1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: Welcome everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. We 2 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: are used to sometimes getting a final sentence, a few 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: final words from inmates as they are about to be executed, 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 1: but yesterday we got apologies, apologies, apologies, paragraphs truly of 5 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: one inmates' final words. Fifty one year old Cedric Rix, 6 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: who was pronounced dead last night just before seven pm, 7 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: wanted to make his amends before he died by the 8 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: lethal injection without everyone. Welcome to this episode. It is Thursday, 9 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: March twelfth, and we have covered a lot of executions 10 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: Babe over this past year because there just frankly, have 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 1: been so many. Each one is unique and each one 12 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: I feel like there is a takeaway. But this one 13 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: was especially compelling. 14 00:00:57,920 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 2: H This is when we wanted to skip over, to 15 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: be honest with you. We cover a lot of these 16 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 2: and some of them have intriguing stories that come up 17 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 2: about the person condemned, person's guilt or innocence. There are 18 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: questions even if it's not about the guilt or innocence. 19 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 2: Sometimes robes of question is just about if they got 20 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: a fair trial, or their mental capacity, or should you 21 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 2: be executing someone this old or this sick? There's usually 22 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: some kind of humanitarian effort that is a tie to 23 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 2: these executions that sometimes make for compelling stories behind the scenes. 24 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,919 Speaker 2: This is not one where people were rallying support around 25 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 2: him because of hey he needs a break, or hey 26 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 2: he was coerced, or hey it was something don't know. 27 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 2: This was a heinous, heinous, horrible crime. To the point 28 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: we were almost gonna just bypasses and like this is 29 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 2: a tough one. We'll just say there was an execution 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 2: and move on. But turns out this is now one 31 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: of the more compelling moments we have seen in the 32 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 2: past year of covering what was an extraordinary year of 33 00:01:58,320 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: executions in the US. 34 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, you never know what to expect. I think that 35 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: is a lesson too. You think you understand the way 36 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: something's going to go or how someone's going to react, 37 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: and then they surprise you. And that is exactly what 38 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 1: happened last night. Yes, fifty one year old Cedric Rix. 39 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 1: He was executed yesterday for the May twenty thirteen killings 40 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,679 Speaker 1: and I say killings, but brutal stabbings of his girlfriend 41 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: and her eight year old son. We're talking about thirty 42 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: year old Roxanne Sanchez and eight year old Anthony and 43 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: Roxanne's other son. And this is of note. He was 44 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: twelve years old at the time. His name is Marcus. 45 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: He survived. He was also stabbed. He was stabbed this 46 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: is unthinkable, twenty five times in the back of his head, 47 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:54,519 Speaker 1: and he survived by playing dead. And him surviving helped 48 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: put Cedric Rix behind bars. 49 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 2: And that young man, that boy was in the room 50 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: last night as a grown man now, but he was 51 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 2: there to watch this man be executed. And he was 52 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 2: there and he received don't know if he expected it 53 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: or not, but he received a direct message from Cedric 54 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: Gregs last night. Look, this was this was extraordinary. There 55 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 2: are two things that if you have no idea of 56 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: what the crime was about, or the execution or the 57 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 2: legal wranglings that got to this point. Most people wrote 58 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: they hear an execution, they ask usually two things, maybe three. 59 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: They might ask how was the person executed? But they'll 60 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 2: ask what was the last meal? And what were their 61 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 2: last words? 62 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, and a lot of times, well we usually can 63 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: well we can always tell you why they're being executed. 64 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: Sometimes we know their last meals. And most of the time, 65 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: I would say, at least the ones we've covered, there 66 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: usually aren't last words. Final words are actually fairly rare. 67 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 1: I don't know what the percentage. 68 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 2: Is even when they have them. I don't the percentage 69 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: percentage would even be lower of how many times that 70 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 2: person uses their last words to actually apologize, make amends, 71 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 2: ask for forgiveness, that's even a lower percentage. He had 72 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: something on his heart, his mind, and this was his 73 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 2: last chance to say, and he took it. 74 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: It's so true, because the truth is most people who 75 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: are executed that we can recall, and certainly I think 76 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: this is anecdotal. I don't have the numbers on it. 77 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: But not only are they not apologizing for what they've 78 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: been convicted of and what they're about to be executed 79 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: for a lot of the times they're denying it, they're 80 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 1: denying the crime. They go to their death saying wasn't me. 81 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: So to have the ownership of the crime is one thing, 82 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 1: but then to apologize for it is a whole other level. 