WEBVTT - The Compelling, Unexpected Moment Inside A Texas Execution Chamber

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome everyone to this episode of Amy and TJ. We

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<v Speaker 1>are used to sometimes getting a final sentence, a few

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<v Speaker 1>final words from inmates as they are about to be executed,

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<v Speaker 1>but yesterday we got apologies, apologies, apologies, paragraphs truly of

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<v Speaker 1>one inmates' final words. Fifty one year old Cedric Rix,

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<v Speaker 1>who was pronounced dead last night just before seven pm,

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<v Speaker 1>wanted to make his amends before he died by the

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<v Speaker 1>lethal injection without everyone. Welcome to this episode. It is Thursday,

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<v Speaker 1>March twelfth, and we have covered a lot of executions

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<v Speaker 1>Babe over this past year because there just frankly, have

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<v Speaker 1>been so many. Each one is unique and each one

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like there is a takeaway. But this one

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<v Speaker 1>was especially compelling.

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<v Speaker 2>H This is when we wanted to skip over, to

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<v Speaker 2>be honest with you. We cover a lot of these

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<v Speaker 2>and some of them have intriguing stories that come up

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<v Speaker 2>about the person condemned, person's guilt or innocence. There are

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<v Speaker 2>questions even if it's not about the guilt or innocence.

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<v Speaker 2>Sometimes robes of question is just about if they got

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<v Speaker 2>a fair trial, or their mental capacity, or should you

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<v Speaker 2>be executing someone this old or this sick? There's usually

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<v Speaker 2>some kind of humanitarian effort that is a tie to

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<v Speaker 2>these executions that sometimes make for compelling stories behind the scenes.

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<v Speaker 2>This is not one where people were rallying support around

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<v Speaker 2>him because of hey he needs a break, or hey

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<v Speaker 2>he was coerced, or hey it was something don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>This was a heinous, heinous, horrible crime. To the point

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<v Speaker 2>we were almost gonna just bypasses and like this is

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<v Speaker 2>a tough one. We'll just say there was an execution

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<v Speaker 2>and move on. But turns out this is now one

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<v Speaker 2>of the more compelling moments we have seen in the

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<v Speaker 2>past year of covering what was an extraordinary year of

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<v Speaker 2>executions in the US.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, you never know what to expect. I think that

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<v Speaker 1>is a lesson too. You think you understand the way

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<v Speaker 1>something's going to go or how someone's going to react,

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<v Speaker 1>and then they surprise you. And that is exactly what

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<v Speaker 1>happened last night. Yes, fifty one year old Cedric Rix.

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<v Speaker 1>He was executed yesterday for the May twenty thirteen killings

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<v Speaker 1>and I say killings, but brutal stabbings of his girlfriend

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<v Speaker 1>and her eight year old son. We're talking about thirty

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<v Speaker 1>year old Roxanne Sanchez and eight year old Anthony and

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<v Speaker 1>Roxanne's other son. And this is of note. He was

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<v Speaker 1>twelve years old at the time. His name is Marcus.

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<v Speaker 1>He survived. He was also stabbed. He was stabbed this

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<v Speaker 1>is unthinkable, twenty five times in the back of his head,

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<v Speaker 1>and he survived by playing dead. And him surviving helped

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<v Speaker 1>put Cedric Rix behind bars.

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<v Speaker 2>And that young man, that boy was in the room

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<v Speaker 2>last night as a grown man now, but he was

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<v Speaker 2>there to watch this man be executed. And he was

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<v Speaker 2>there and he received don't know if he expected it

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<v Speaker 2>or not, but he received a direct message from Cedric

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<v Speaker 2>Gregs last night. Look, this was this was extraordinary. There

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<v Speaker 2>are two things that if you have no idea of

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<v Speaker 2>what the crime was about, or the execution or the

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<v Speaker 2>legal wranglings that got to this point. Most people wrote

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<v Speaker 2>they hear an execution, they ask usually two things, maybe three.

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<v Speaker 2>They might ask how was the person executed? But they'll

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<v Speaker 2>ask what was the last meal? And what were their

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<v Speaker 2>last words?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and a lot of times, well we usually can

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<v Speaker 1>well we can always tell you why they're being executed.

