Why in the hell isn’t Gary Wayne Sutton home for Christmas? Gary Wayne Sutton is an innocent man on death row in Tennessee. For over 33 years, Gary’s been left to rot. Most people think that if somebody is on death row then there must at least be some evidence. In this case, there is not. The case was never strong. Gary was just a convenient fall guy. In fact, there is absolutely nothing that ties Gary... Read more
First Baptist Church of Arlington Protest/Press Conference for Steven Nelson (Friday 11/11 @ 10am) On October 31, 2024, I sent the letter attached below to every email address listed on the First Baptist Church of Arlington’s website. This was the first opportunity I gave the church to respond to deep concerns that a great many have about the way that they handled the aftermath of the murder of Rev. Clint Dobson, the subsequent trial of Steven... Read more
Inhale. Exhale.:Breathing Exercises from Death Row *Steven Nelson is a prisoner on death row in Texas. The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood serves as his spiritual advisor. This piece flows out of a conversation that Dr. Hood had with Nelson on breathing. Close your eyes. Breathe. Invite God in. Exhale. Breathe. Imagine love. Exhale love. Breathe. Really meditate on what love looks like. Exhale. Breathe. Really meditate on giving love away. Exhale. Breathe. Imagine love. Exhale... Read more
We know. We are. : Meditation Practices from Death Row *Steven Nelson is a prisoner on death row in Texas. The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood serves as his spiritual advisor. This piece flows out of a conversation that Dr. Hood had with Nelson on meditation. We close our eyes. We breath. We meditate. Then… We discover there is more than what is. We keep going. We feel the presence of the all in one. We know. ... Read more
*After a fierce campaign that almost saved his life, Emmanuel Littlejohn was executed on September 26, 2024. As his spiritual advisor, I was the only eyewitness to the entirety of the execution. I recently sat down to gather my recollections and thoughts about that morning. The Only Eyewitness to The Execution of Emmanuel Littlejohn Mornings come the quickest when hope is fading fastest. Throughout the night, I’d thought about the final appeal. The only person who could... Read more
*Casey McWhorter was executed on November 16, 2023. As his spiritual advisor, I was the only eyewitness to the entirety of the execution. I recently sat down to gather my recollections and thoughts about that night. On the last day, I arrived at Holman Prison a little later than usual. The weather seemed overcast. Then again, everything seemed overcast. I wanted Casey McWhorter to spend some of that precious time alone with his family. Plus, I knew... Read more
Softly, I met Steven Nelson. There were no lights. There were no reporters. There were no cameras. There was only us. Immediately, it was clear that he was much quieter than the headlines I’d read about him. Of course, I’d encountered misleading headlines before. It’s just that the discrepancy was so stark in this instance. Headlines don’t often lead to deeper truths. Most of the time, when you trust them, they lead you far from both the human and... Read more
*Text of the above OpEd is below. August 18, 2024 Clemency for Emmanuel Littlejohn: An Open Letter to Governor Kevin Stitt Dear Governor Kevin Stitt, There are hours that try our souls. We don’t necessarily know what to do. We are left to exist in a place where only the most fervent of prayers will do. Presently, I exist in such a space. Throughout my days, I’m haunted by the possibility that you might not choose... Read more
For over two years, I’ve served as Emmanuel Littlejohn’s spiritual advisor. To say that I’ve come to love him would probably be an understatement. Far from the bloody caricatures most make of those on death row, I’ve found in Emmanuel an older man with a big heart. From time to time, humanity can still surprise us. Then again, it’s important to remember that such surprises can only find us when we open our hearts to their possibility. Many... Read more
Officer Sean Grayson Deserves Death, Grace Will Be More Painful. Fucked up. Disgusting. Evil. There are only so many words available to describe the catastrophic intentional murderous actions of Officer Sean Grayson. Indeed, in this situation words will always fall short. Grayson deserves a swift sentence of death. However, I suspect that grace will be much more painful. On July 6, Sonya Massey heard noises around her home. Suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, it’s anyone’s guess if such... Read more
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