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 she did to her daughter and why. She talks about her husbands reasons and her father in laws, all were having sex with the girl from the time she was 9 years old.
My quandry is whether or not to post the letter here. Its very extremely graphic. The way she talks about things like its no big deal, rationalizing and explaining like there woud be any good reason stupifies me. I think that I will forward a copy of the letter to anyone who would like to see it. I just dont feel comfortable placing it here. I wish I had a secret password room. That would be cool.
I don't think you should post it. I'd say refer to it when you are making a point, but I think the letter would be too personal and readers don't know the true context or mental health of the writer and would be quick to judge. Besides, your hit count would go so high your site would be shut down (bad joke, but LOL).
ReplyDeleteRW:
ReplyDeleteI prosecuted crimes against children for a few years. The times the job got truly haunting -- like sticks-with-me-to-this-day haunting -- was when we saw direct evidence of what was in a perpetrator's mind. Reading something like that is truly traumatic. You are right not to post it.