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<v Speaker 1>Sometimes we know their last meals. And most of the time,

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<v Speaker 1>I would say, at least the ones we've covered, there

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<v Speaker 1>usually aren't last words. Final words are actually fairly rare.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know what the percentage.

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<v Speaker 2>Is even when they have them. I don't the percentage

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<v Speaker 2>percentage would even be lower of how many times that

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<v Speaker 2>person uses their last words to actually apologize, make amends,

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<v Speaker 2>ask for forgiveness, that's even a lower percentage. He had

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<v Speaker 2>something on his heart, his mind, and this was his

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<v Speaker 2>last chance to say, and he took it.

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<v Speaker 1>It's so true, because the truth is most people who

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<v Speaker 1>are executed that we can recall, and certainly I think

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<v Speaker 1>this is anecdotal. I don't have the numbers on it.

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<v Speaker 1>But not only are they not apologizing for what they've

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<v Speaker 1>been convicted of and what they're about to be executed

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<v Speaker 1>for a lot of the times they're denying it, they're

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<v Speaker 1>denying the crime. They go to their death saying wasn't me.

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<v Speaker 1>So to have the ownership of the crime is one thing,

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<v Speaker 1>but then to apologize for it is a whole other level.

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<v Speaker 1>And this apology, I've never seen one quite like this.

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<v Speaker 1>He directly aimed it at that now twenty five year

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<v Speaker 1>old young man who he thought he had killed that evening.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, good on him for doing so. I mean

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<v Speaker 2>I we haven't heard the reaction yet from the young man,

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<v Speaker 2>but we have heard from families prior and other executions

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<v Speaker 2>who do get messages from that condemned person right before

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<v Speaker 2>they die, and we have heard some of those families

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<v Speaker 2>report that those were very important words for them to hear.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, and we're going to give you what Rick's final

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<v Speaker 1>words were. But I wanted to just for those of

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<v Speaker 1>you who don't know the crime, and just to understand

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<v Speaker 1>where Marcus, this twenty five year old now sitting watching

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<v Speaker 1>his mother's former boyfriend about to die, what he lived through,

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<v Speaker 1>because what he was convicted of is horrific. So we

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<v Speaker 1>know that Cedric Rix, and he's admitted to this now,

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<v Speaker 1>began fighting with his girlfriend. He had a history of

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<v Speaker 1>domestic violence. He had a history of problems not only

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<v Speaker 1>with his girlfriends but with their children. So they started fighting,

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<v Speaker 1>and the boys who were eight and twelve jumped in

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<v Speaker 1>to try and save their mom, to try and stop

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<v Speaker 1>Cedric from he was punching her. That's when he went

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<v Speaker 1>into the kitchen, got a knife and began to stay

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<v Speaker 1>Roxane and Anthony and Marcus was able to run to

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<v Speaker 1>a bedroom closet, but he went to go find him

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<v Speaker 1>to finish the job, and Marcus even testified in court

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<v Speaker 1>I cannot even imagine this, saying that he heard the

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<v Speaker 1>sounds that his eight year old brother made and he

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<v Speaker 1>imitated them to basically pretend like he was dying, and

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<v Speaker 1>that he died, and that then and only then did

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<v Speaker 1>Cedric let up. He actually took a shower. There was

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<v Speaker 1>a nine month old son in the home as well.

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<v Speaker 1>He put him in the crib and then took off

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<v Speaker 1>to Oklahoma, where police later arrested him. But that's the

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<v Speaker 1>crime we're talking about.

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<v Speaker 2>And that's why we were saying. This was one that

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<v Speaker 2>we were frankly, we were willing to let go. We

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<v Speaker 2>will pass over this one. Yes, there's still death penalty

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<v Speaker 2>opponents who are out there saying no execution should take place,

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<v Speaker 2>but there was no sympathy necessarily for this man or

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<v Speaker 2>this crime when you hear about it. So really we said, okay,

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<v Speaker 2>well we will let this one pass and there will

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<v Speaker 2>be plenty more. But then turns out, Robes this one

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<v Speaker 2>turned out to be incredibly compelling. Even hearing that horror,

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<v Speaker 2>there is still humanity at the end. It's amazing that

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<v Speaker 2>that's even possible.

