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| Return of the Prodigal Son (by Rembrandt) |
This highly unusual decision rested upon a solid
bedrock of forgiveness. The forgiveness, incredibly, came
more from the inmate’s victim than from
the state.
In this
unusual case, the only surviving victim is the
inmate’s father. The prisoner, Thomas Whitaker, conspired
to kill family members in order to
receive a large inheritance. His mother and
brother were murdered, but his father survived
“a gunshot to the chest.”
Nevertheless,
Kent Whitaker “passionately” opposed his
son’s execution. Kent insisted “that he would
be victimized again if the state put to death
his last remaining immediate family member.”
Thomas claims
to be grateful for his father’s sake only, explaining: I
deserve any punishment for my crimes, but my Dad did nothing wrong. As for Kent, he eagerly
awaits the day when he can hug his son again.
Resources
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/texas-spares-death-row-inmates-life-minutes-before-execution/ar-BBJu4r0?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=BHEA000
Copyright February 28, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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