Woman Condemned

Im having a conundrum. The whole reason I started this blog was to share the words, thoughts and feelings of the women on death row with the world. But today I got something that shocked me. Its hard to do that. I've seen quite a bit of shocking shit in my day. But today it has been done. I got a letter from Michelle Byrom in Mississippi. In it she laughs about sending me a letter off the same day she got mine. She talks about her health. She has two tumors developed in her back from unknown origins. She was finally able to get a tv but the guards kept it for 40 days before giving it to her.She is also upset because her fan is broken.It can get up to 90 in her cell. But none of this was shocking. What shocked me was what she included with her letter. It was some jail house correspondence between Michelle and a new girl in the prison. A Mrs.Jennifer Williams sentenced to 40 years for the sexual abuse of her own daughter. In this correspondenceshe spells out to Michelle exactly what...

Wow, I suck. I just got told so. But in much nicer terms. Ive been begging people to edit and crtique my proposal and sample work on the women's book. Finally someone helps me out. She tore it to shreds and called me a dumbass in a really nice way. I dont feel like a dumbass even though I obviously should. I feel empowered. I feel enlightened. I believe I can go at least one more round with the writing demon. Maybe two. So, I'll go back and do all these rewrites and see if it looks any better. One thing bothers me though. She said that my writing is weak and I cant tell either my story or the womens with any conviction. I FEEL convicted. I love what I do so why isnt it coming through in my writing? What am I doing wrong or not doing? This book began in 2002 and was going to be similar to what Jennifer Furio did with The Serial Killer Letters. But over the years I've gotten so much conflicting advice from writers, agents, editors etc. the book has morphed and changed into so...

Whew! I could not log on all week long! That sucked! It has something to do with this laptop and the accelorator I use. Sometimes they dont get along and I suffer the consequences. I wrote to Randy this week. I do hope ev erything is ok with him. I also wrote to Lisa Jo Chamberlain and to Michelle Byrom and Judy Neelley. I got a letter from Michelle today. I guess she hasnt gotten my letter. She said that if I just thought that she wanted money and books then not to send them and to just write. She said that shed been worried about me.Sweet.

Im sure Randy Wood has wondered what happened to me. I think I last wrote him in December or so. In his last letter he talked about his visit with his wife. He asked me questions about what Christmas morning was like with such a big family. He mentioned that cigarettes were $1.68 a pack when he got locked up. I hope he is well and I hope that he has gotten his priveledges from being a model prisoner for 10 years. I cant wait to hear from him. I gave my brother $100 last night and told him to take my husband and my dad out for a night on the town. For Fathers day. Hubby came dragging in about 3 am. Then my dad called this morning and said he had a headache as wide as all outdoors and that he kissed my ex-husbands new girlfriend at the bar. From what I hear, it was a real movie star kiss. Bent over backwards, foot in the air smackaroo. Im sorry I missed that. I sat at home alone with a bottle of champagne and a tray of sushi. Not to terrible. Im still debating if I should write to Paul B...

I guess its just me but things always seems easier, better, right- at my parents house. Well, before my mom died that is. I remember feeling like that at my grandparents too. Its like its some kind of a magic place. A place where nothing bad happens, where you have everything you'll ever need and theres nothing to do all day but enjoy life. I get that feeling now when I visit my Aunt Stephanie. She is my mothers siter and sometimes I feel like the only family I have left. Since my mother died I have become the impromptu matriarch of the fam. Every holiday finds my family at my house. I field all the arguments and am first on the emergency call list. Bt at Aunt Stephanies Im a kid again. Everything is better than my house. The air conditioning is colder, the snack food is tastier, the t.v. is bigger (WITH Dolby surround sound and HD!) And it just seems like a little slice of heaven. The bath tub is clean and there is always milk in the fridge. Studying the phenomenon of my feelings ...

I got a request from the ICM lit agency. I almost deleted it. I thought it was spam because it said from "intern" . I guess I should have figured that. I didnt even remember that I had queried them. It was back in Feb. They asked for a synopsis and sample chapter. I sent it.Who knows. I looked them up on the absolute write forums and they are touted as one of the biggies! WWWWEEeeeellllllllllll. I've written to Michelle Byrom today. She has family in my area and I would love to visit them. I also wrote LisaJo Chamberlain again. I hadnt written to her since Michelle told me of all the ruckus she was raising. I know she said some harsh things about me when she didnt hear from me. We shall see. I am also attempting to put together another newsletter. If anyone would like to contribute with a poem, drawing, essay or article feel free to contact me. They are particularly interested in stuff like crochet, cross stich , book reviews, travel articles etc.

I have had the pleasure of talking with Chief Chrismon of the Murfreesboro police dept. I have been emailing him and playing phone tag for months with this gentlman trying to get the info I need about Judy Neelleys mom and some accusations of contributing to a minor. I was finally able to reach him and although he told me that the investigator who was on staff at the time of her arrest is still available- he doesnt want to talk with me, but he did tell me all the things Ill need to do to go through all the old court records.

Cathy Lynn Henderson has received another stay of execution. Her original execution date was in April. She received a 60 day stay. elling the truth all along. It is only now that science has progressed so far that they can prove her innocence. Its a damn shame that this woman has sat on death row all these years as an innocent woman who was tHer second date was set for tomorrow but she has now received another stay. Late Monday afternoon, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals spared her life, for the time being. It was split decision but in the end, the court found there is sufficient enough evidence that could show Baugh died from an accidental fall. During the initial trial, the Travis County Medical Examiner testified the baby died after, "being slammed against a hard, flat surface." The Henderson camp successfully argued to the Court of Criminal Appeals there is new technology, which wasn't available back during the trial in the mid-90s that could show his death was an ...

Cathy Henderson - Execution Date: June 13, 2007 in Texas this is from stopexecutions.blogspot.com Cathy Henderson (pictured with Sr. Helen Prejean) is scheduled to be executed in Texas on June 13 for the 1994 murder of Brandon Baugh, an infant she was babysitting. Henderson would be the 12th woman put to death in the U.S. since capital punishment was reinstated. Since her arrest, Henderson has maintained that the child's death was accidental. She said that she dropped the baby, fracturing his skull, and then panicked after realizing she could not revive him. She then buried the boy's body and fled to Missouri, where authorities captured her nearly two weeks later. Henderson said that she is sorry for Brandon's death and that she feels regret every day for the pain she caused his family. She notes, "I wish there was something I could do to comfort them, and if it's going to comfort them to end my life for an accident, I hope this gives them comfort." Henderson...

OK, where have I been, right? I had an 8 lb tumor in my tummy and I had it removed. No shit. Ive felt like crap and I had a bunch of web content to write. That was all the writing Id been doing. I have an agent from Talcot Notch whose requested another chapter but its been a month and I havent been able to send it yet. Tragic. But the latest news is that they have removed Kenisha Berry from death row .