*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
*Earlier today, I released all of my writings on the June 11, 2024 execution of my friend David Hosier in Missouri. Below is the chapter that I wrote about Hosier’s execution. The entire book “THE DAVID HOSIER STORY: Writings from a Campaign” is available for purchase here. The Execution of David Hosier: The Final Full Account David Hosier gave me a tremendous gift. Over the final few months of David’s life, he let me in. While... Read more
*Earlier today, I released all of my writings on the April 4, 2024 execution of my friend Michael Smith in Oklahoma. Below is the chapter that I wrote about Smith’s execution. The entire book “Underrepresented: Michael Smith, Oklahoma & the Death Penalty” is available for purchase here. Amidst horror, descriptions fail. Towering walls on all sides holding back countless tons of dirt. Each stone whispering secrets of imprisoned souls. Glass doors that lead underground. Though you can see through,... Read more
THE DEATH ROW SPIRITUAL ADVISOR: A PRIMER Beginnings are important. We speak to someone where we find them. We cannot begin beyond where we are. Perhaps one can go back, but the beginning is always the beginning. We do not begin in endings. The spiritual advisor must meet all that they meet where they are, not where they were. Spirituality is complicated. No two people are the same. We are all trying to find the God that is... Read more
Spirituality is complicated. For almost two decades, I’ve ministered to all sorts of people. One of the things that I’ve come to realize is that no two people are the same. We are all trying to find the God that is beyond God. That is the entity that is beyond all comprehension that gives life meaning. Those who claim to know the totality of the divine are fools who should never be trusted. God is indescribable and that is... Read more
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