83 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: And this apology, I've never seen one quite like this. 84 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: He directly aimed it at that now twenty five year 85 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: old young man who he thought he had killed that evening. 86 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: I mean, good on him for doing so. I mean 87 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: I we haven't heard the reaction yet from the young man, 88 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 2: but we have heard from families prior and other executions 89 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 2: who do get messages from that condemned person right before 90 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 2: they die, and we have heard some of those families 91 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 2: report that those were very important words for them to hear. 92 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: Yes, and we're going to give you what Rick's final 93 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: words were. But I wanted to just for those of 94 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: you who don't know the crime, and just to understand 95 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: where Marcus, this twenty five year old now sitting watching 96 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: his mother's former boyfriend about to die, what he lived through, 97 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 1: because what he was convicted of is horrific. So we 98 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: know that Cedric Rix, and he's admitted to this now, 99 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: began fighting with his girlfriend. He had a history of 100 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 1: domestic violence. He had a history of problems not only 101 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: with his girlfriends but with their children. So they started fighting, 102 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: and the boys who were eight and twelve jumped in 103 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: to try and save their mom, to try and stop 104 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: Cedric from he was punching her. That's when he went 105 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: into the kitchen, got a knife and began to stay 106 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 1: Roxane and Anthony and Marcus was able to run to 107 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: a bedroom closet, but he went to go find him 108 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: to finish the job, and Marcus even testified in court 109 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: I cannot even imagine this, saying that he heard the 110 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: sounds that his eight year old brother made and he 111 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: imitated them to basically pretend like he was dying, and 112 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: that he died, and that then and only then did 113 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 1: Cedric let up. He actually took a shower. There was 114 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: a nine month old son in the home as well. 115 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: He put him in the crib and then took off 116 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: to Oklahoma, where police later arrested him. But that's the 117 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: crime we're talking about. 118 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: And that's why we were saying. This was one that 119 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 2: we were frankly, we were willing to let go. We 120 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 2: will pass over this one. Yes, there's still death penalty 121 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,119 Speaker 2: opponents who are out there saying no execution should take place, 122 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: but there was no sympathy necessarily for this man or 123 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:56,679 Speaker 2: this crime when you hear about it. So really we said, okay, 124 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: well we will let this one pass and there will 125 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 2: be plenty more. But then turns out, Robes this one 126 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 2: turned out to be incredibly compelling. Even hearing that horror, 127 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 2: there is still humanity at the end. It's amazing that 128 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: that's even possible. 129 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: Just hearing you say that gave me shell. So here 130 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: are the final words that Marcus and six other family 131 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: members of Roxanne heard last night, right before Cedric Ris 132 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: was pronounced dead. He said, I want to say that 133 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: I'm sorry for taking Roxanne and Anthony from y'all. I'm 134 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: glad to be able to speak to tell y'all that 135 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: face to face, and to Marcus, I always thought about you, 136 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: and I am sorry that I took your mom and 137 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: your brother away. I hate that you had to experience that. 138 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: I just can't imagine. But I'm truly sorry for what 139 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 1: I did, what I've done, and I wish all peace 140 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: and joy as much as you can. But I'm sorry. 141 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: That's all I can say. I hope y'all go in peace. 142 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: I really do. I'm sorry. 143 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 2: It's the best you could ever hope for. At the end, 144 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: you could what more could you get? Maybe the family 145 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 2: looks at this and wants him to die and consider 146 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 2: that finality. I can't imagine those words doing. I don't know. 147 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: I can't speak for that family, like would they prefer 148 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:21,240 Speaker 2: not to have heard that? 149 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: I doubt it harm? 150 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 2: Did it do harm in some way? And I don't 151 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:27,080 Speaker 2: know how it came across in the room and how 152 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 2: he said it, but at least reading them on paper 153 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:32,720 Speaker 2: come off a certain way robes and that's sincere, you know. 154 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: And we talked about this. There was an AP reporter 155 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: who was in that execution chamber and he was giving 156 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: these details. He's the one who told us what these 157 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: final words were. But he also mentioned that Rick's voice 158 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: was cracking when he spoke these words, and that there 159 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: were tears in his eyes. 160 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: I mean, what was it? Can you have grace and 161 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 2: decency for someone who murdered a child by stap them 162 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 2: and murdered that child's mother and attempted to murder a 163 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:09,840 Speaker 2: second child? Can you have any grace in your heart? 