Death's Chaplain

Older Comments on Death's Chaplain

• Posted 06/09/09 by lyly
  Coming soon to DVD 'At the Death House Door' http://www.homemediamagazine.com/dvd-reviews/-death-house-door-dvd-review At the Death House Door creates a stunning portrait of Carroll Pickett, who presided as the chaplain over 95 executions — as well as provides compelling fuel against the death penalty.
• Posted 10/28/08 by Dudley SHarp
  contd 8) Pickett: speaks of how sincere hostage taker, murderer Ignacio Cuevas was. Rev. Pickett states that "between 11 and midnight (I) believe almost everything" the inmates say, because they are about to be executed. (1) Reply: Bad judgement. Minutes later, Cuevas lied when on the gurney, stating that he was innocent. This goes to show how Rev. Pickett and many others are easily fooled by these murderers. Pickett concedes the point. 9) Pickett: "In my opinion and in the opinion of the convicts, life in prison, with no hope of parole, is a much worse punishment (than the death penalty)." "Most of these people (death row inmates) fear life in prison more than they do the possibility of execution." (5) REPLY: More fact problems. We know that isn't the opinion of those facing a possible death sentence of those residing on death row. This gives more support to my suspicion that Rev. Pickett is putting words into the inmates' mouths. Facts: What percentage of capital murderers seek a plea bargain to a death sentence, rather than seeking a life sentence? Zero or close to it. They prefer long term imprisonment. What percentage of convicted capital murderers argue for execution in the penalty phase of their capital trial? Zero or close to it. They prefer long term imprisonment. What percentage of death row inmates waive their appeals and speed up the execution process? Nearly zero (less than 2%). They prefer long term imprisonment. This is not, even remotely, in dispute. How could Rev. Pickett not be aware of this? How long was he ministering to Texas' death row? 13 years? So, what? Did he just make this up? 10) Pickett: stated that "doctors can't (check the veins of inmates pending execution), it's against the law." (1) Reply: Ridiculous. Obviously untrue. contd
• Posted 10/28/08 by Dudley Sharp
  contd 5) Pickett: "A great majority of them (the 95 executed inmates he ministered to) were black or Hispanic." (1) Reply: The reverend's point, here, appears to emphasize the alleged racist nature of the death penalty. There is a problem for the reverend- the facts - the "great majority" were 47 white (49%) with 32 black (34%), and 16 Hispanic (17%). 6) Pickett: "Out of the 95 we executed only one that had a college degree. All the rest of them their education was 9th grade and under." (1) Reply: Not even close. Rev. Pickett's point, here, seems to be that capital murderers are, almost all, idiots who can't be held responsible for their actions. But, there are more fact problems for the reverend. In a review of only 31 of the 95 cases, 5 had some college or post graduate classes and 16 were high school graduates or completed their GED. Partial review (Incomplete Count) , below. Would Rev. Pickett tell us about the educational achievements of all the true innocent murder victims and those that weren't old enough for school? 2) Pickett: believes that, no way, could someone, so afraid of lightning and thunder, such as Carlos De Luna, use a knife (in a crime). (1) Reply: Is the reverend not aware of DeLuna's record? In 1980, "De Luna was charged with attempted aggravated rape and driving a stolen vehicle, he pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 2 to 3 years. Paroled in May 1982, De Luna returned to Corpus Christi. Not long after, he attended a party for a former cellmate and was accused of attacking the cellmate's 53-year-old mother. She told police that De Luna broke three of her ribs with one punch, removed her underwear, pulled down his pants, then suddenly left. He was never prosecuted for the attack, but authorities sent him back to prison on a parole violation. Released again in December of that year, he came back to Corpus Christi and got a job as a concrete worker. Almost immediately, he was arrested for public intoxication. During the arrest, De Luna allegedly laughed about the wounding of a police officer months earlier and said the officer should have been killed. Two weeks after that arrest, Lopez was murdered." (Chicago Tribune) Being a long time criminal, we can presume that there were numerous additional crimes committed by De Luna and which remained unsolved. Was De Luna capable of committing a robbery murder, even though he had big brown eyes and was scared of lightning? Of course. contd
