Double Tragedies - Families for Human Rights

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AcknowledgmentsTHE AUTHOR gratefully acknowledges the other membersof the “Prevention, Not Execution” project team:Renny Cushing, who had the vision to see that the time wasright for the project and to imagine how to undertake it, RonHonberg, who came on board with enthusiasm, knowledge,and insight, Kate Lowenstein, for invaluable research, editorial,and creative assistance, and Priscilla Caputo, for incomparableadministrative support. One could not ask forbetter colleagues. The project team also thanks NAMI’s ExecutiveDirector Michael Fitzpatrick for his support of theproject.WE EXTEND our thanks to the following readers whoprovided helpful comments on drafts of the report: BobCarolla of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, RichardDieter of the Death Penalty Information Center, James Ellisof the University of New Mexico School of Law, KristinHoule of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty,Walter Long of the Texas After Violence Project, JudithStorandt of the National Disability Rights Network, RonTabak of the American Bar Association, and Margaret Vandiverof the University of Memphis. We are also gratefulto Amanda Bergson-Shilcock for copyediting.WE OWE a profound gratitude to the murder victims’ familymembers and family members of the executed whose interviewsare the core of this report. In service to thisproject, they were willing to talk with us about their mostpainful experiences, and make those stories public, in thehope that doing so would help to create meaningful changeand prevent further tragedies. It has been a deep privilege towork with them and to present their testimony here.FINANCIAL SUPPORT from The Atlantic Philanthropieshas made it possible to undertake the research, writing, andpublication of this report. Financial support for the “Prevention,Not Execution” project as a whole, including theSan Antonio gathering, has come from The Atlantic Philanthropies,the Solomon Fund, the MCADP Fund,Amnesty International Special Initiative Fund, MaverickLloyd Foundation, NAMI-Greater Orlando, CaliforniaCrime Victims for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, theTennessee Coalition to Abolish State Killing, and Friendsof MVFHR.WE HAVE benefited from consultation and support fromthe following colleagues: Piers Bannister, Roger Barnes,Kathy Bayes, Arthur and Anne Berndt, Richard Burr, Communityof Sant’Egidio, Carol Carrithers, Marie Deans,Patrick Delahanty, Sita Diehl, Debra Dihoff, Pete Earley,Brian Evans, Aaron Falbel, Dixie Gamble, SusybelleGosslee, Keith Harvey/American Friends Service CommitteeNew England Regional Office, Steve Hawkins, ChristopherHill, David Kaczynski, George Kendall, Ann Lambert,Will McAuliffe, Pamela McConey, MVFHR Board of Directors(Bud Welch, Vicki Schieber, Robert Meeropol, JeanneBishop, Bill Babbitt, Walter Everett, Toshi Kazama, BillPelke), Kristin Parks, Sister Helen Prejean, Virginia Raymond,Stacy Rector, Rebecca Rittgers, Alan Rom, PaulaSites, Gabe Solis, David Solomon, Gerda Stein, Cassy Stubbs,Elizabeth Zitrin__ 31 __
About the OrganizationsThe National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots organization for peoplewith mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than1,100 local communities across the country. NAMI’s members and friends work to fulfill its mission throughsupport, education, and advocacy for better mental health treatment and services.NAMI2107 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300Arlington, VA 22201-3042703-524-7600www.nami.orgMurder Victims’ Families for Human rights (MVFHR) is an international organization of relatives of homicidevictims and relatives of people who have been executed, all of whom oppose the death penalty. MVFHRopposes the death penalty from a victim perspective (asserting that executions do not help victims achievejustice or closure) and from a human rights perspective (asserting that executions violate the most basic ofhuman rights). MVFHR is a member of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, the National Coalitionto Abolish the Death Penalty, the U.S. Human Rights Network, the National Center for Victims ofCrime, and the Asia Death Penalty Abolition Network.MVFHR2161 Massachusetts AvenueCambridge MA 02140617-491-9600www.mvfhr.orginfo@murdervictimsfamilies.orgABOUT THE AUTHORSusannah Sheffer has developed numerous written materials about victim opposition to the death penalty, including(with Renny Cushing) Dignity Denied: The Experience of Murder Victims' Family Members Who Opposethe Death Penalty, "I Don't Want Another Kid to Die": Families of Victims Murdered by Juveniles Oppose the JuvenileDeath Penalty, and Creating More Victims: How Executions Hurt the Families Left Behind. She is the author offour books, including In a Dark Time: A Prisoner's Struggle for Healing and Change, and in her work withMVFHR she draws upon two decades of experience interviewing, writing, and editing.__ 32 __
Page 2 and 3: Double TragediesVictims Speak Out A
Page 4 and 5: ForewordKelsey Patterson spent much
Page 6 and 7: Introduction: Why This ReportIn Oct
Page 8 and 9: sense of common cause. What the fam
Page 10 and 11: PAT WEBDALE’S 32-year-old daughte
Page 12 and 13: AMANDA AND NICK WILCOX’S 19-year-
Page 14 and 15: CHARLIE STROBEL’S mother, Mary Ca
Page 16 and 17: ART LAFFIN’S brother, Paul Laffin
Page 18 and 19: LOIS AND KEN ROBISON’S son, Larry
Page 20 and 21: Knowing Right from Wrong: Victims
Page 22 and 23: CARLA JACOBS’S sister-in-law, Bet
Page 24 and 25: JACQUELINE STUART’S 1 husband was
Page 26 and 27: JULIE NELSON was 22 when her father
Page 28 and 29: PAT SEABORN’S cousin, Ron Spivey,
Page 30 and 31: ConclusionIn cases of murders commi
Page 32 and 33: these disorders are typically assoc
Page 34 and 35: Appendix B: MethodologyCriteria for

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