164 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 2: I don't know. You could mourn, and you could have 165 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,559 Speaker 2: grace ropes for a human life, not for the act. 166 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 2: But I mean, this is just death is awful. It 167 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 2: is to plan it, and these ceremonies we go through 168 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 2: are awful. But maybe we always take something out of it. 169 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 2: And man, I hope it brought something to the family. 170 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: I hope it did too. I was thinking about the fact. Look, 171 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: the family didn't speak and that's why we don't know 172 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 1: their reaction. They chose not to speak to reporters. I 173 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: can understand not really being in a good headspace or 174 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: in a good emotional space to actually react to it 175 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: in front of cameras with microphones, after all this family 176 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: has been through. But I would imagine that hearing that 177 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,199 Speaker 1: from him was better than hearing nothing. At least it 178 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: wasn't as if he was saying it to get out 179 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 1: of being executed, or to get off easier, or to 180 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: get a lighter sentence. He had no motivation other than 181 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: trying to give that family peace, maybe trying to get 182 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: into heaven instead of hell if he's a believer. I 183 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: believe he is a believer. Actually we'll get into that 184 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 1: in just a moment. But I also think it says 185 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: something about given enough time, certain people might be able 186 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: to reflect in a way about their actions where they 187 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: can say they're sorry. If enough time hadn't passed, maybe 188 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: he wouldn't have been able to do so, But at 189 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 1: least he was able to give them that. At the end, 190 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: when we come back, we're going to talk about Cedric Rix, 191 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:40,439 Speaker 1: because he actually had more to say before he died 192 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:44,560 Speaker 1: to his living sons who are still here. They were 193 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: not there last night, but we're going to read some 194 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: of what he had to say to them, and certainly 195 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: talk about what the rest of this year was going 196 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,959 Speaker 1: to look like after a record setting gear of executions 197 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty five. Welcome back everyone to this episode 198 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: of Amy and TJ. We are talking about the incredibly 199 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: unexpected but profound moments we saw last night in Texas, 200 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: just before fifty one year old Cedric Rix was given 201 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: a lethal cocktail, a lethal injection where he was pronounced 202 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: dead about thirty minutes after the process began. But he 203 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: gave a very long apology to his victims' family members 204 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: who were there watching his execution for a horrific murder 205 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: to murders actually the brutal stabbing deaths of thirty year 206 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: old rock Sanne Sanchez and her eight year old son Anthony. 207 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 1: Her other son who is now twenty five years old, 208 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: who was also attacked by Cedric, was in that room 209 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: that night and heard that apology, some of which was 210 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: directly aimed at him. Before he actually stepped into that 211 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: death chamber. He wrote some letters to his sons from 212 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: death row and they were released. And he has a 213 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,080 Speaker 1: son from a previous marriage. And then that little nine 214 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 1: month old baby that we talked about before the break. 215 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: Isaiah was his name, and that certainly would be the 216 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: half brother to Marcus, who was there in the room 217 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: last night. This is what he had to say to 218 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: those sons. Sometimes I wake up kicking and screaming for 219 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 1: what I have done to you. I can't say sorry 220 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: enough for what I've done. My prayer is that you 221 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: can forgive me. My prayer is that you both will 222 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,960 Speaker 1: carry on the legacy of who I have become in Christ, 223 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: and not who I used to be. He talked about grace, 224 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 1: he's asking for it. 225 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 2: It's tough who gives it, who has the right to 226 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: give it? Who is right? We're not well. I guess 227 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 2: I was about to say we're not his judge, but 228 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 2: actually we are as society, and that's why he's dead 229 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 2: right now. Quite frankly, I don't know what you do 230 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 2: with people sometimes right who commit the worst of acts. 231 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 2: I guess we've been around and been exposed to people 232 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 2: and things like this more than most, and been up 233 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 2: close and personal. But we've also witnessed some of the 234 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:19,719 Speaker 2: worst in people, and we've seen the best, but we 235 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 2: also seen transitions, We've seen people change. I just love 236 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 2: the idea ropes. Yes, he's dead now, but I love 237 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:30,680 Speaker 2: the idea for us continuing to find value in human 238 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: beings even after they have taken life or not contributed 239 00:13:35,120 --> 00:13:38,040 Speaker 2: even to the rest of society by their actions. But 240 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 2: we find a way to recognize how they still can 241 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 2: contribute to a loved one, to a niece they're still 242 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:50,559 Speaker 2: nursing or being a parent to while they're in jail, 243 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 2: to speaking to other prisoners, there's value still in somebody's life. 244 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 2: And I don't know, it seems weird. It's sympathy. It's 245 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 2: not sympathy for a murderer. This is just being a 246 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 2: human being and being decent, and I don't know. Finding 247 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:06,319 Speaker 2: moments of grace everywhere. 