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<v Speaker 1>Just hearing you say that gave me shell. So here

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<v Speaker 1>are the final words that Marcus and six other family

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<v Speaker 1>members of Roxanne heard last night, right before Cedric Ris

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<v Speaker 1>was pronounced dead. He said, I want to say that

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry for taking Roxanne and Anthony from y'all. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>glad to be able to speak to tell y'all that

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<v Speaker 1>face to face, and to Marcus, I always thought about you,

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<v Speaker 1>and I am sorry that I took your mom and

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<v Speaker 1>your brother away. I hate that you had to experience that.

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<v Speaker 1>I just can't imagine. But I'm truly sorry for what

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<v Speaker 1>I did, what I've done, and I wish all peace

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<v Speaker 1>and joy as much as you can. But I'm sorry.

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<v Speaker 1>That's all I can say. I hope y'all go in peace.

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<v Speaker 1>I really do. I'm sorry.

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<v Speaker 2>It's the best you could ever hope for. At the end,

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<v Speaker 2>you could what more could you get? Maybe the family

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<v Speaker 2>looks at this and wants him to die and consider

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<v Speaker 2>that finality. I can't imagine those words doing. I don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>I can't speak for that family, like would they prefer

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<v Speaker 2>not to have heard that?

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<v Speaker 1>I doubt it harm?

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<v Speaker 2>Did it do harm in some way? And I don't

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<v Speaker 2>know how it came across in the room and how

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<v Speaker 2>he said it, but at least reading them on paper

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<v Speaker 2>come off a certain way robes and that's sincere, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>And we talked about this. There was an AP reporter

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<v Speaker 1>who was in that execution chamber and he was giving

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<v Speaker 1>these details. He's the one who told us what these

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<v Speaker 1>final words were. But he also mentioned that Rick's voice

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<v Speaker 1>was cracking when he spoke these words, and that there

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<v Speaker 1>were tears in his eyes.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, what was it? Can you have grace and

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<v Speaker 2>decency for someone who murdered a child by stap them

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<v Speaker 2>and murdered that child's mother and attempted to murder a

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<v Speaker 2>second child? Can you have any grace in your heart?

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know. You could mourn, and you could have

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<v Speaker 2>grace ropes for a human life, not for the act.

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<v Speaker 2>But I mean, this is just death is awful. It

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<v Speaker 2>is to plan it, and these ceremonies we go through

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<v Speaker 2>are awful. But maybe we always take something out of it.

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<v Speaker 2>And man, I hope it brought something to the family.

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<v Speaker 1>I hope it did too. I was thinking about the fact. Look,

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<v Speaker 1>the family didn't speak and that's why we don't know

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<v Speaker 1>their reaction. They chose not to speak to reporters. I

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<v Speaker 1>can understand not really being in a good headspace or

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<v Speaker 1>in a good emotional space to actually react to it

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<v Speaker 1>in front of cameras with microphones, after all this family

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<v Speaker 1>has been through. But I would imagine that hearing that

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<v Speaker 1>from him was better than hearing nothing. At least it

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't as if he was saying it to get out

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<v Speaker 1>of being executed, or to get off easier, or to

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<v Speaker 1>get a lighter sentence. He had no motivation other than

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<v Speaker 1>trying to give that family peace, maybe trying to get

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<v Speaker 1>into heaven instead of hell if he's a believer. I

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<v Speaker 1>believe he is a believer. Actually we'll get into that

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<v Speaker 1>in just a moment. But I also think it says

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<v Speaker 1>something about given enough time, certain people might be able

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<v Speaker 1>to reflect in a way about their actions where they

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<v Speaker 1>can say they're sorry. If enough time hadn't passed, maybe

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<v Speaker 1>he wouldn't have been able to do so, But at

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<v Speaker 1>least he was able to give them that. At the end,

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<v Speaker 1>when we come back, we're going to talk about Cedric Rix,

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<v Speaker 1>because he actually had more to say before he died

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<v Speaker 1>to his living sons who are still here. They were

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<v Speaker 1>not there last night, but we're going to read some

