Joan M. Cheever - Back from the Dead: One Woman’s Search for the Men Who Walked Off America’s Death Row

JOAN M. CHEEVER

For my parents, Sally and Charlie, for bringing me to life and for Dennis who enriches it.

"Joan Cheever takes us on a journey of personal stories that will help bring about the abolition of the death penalty. The unusual path she takes to collect these stories gives the reader a rare view not only of our justice system, but of life, death, love, rehabilitation and forgiveness. Back from the Dead shows us that there is hope."

Bill Pelke, Co-founder of Journey of Hope ... From Violence to Healing.

"When death takes a holiday, investigative journalist Joan Cheever goes to work. What she uncovers should shock our entire system of justice."

Sherry Sontag, co-author, Blind Man's Bluff, the Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage.

"Back From The Dead is a riveting, intense narrative of one woman's search for former Death Row inmates, a group of Dead Men Walking, right out of prison to freedom. After witnessing an execution in Texas, Joan M. Cheever felt compelled to find the answer to a distressing question: What did these killers do with their second chance at life? Cheever tells of her long journey and the results of the 33 years of post-release data she's discovered about this group. Theirs is a story we should hear."

Sister Helen Prejean, Author, Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States and The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions.

"In Back From The Dead Joan M. Cheever tells a compelling story of what happened to hundreds of Death Row inmates who won the lottery of life. In Back From The Dead, we travel with Cheever, a journalist and mother of two, to find these former residents of Death Row, many of whom don't want to be found. These graduates of Death Row took their second chance at life and turned their lives into success stories; it's a story about redemption and rehabilitation.

"An execution will never mend the hole in our heart; there is no such thing as closure. Healing can only begin when we turn the hate and revenge into compassion and understanding. I've been on the journey from rage to reconciliation. We will never forget those we love and lost."

Bud Welch, president of Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights and father of Julie, 23, who was killed in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

ix

Chapter 11

Chapter 2 36

Chapter 3 42

Chapter 4 56

Chapter 5 71

Chapter 6 95

Chapter 7 112

Chapter 8 131

Chapter 9 147

Chapter 10 168

Chapter 191

Chapter 12 206

Chapter 13 218

Chapter 14 231

Chapter 15 249

I am lucky to have had a lot of midwives who helped me birth this book. It was an arduous labor and I thank them for their patience and loyalty.

I am most grateful to the graduates of Death Row - most especially for their courage in sharing their stories. Thanks to all the members of the Class of '72 whom I interviewed and especially William Henry Furman, Elmer Branch, Chuck Culhane, Moreese Bickham, Freddie Pitts, Wilbert Lee, Mike Turczi, Leroy Johnson, Jim Bryson, Monty Powell, Lawrence Hayes, Calvin Sellars, Willie Stafford, and Rusty Holland. And to the memory of Gary McGivern, William "Sarge" Wallen, Bennett Belwood, and Joseph Cerny.

I am inspired and awed by the indefatigable spirit of Sister Helen Prejean and thankful; and I am truly blessed for the friendship and love of Lea and Roger Liepold.

Much appreciation to the "other Sally" in my life, my editor Sally Smith of John Wiley & Sons UK, for taking a chance on me and The Class of '72. Thanks also to The Wiley team: Rebecca Dimery, Julia Lampam and Felicity Roberts, Ian Campbell, Kate Stanley, Jamie McOuat, Martin Tribe, Grace O'Byrne and Roger Hunt. Thanks also to a writer's true best friends, copyeditor Kate Santon and proofreader Sarah Nawrocki.

And thanks to photographer Daniel Borris.

A heartfelt thanks to Betsey and Jim Hedges, who epitomize the true meaning of friendship; they moved not only mountains, but offices, houses and storage units and kept safe eight years of research as it traveled across the Atlantic and across the country. A thank you just isn't enough.

Updating the "alumni" directory was an overwhelming task and I am deeply indebted to my former co-worker and friend for life, Ed Frost of the Mintz Group in New York City.

Special thanks to Charles Salzberg, my teacher, editor, and friend for his encouragement and great ideas on the manuscript; and to the support and enthusiasm of Edward L. Beck, a gifted writer, good friend, and hand-holder. Thanks also to the Passionists of Riverdale, N.Y. who gave me a quiet place so I could meet a deadline.

Much appreciation to my agent, Jeff Kleinman, and to the earlier hard work of Denise Marcil and Maura Keyes.

I am grateful to Cathy "Cat" Bennett, a friend wise beyond her years who left us much too early, and to her partner and my friend, Robert Hirschhorn, who wouldn't take "No" for an answer and turned a "one year" death penalty case into nine long years.

Many thanks to my sister, jean, and brother, Charlie, and my other brother, Jack, and the twins, Susan and Kara, for keeping me company on this journey; and to all those who kept my children company while I traveled.

Thanks also to Professor Anthony Amsterdam, Michael D'Amelio, Professor Hugo A. Bedau and Professor Michael Meltsner, for your 11th-hour edits, advice and review of the manuscript regarding the history of the death penalty, specifically the Furman ruling. I am grateful to attorneys Mel Bruder and Andy Ryan Jr. for their time, and to the late Professor Charles Alan Wright and Bobby Hill.

My appreciation to Author Gary M. LaVergne and David Messmore and to all those officials in corrections and parole who helped to fill in the blanks on the Death Row list of 19 72 and then patiently provided 3 3 years of updated information; and to James W. Marquart and Jonathan R. Sorensen, authors of A National Study of the Furman-Commuted Inmates: Assessing the Threat to Society from Capital Offenders.