248 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: I think it's such an important way to look at it, because, yes, 249 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,080 Speaker 1: sometimes the contribution that some of these inmates can make 250 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: is a cautionary tale to either other family members or 251 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 1: other folks who are headed down that same path, and 252 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 1: help them turn their lives around. Go in a different direction. 253 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: You don't want to end up like me. And I 254 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: also was when I was reading the not only what 255 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: he said to the family last night before he was executed, 256 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: but what he asked if his sons, I pray that 257 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: you can forgive me. That wasn't something he was asking 258 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: for himself so he could feel less guilty. I started 259 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: recognizing for what it was he was asking that for them, 260 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: because if the family of Roxane, if his own sons, 261 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 1: can forgive him, it takes that burden of hatred off 262 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: of them. When you forgive someone, you release something, You 263 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: release some of the pain, you release some of the anger. 264 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: You actually can invite peace in once forgive. And so 265 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 1: I started thinking about it differently. When people say can 266 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: you forgive me, we think, oh, that's a selfish thing. 267 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: You just want to get rid of your guilt. But 268 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: actually it's a gift to the other person. If they 269 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: can truly forgive the worst possible thing, that that means 270 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: a life of potential peace following it. 271 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 2: Yes, there will be plenty of people right now, robes 272 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 2: are just rolling our eyes. He's a monster, deserves to die. 273 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 2: That's the end of story. And then you're okay to 274 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 2: feel that way, We understand, but there is it's okay 275 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 2: to feel the other way, and it's okay to for 276 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 2: us all to sit in the same room with a 277 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 2: different opinion about this. And yeah, I'm curious. I like 278 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 2: hearing other people's perspective when they are angry and when 279 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 2: they're like, yeah, he should die. I'm listening because I 280 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 2: just it's something this ugly, there is some hint of 281 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 2: beauty in the end, and when it just comes to 282 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 2: human beings, human nature, apologies, grace, forgiveness and moving on. 283 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, It's kind of what life is all about, isn't it. 284 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: And Rix was already the second inmate put to death 285 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: in Texas this year. He was the sixth in the country. 286 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: We're at March twelfth right now. The next execution is 287 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: in the state that has become by far the leading 288 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: state in executions, at least it was last year, a 289 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: record setting Florida. In five days, Michael King is set 290 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 1: to be executed in that state, and we will continue 291 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: to following the growing number of scheduled executions. They happened 292 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: month by month. We don't know the total number yet, 293 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: that will still be to be determined, but certainly we 294 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: are seeing governors and specifically the state of Florida. 295 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 2: De Santos is running out of ink. He is signing 296 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,400 Speaker 2: death wards left and right. They wasn't close last year, 297 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 2: by the way they didn't just set a record in 298 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 2: the state and number one. They were way nineteen versus 299 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 2: who had the most after that five. 300 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: Five I believe Texas and South Carolina maybe. 301 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 2: So we got two more of this month in the country. 302 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 2: Both of those are in Florida within two weeks of 303 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 2: each other, at the seventeenth and the thirty first, I 304 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 2: believe I have right, So yes, Florida's we started the 305 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: year with only I think somewhere around seventeen eighteen on 306 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 2: the books planned, and already more have been signed. That 307 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 2: number will go up in the country. 308 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: It certainly will. And look, we will continue to follow 309 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 1: some of these stories that actually make an impression or 310 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: at least have some lessons in them. I think it's 311 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 1: something that we can all look at. This is our 312 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: criminal justice system, and certainly so many of us have 313 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: been touched by it in different ways. So we always 314 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy roback alongside TJ. Holmes, 315 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: and we will talk to you soon.