ForumGarden

Following on from Nomad's thoughts and having just read an article on Texas' death row which stated that "Thomas (see below) was the 19th inmate executed this year and the second in as many nights in the nation's most-active capital punishment state."

In a final statement, Shannon C. Thomas, 34, repeatedly expressed love for his family.

``I want you to be strong and get through this time,'' Thomas said with his sister standing a few feet from him, looking through a window. ``Do not fall back. Keep going forward. Don't let this hinder you. Let everybody know I love them.''

He was pronounced dead at 6:52 p.m., five minutes after the lethal drugs began to flow.

And I thought "what would you do if you were on death row, having been convicted of murder and where all the evidence points to you, BUT you KNOW you are innocent and think you can find the real murderer if you were just allowed to go free for a while to track him down?"

Would you fight to the bitter end?

Would you try to escape in order to bring the real murderer to justice?

Would you let them convince you you really had done the evil deed?

What would you do.....?

The prisons are full of people claiming to be innocent. I know it can happen, and if it were to happen to me, I would hope my family would fight and dig for proof as long as it took. People spend many, many years on death row before actually being executed. I would hope the would not eventually just accept the fact and think I must have done the crime I was accused of.

I know what I would like to think that I would do. Trying to do my utmost to prove my innocence, whatever that takes. But, without experiencing what it is like on Death Row, I don't really know what I would really do.

I'm confused (nothing unusual there) but did Thomas proclaim to be innocent? This thread brings to mind the line from Shawshank Redemption when Red says "Everyone is innocent in here". I can only feel for the person who is falsely convicted but I really am tired of supporting that 99% on death row who are guilty. You take a life - you give your life.