• Posted 10/27/08 by Dudley Sharp
  contd 2) Sara Hickman, musician, anti death penalty activist, and acquaintance of Pickett's, wrote " . . . Rev. Carroll Pickett (the death row minister who witnessed 95 executions in Huntsville; he is convinced that at least 15 of those men were innocent),. . . ". (3) Reply: In 1999 Rev. Pickett didn't believe any of those 95 executed were innocent, now, in 2008, he is convinced that 15 innocents were executed. Quite remarkable, if true. Rev. Pickett can you tell us which 15 you are convinced were executed innocents? And what is your evidence? Or did Ms. Hickman get it wrong? Reverend? I have inquired with Ms. Hickman (sara@sarahickman.com) and Rev Pickett (carrollpickett57@gmail.com) but, so far, no reply. 3) Introduction: In 1974, prison librarian Judy Standley and teacher Von Beseda were murdered during an 11 day prison siege and escape attempt. Ignacio Cuevas was sentenced to death, as one of three prisoners who were involved. The other two died in the shootout. Ms. Standley and Ms. Beseda were part of Rev. Pickett's congregation, outside of prison. Pickett: After Cuevas was executed, Rev. Pickett alleges that he met with Judy Standley's family and they told the reverend that "This (the execution) didn't bring closure." "This didn't help us." According to Rev. Pickett, "They didn't want him (Ignacio Cuevas) executed." (1) Reply; There might be a big problem. Judy Standley's five children wrote a statement, before the execution, which stated: "We are relieved the ordeal may almost be over, but we are also aware that to some, this case represents only one of many in which, arguably, `justice delayed is justice denied," "We are hopeful the sentence will finally be carried out and that justice will at last be served," said the statement, signed by Ty, Dru, Mark, Pam and Stuart Standley. (4) Sure seemed like the kids wanted Cuevas to be executed. Doesn't it? Reverend? 7) Pickett: spoke of the Soldier of Fortune murder for hire case, stating the husband got the death penalty, while the hired murderer got 6 years. (1) Reply: Rev. Pickett's point, here, appears to be the unfairness of the sentence disparity. More fact problems. John Wayne Hearn, the hitman, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Sandra Black. contd
• Posted 10/27/08 by Dudley Sharp
  Can Rev. Carroll Pickett be trusted "At the Death House Door"? Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters, contact info below Rev. Pickett is on a promotional tour for the anti death penalty film "At the Death House Door". It is partially about the Reverend's experience ministering to 95 death row inmates executed in Texas. Rev. Pickett's inaccuracies are many and important. Does Rev. Pickett just make facts up as he goes along, hoping that no one fact checks, or is he just confused or ignorant? Some of his miscues are common anti death penalty deceptions. The reverend is an anti death penalty activist. Below are comments or paraphrases of Rev. Pickett, taken from interviews, followed by my Reply:. 1) Pickett: (In 1989) "I was so 100% certain that he couldn't have committed this crime. (Carlos) was a super person to minister to. I knew Carlos was not guilty. " "I knew (executed inmate) Carlos (De Luna) didn't do it." (1) REPLY: There is this major problem. It appears that Rev. Pickett is, now, either lying about his own 1989 opinions or he is very confused. In 1999, 4 years after Rev. Pickett had left his death row ministry, and he had become an anti death penalty activist, and 10 years after De Luna's execution, the reverend was asked, in a PBS Frontline interview, "Do you think there have been some you have watched die who were strictly innocent?" Pickett's reply: "I never felt that."(2) For at least 15 years, Pickett never felt that any of the 95 executed were actually innocent. This directly conflicts with his current statements on Carlos De Luna. Rev. Pickett is, now, saying that he was 100% sure of De Luna's innocence in 1989! If he was 100% sure of DeLuna's execution in 1989, what's up with the PBS interview?. How could Rev. Pickett forget the only "innocent" person he saw executed - he was 100% sure of his innocence - on his watch? Wouldn't anyone find that to be 100% impossible to forget, particularly when you are asked, specifically, about it during a formal interview? When is the first confirmable date that Rev. Pickett stated he believed in DeLuna's actual innocence? It appears the reverend has either revised history to support his new anti death penalty activism - he's lying - or he is, again, very confused. Reverend? contd