Behind the story: What it felt like to see a man die (Murderer lover mega-spew alert!)

Houston Chronicle ^ | July 4, 2003 | RACHEL GRAVES

[Vigilanteman]

Sounds like a good argument to bring back public hanging. What's another needle in the arm to a junkie?

[Old Sarge]

One each Glock. Single round to the head. Doc makes the call while the barrel's still warm.

I can make it even more efficient than Texas.

[CWOJackson]

"I watched my government kill a killer."

Nope, he saw his government carry out the legal sentence given in a court of law.

[Normal4me]

" arrived at the Walls unit at about 4:30 p.m., an hour and a half before Richard Head Williams was scheduled to...

Ya gotta be kidding me! This is/was the guys real name?!?

[A_perfect_lady]

I was terrified of how I would react to seeing the execution, of the indelible mark it would leave on my mind.

Translation: "It's all about me. Everything is about me. See how sensitive I am? Why can't the world be nicer, like me!? For my sake!? See me! Feel me! Touch me..."

[tet68]

Guess the reporter just didn't get the fact that it

WAS A LOT EASIER THAN BEING STABBED 13 TIMES AND HAVING
YOUR THROAT SLASHED AND DYING GURGURLING IN YOUR OWN BLOOD !

[Age of Reason]

Sounds like a good argument to bring back public hanging.

A plastic bag over their heads would be cheaper.

[Husker24]

I want to hear this guy whine for the guy that killed James Byrd when he is executed. I wont hold my breath on that one though.

[cynwoody]

One each Glock. Single round to the head. Doc makes the call while the barrel's still warm.

Switch to the guillotine. No need for a doc when you have a head separated from a body. I bet the Frogs still have a few used ones around.

[Blue Screen of Death]

Tell her that the guy was a Republican and that will make it all right.

[Rudder]

This little story is about nothing but Rachel Graves.

[gcruse]

Richard Head Williams

Yes.  His nickname was Rich.

</straight face>

[squidly]

I can't imagine that the writer felt that this drivel would change anybody's mind about capital punishment.

[Vigilanteman]

Yeah, but there's drama in a good old-fashioned public hanging. Did you see True Grit? The town gathers, they sing a couple of hymns, the bags are pulled over the heads, the nooses adjusted, the trap door sprung . . . a powerful deterrent well worth the added cost.

[mombonn]

I wonder if this idiot shed a tear for the victim? She certainly didn't have the luxury of a "clinical" death, complete with painkillers; nor an opportunity to enjoy a last meal of her choice.

[ohiobushman]

I would bet,if that reporter had seen this P.O.S. murder his victim,she would have a different view!

[MaxPlus305]

While I can sort of sympathize for her need to reflect on this kind of thing--I mean, I've known soldiers who've been reflectful and remorseful over seeing an enemy die--I think she did a huge disservice by glossing over this guy's crimes. I like how she mentions as a sidenote that this guy ordered the assassination of his friend. Didn't the horror of what this guy did enter her mind at all during this time? I don't think knowing what he did necessarily negates the ill you might feel at seeing an execution, but for crying out loud, at least PRETEND you're thinking about both sides of the issue when doing something like this.

[Maria S]

"Jeanette Williams, no relation, was killed on a Houston street in 1997. Her throat was slashed and she was stabbed 13 times."

Wonder if Rachel Graves [writer of this sob piece]would have thought to herself: "Stop, you're killing her." Wonder if she would have known that there would be a gasp indicating Jeanette Williams' last as her throat was slashed. Wonder why anyone with a rational thought would even want to watch an execution in the first place if they didn't have to?

[X-FID]

Ya gotta be kidding me! This is/was the guys real name?!?

Nope, they executed Dick Head Williams and this guy has a problem with it, go figure!