I woke up at a friend’s house when she frantically yelled into the answering machine. I watched alone in horror when the second plane hit. Back at home in my apartment, my friends and I stared blankly at the TV screen all day and into night. My friend said something like, “I left Ireland to get away from terrorism, I never thought there would be terrorism like this here.”

I thought we were going to war. Would my brother have to go to war? (He didn’t but my then-boyfriend did. He reenlisted less than two weeks later. )

My best friend lived in NYC. And since I don’t know geography of the city well enough, I didn’t know how close she was to the World Trade Center and I couldn’t get through the phone lines to talk to her. Late that night I got a short, simple email I will never forget.

“The bridge was closed so I had to walk. I am home, tired, but safe.”

I sat there with the realization that there were so many people who would never get that email and I cried.

In better news, I should have some good news to announce soon.  And no, I’m not pregnant. *

* (That’s becoming a bit of a pet peeve of mine.  It seems a woman can’t mention much without people replying she must be pregnant.  You cannot be tired, stressed, hungry or fat and you certainly cannot have news that doesn’t contain “having” and “a baby” in it.  Frankly, I find it sexist.  My husband is all those things and no one accuses him of being pregnant.)

Composite vs. Suspect
vs

This case has always bothered me, if not for the obvious reasons, because I couldn’t get the thought of her crawling to her neighbors’ doors for help and no one helping her. Its just tragic on so many levels. I hope her family can find some peace and I know I will sleep better knowing this guy isn’t on the streets anymore.

Edit:
Joan and Mike Berry lobbied successfully for the creation of a state DNA database with samples from all suspects arrested on violent crime charges in Tennessee.  The state Legislature passed the “Johnia Berry Act of 2007“ in their latest session that requires anyone arrested for a violent crime to give a DNA sample to authorities. Previously, state law only required DNA samples from convicted violent offenders.

Now you may want to say it was an act by a desperate man about to die.  I will not argue that point.  But Phillip Workman asked that his last meal be a pizza given to any homeless person near the prison in Nashville.  Prison officials declined his request because “they don’t give donations to charity”.  So a charity stepped in and make the request possible.  Not just possible, they bought 150 pizzas and fed hundreds of people.  It allows me to rest a bit easier for some reason.  You can read about it here.

I’m sorry an officer was killed many years ago in a robbery attempt. I’m sorry he was taken from his family.   I can’t imagine that pain.  But I am equally sorry that the state, MY state, was so vengeful that nothing, not even perjured witnesses, incompetent defense, and ballistics impossibilities, could keep them from killing someone else.

This brings added urgency to our plea for clemency for Phillip Workman. He is to be executed on May 9.

Please consider whether justice requires adding your voice to those who have already requested that the Governor commute Workman’s death sentence to one of life imprisonment (51 years before eligibility for parole).

There are ballistics tests that experts have now said prove its not even possible for the bullet to have come from Workman’s gun. Wow, this just seems like a cover-up of something. Did Tennesseans invent the “Tillman Switcheroo” blame game?

Workman is scheduled to be executed on May 9. Please watch this video so you can see he is most likely innocent of the crime for which he is going to be executed on May 9.

The “eye witness” was not at the crime scene. Is that not enough to call this into question?

Help! Contact Governor Bredesen

Governor’s Office
Tennessee State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243-0001

Phone: 615.741.2001
Fax: 615.532.9711
Email: phil.bredesen@state.tn.us