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<v Speaker 1>of what he had to say to them, and certainly

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<v Speaker 1>talk about what the rest of this year was going

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<v Speaker 1>to look like after a record setting gear of executions

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<v Speaker 1>in twenty twenty five. Welcome back everyone to this episode

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<v Speaker 1>of Amy and TJ. We are talking about the incredibly

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<v Speaker 1>unexpected but profound moments we saw last night in Texas,

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<v Speaker 1>just before fifty one year old Cedric Rix was given

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<v Speaker 1>a lethal cocktail, a lethal injection where he was pronounced

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<v Speaker 1>dead about thirty minutes after the process began. But he

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<v Speaker 1>gave a very long apology to his victims' family members

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<v Speaker 1>who were there watching his execution for a horrific murder

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<v Speaker 1>to murders actually the brutal stabbing deaths of thirty year

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<v Speaker 1>old rock Sanne Sanchez and her eight year old son Anthony.

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<v Speaker 1>Her other son who is now twenty five years old,

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<v Speaker 1>who was also attacked by Cedric, was in that room

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<v Speaker 1>that night and heard that apology, some of which was

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<v Speaker 1>directly aimed at him. Before he actually stepped into that

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<v Speaker 1>death chamber. He wrote some letters to his sons from

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<v Speaker 1>death row and they were released. And he has a

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<v Speaker 1>son from a previous marriage. And then that little nine

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<v Speaker 1>month old baby that we talked about before the break.

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<v Speaker 1>Isaiah was his name, and that certainly would be the

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<v Speaker 1>half brother to Marcus, who was there in the room

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<v Speaker 1>last night. This is what he had to say to

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<v Speaker 1>those sons. Sometimes I wake up kicking and screaming for

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<v Speaker 1>what I have done to you. I can't say sorry

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<v Speaker 1>enough for what I've done. My prayer is that you

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<v Speaker 1>can forgive me. My prayer is that you both will

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<v Speaker 1>carry on the legacy of who I have become in Christ,

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<v Speaker 1>and not who I used to be. He talked about grace,

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<v Speaker 1>he's asking for it.

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<v Speaker 2>It's tough who gives it, who has the right to

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<v Speaker 2>give it? Who is right? We're not well. I guess

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<v Speaker 2>I was about to say we're not his judge, but

0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.920
<v Speaker 2>actually we are as society, and that's why he's dead

0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:06.240
<v Speaker 2>right now. Quite frankly, I don't know what you do

0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:09.520
<v Speaker 2>with people sometimes right who commit the worst of acts.

0:13:09.520 --> 0:13:11.960
<v Speaker 2>I guess we've been around and been exposed to people

0:13:12.000 --> 0:13:13.720
<v Speaker 2>and things like this more than most, and been up

0:13:13.720 --> 0:13:17.160
<v Speaker 2>close and personal. But we've also witnessed some of the

0:13:17.160 --> 0:13:19.719
<v Speaker 2>worst in people, and we've seen the best, but we

0:13:19.800 --> 0:13:23.719
<v Speaker 2>also seen transitions, We've seen people change. I just love

0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:26.920
<v Speaker 2>the idea ropes. Yes, he's dead now, but I love

0:13:26.960 --> 0:13:30.680
<v Speaker 2>the idea for us continuing to find value in human

0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:35.040
<v Speaker 2>beings even after they have taken life or not contributed

0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:38.040
<v Speaker 2>even to the rest of society by their actions. But

0:13:38.240 --> 0:13:42.560
<v Speaker 2>we find a way to recognize how they still can

0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:45.120
<v Speaker 2>contribute to a loved one, to a niece they're still

0:13:46.920 --> 0:13:50.559
<v Speaker 2>nursing or being a parent to while they're in jail,

0:13:50.720 --> 0:13:56.520
<v Speaker 2>to speaking to other prisoners, there's value still in somebody's life.

0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:59.440
<v Speaker 2>And I don't know, it seems weird. It's sympathy. It's

0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:02.360
<v Speaker 2>not sympathy for a murderer. This is just being a

0:14:02.400 --> 0:14:04.640
<v Speaker 2>human being and being decent, and I don't know. Finding

0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:06.319
<v Speaker 2>moments of grace everywhere.

