Penny writes with searing honesty - and yet this is a story which touches the heart and lifts the spirit.'
Watch this space!
Thursday 8 September 2011
"Horizon".
The BBC series feautured a programme on serial killers this week, Wednesday 7th Sept. 9 pm BBC 2.
The interesting thing for me was that the latest scientific opinion is that DNA, PET scans of the brain and chemical imbalances are now known to play a part in the genetic make-up which predisposes some people to display psychopathic tendencies.
In my book "And You Visited Me2, published in 2005, Chapter 17 discusses much of this, and confirms my own theories about just how culpable anyone can truly be, if their very chemistry makes them far more likely than the rest of us to commit horrendous crimes, and just what we should do with them.
I travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to visit men on Death Row there, and recently, one case made headlines , when Bradley Waldroup's legal team successfully saved him from a 1st degree murder conviction, which could well have led to a death sentence,and had the court down-grade his sentence to manslaughter
Presumably therefore, one day he will walk free. And then what happens?
The interesting thing for me was that the latest scientific opinion is that DNA, PET scans of the brain and chemical imbalances are now known to play a part in the genetic make-up which predisposes some people to display psychopathic tendencies.
In my book "And You Visited Me2, published in 2005, Chapter 17 discusses much of this, and confirms my own theories about just how culpable anyone can truly be, if their very chemistry makes them far more likely than the rest of us to commit horrendous crimes, and just what we should do with them.
I travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to visit men on Death Row there, and recently, one case made headlines , when Bradley Waldroup's legal team successfully saved him from a 1st degree murder conviction, which could well have led to a death sentence,and had the court down-grade his sentence to manslaughter
Presumably therefore, one day he will walk free. And then what happens?
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