Burton W. Folsom - Death on Hold: A Prisoners Desperate Prayer and the Unlikely Family Who Became Gods Answer

PRAISE FOR DEATH ON HOLD

Burt and Anita Folsom capture an amazing story of hope in Death on Hold. The storyof Mitch, an Alabama man described as worthless by Time magazine, demonstrates hisreal worth in God. A great read for Christians and non-Christians alike.

CRAIG DEROCHE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JUSTICE FELLOWSHIP

Death on Hold is a modern-day book of Acts and shines a light on one of the mostpromising mission fields in America today: her bulging prisons.

DAVID DURELL, TRUSTEE, MISSIONCOLUMBUS

A real-life example of how faith can allow a person to create purpose and meaningin life rather than passively waiting to find it.

DR. KENT HAWKINS, HEAD OF PASTORAL CARE AND COUNSELING, MOUNT PARAN CHURCH, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Anita and Burt Folsom tell a captivating and inspirational story of Gods redemptivepower, reminding us that we are called to love all of Gods children, including thosewho are hardest to forgive. When we do so, we encounter Gods redemptive power inour own lives, just as Mitchell Rutledge did.

CHERYL BACHELDER, CEO, POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN, INC.

In Mitchs story, told in his own voice, the poverty, loneliness, confusion andhopelessness of a stolen childhood come through with visceral impact. When, in theprovidence of God, unlikely individuals respond with love and hope, they become conduitsof His Grace. After reading this book, the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:36, I wasin prison, and ye came unto me, will take on a renewed significance.

DAVID KENT, SENIOR PASTOR, FELLOWSHIP OF PRAISE CHURCH, STAFFORD, TEXAS

Death on Hold is a powerful and engaging narrative. It has the power to change lives.I hope that jail and prison ministries around the world will use this book to helpinmates live more successful lives, whether in jail or on the outside. Mitchell Rutledgesstory is a warning about the tremendous damage that drugs can bring into anyoneslife. But there is redemption and a new beginning, once he turns from his old waysand begins to build a better life.

CAROL SWAIN, PROFESSOR OF LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY; AUTHOR; AND TELEVISION HOST

I started reading Death On Hold and could not put it down. What a powerful story!Ive worked with inner-city ministry in Houston for more than twenty years, and MitchellRutledges story is a special triumph of Gods grace over death and despair.

PRINCE COUISNARD, PRESIDENT, MALACHI DESTINY AND PURPOSE

Mitchs story is truly remarkable and a beautiful reminder of the inherent dignitythat everyone has, which can only come from our creator. It is also a vivid reminderof how reconnecting with Christ, no matter what our past, is the only way to redemption.Burton and Anita Folsom have demonstrated what it looks like to live out the gospel,making this is a must-read and a reminder that, in Christ, not one of us is forgottennor should we be discarded.

DR. ANNE BRADLEY, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ECONOMIC INITIATIVES AT THE INSTITUTE FOR FAITH, WORK, AND ECONOMICS

2015 by Burton Folsom, Anita Folsom

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Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Some names have been changed.

ISBN 978-1-59555-601-1 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Folsom, Burton W.

Death on hold : a prisoner's desperate prayer and the unlikely family who became God's answer / Burton and Anita Folsom.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-59555-600-4

1. Rutledge, Mitchell, 1959- 2. Death row inmates--Alabama--Biography.

3. Criminals--Rehabilitation--Alabama. 4. Prisoners--Religious life--Alabama.

I. Folsom, Anita. II. Title.

HV9468.R88F65 2015

364.66092--dc23

[B]

2014033243

15 16 17 18 19 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

In Memoriam
Sister Lillian Agnes Oliver
February 26, 1947March 3, 2015
This book is dedicated to the men and women currently on death row. May they find encouragement, hope, and peace as they read it.

CONTENTS

This is the story of the redemption of Mitchell Rutledge. It is not an analysis ofhiscrime,nor is it a study of why some people fall through the cracks in societyanddontget the help they need.

First, it is the story of an illiterate boy trying to find his way in a world ofdrugs, prostitution, and poverty. As a young man, Mitch finally hits bottom. In themidst of the biggest crisis of his life, alone and friendless, he reaches out andlearns that miracles do happen.

We became friends with Mitchell Rutledge more than thirty years ago. Slowly at first,and then more regularly, Mitch told us the details of his life. In 2009, Burt askedMitch to write down his life story, beginning with his earliest memories. In prison,Mitch could only send out mail with four pages per letter, so the episodes of hislife became handwritten letters on notebook paper, four pages at a time. Becausemany of these memories were disjointed, we often went back to Mitch with questions;at times we looked up more background information on events he witnessed firsthand,such as the executions at Holman Prison. We interviewed Mitchs lawyer and othernew family members who have become a part of Mitchs life. Then we supplementedMitchs letters with poems he had written, beginning on death row and continuingfor many years.

As part of a small groupMitchs new familywe wanted to write his story as a warningto young people who are dabbling in drugs. We wanted to write his story as a hymnof rejoicing over what the Lord has done. And we wanted to write his story to drawattention to the fact that Mitch has been in prison since 1981. Having the storytold by Mitch, as he lived it, seems to be the most powerful way to engage our readersin this amazing life.

Mitch wants to make a difference in society to keep young people from following hispath to prison. At the same time, overcrowding in prisons is forcing states to releasethousands of inmates. Mitchs record of time served and good behavior should makehim a candidate for parole. At this point, Mitch can do more good outside of prisonthan being locked inside for the rest of his life.

That is why we wrote this book.

Burton and Anita Folsom

1
THIS IS MY STORY

Time magazine, An Eye for an Eye, January 24, 1983:

Death row is about the same size in Alabama [as in other states], where 55 men await the [electric] chair in Holman. Mitchell Rutledge, 23 years old, I.Q. 84, is among them.... To most people the life of a foolish punk like Rutledge does not count for much. He is defective. His death would not be unbearably sad.... There are guys not worth killing. Let Rutledge sit and stew in his 8-ft. by 5-ft. pen in Alabama. Forget him.

Those are powerful words, and even today they startle me. Why? Because I am Mitchell Rutledge. Time was mostly right with its facts. I was illiterateI could not read or write at all. I had no friends. I had no family that cared. My mother was dead and my father deserted me at birth. I was constantly in trouble as a teenager. I spent years in jail and prison, and then I killed a guy and was on death row waiting to die.