0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:09.400
<v Speaker 1>I think it's such an important way to look at it, because, yes,

0:14:09.480 --> 0:14:13.080
<v Speaker 1>sometimes the contribution that some of these inmates can make

0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:16.600
<v Speaker 1>is a cautionary tale to either other family members or

0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:18.600
<v Speaker 1>other folks who are headed down that same path, and

0:14:18.679 --> 0:14:21.600
<v Speaker 1>help them turn their lives around. Go in a different direction.

0:14:22.000 --> 0:14:24.320
<v Speaker 1>You don't want to end up like me. And I

0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.440
<v Speaker 1>also was when I was reading the not only what

0:14:27.520 --> 0:14:30.000
<v Speaker 1>he said to the family last night before he was executed,

0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:32.800
<v Speaker 1>but what he asked if his sons, I pray that

0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:35.440
<v Speaker 1>you can forgive me. That wasn't something he was asking

0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:38.560
<v Speaker 1>for himself so he could feel less guilty. I started

0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:41.920
<v Speaker 1>recognizing for what it was he was asking that for them,

0:14:42.440 --> 0:14:46.000
<v Speaker 1>because if the family of Roxane, if his own sons,

0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:49.320
<v Speaker 1>can forgive him, it takes that burden of hatred off

0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:53.280
<v Speaker 1>of them. When you forgive someone, you release something, You

0:14:53.360 --> 0:14:56.480
<v Speaker 1>release some of the pain, you release some of the anger.

0:14:57.160 --> 0:15:00.640
<v Speaker 1>You actually can invite peace in once forgive. And so

0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:03.120
<v Speaker 1>I started thinking about it differently. When people say can

0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:05.120
<v Speaker 1>you forgive me, we think, oh, that's a selfish thing.

0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:06.760
<v Speaker 1>You just want to get rid of your guilt. But

0:15:06.840 --> 0:15:09.240
<v Speaker 1>actually it's a gift to the other person. If they

0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:16.280
<v Speaker 1>can truly forgive the worst possible thing, that that means

0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:19.040
<v Speaker 1>a life of potential peace following it.

0:15:20.360 --> 0:15:22.040
<v Speaker 2>Yes, there will be plenty of people right now, robes

0:15:22.040 --> 0:15:24.560
<v Speaker 2>are just rolling our eyes. He's a monster, deserves to die.

0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:26.760
<v Speaker 2>That's the end of story. And then you're okay to

0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:29.320
<v Speaker 2>feel that way, We understand, but there is it's okay

0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:31.680
<v Speaker 2>to feel the other way, and it's okay to for

0:15:31.800 --> 0:15:33.240
<v Speaker 2>us all to sit in the same room with a

0:15:33.240 --> 0:15:36.880
<v Speaker 2>different opinion about this. And yeah, I'm curious. I like

0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.520
<v Speaker 2>hearing other people's perspective when they are angry and when

0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:41.720
<v Speaker 2>they're like, yeah, he should die. I'm listening because I

0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:46.720
<v Speaker 2>just it's something this ugly, there is some hint of

0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:49.720
<v Speaker 2>beauty in the end, and when it just comes to

0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:53.640
<v Speaker 2>human beings, human nature, apologies, grace, forgiveness and moving on.

0:15:54.720 --> 0:15:57.800
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, It's kind of what life is all about, isn't it.

0:15:57.840 --> 0:16:02.480
<v Speaker 1>And Rix was already the second inmate put to death

0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:06.000
<v Speaker 1>in Texas this year. He was the sixth in the country.

0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:09.800
<v Speaker 1>We're at March twelfth right now. The next execution is

0:16:10.000 --> 0:16:14.320
<v Speaker 1>in the state that has become by far the leading

0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:16.920
<v Speaker 1>state in executions, at least it was last year, a

0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:21.320
<v Speaker 1>record setting Florida. In five days, Michael King is set

0:16:21.360 --> 0:16:23.440
<v Speaker 1>to be executed in that state, and we will continue

0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:27.360
<v Speaker 1>to following the growing number of scheduled executions. They happened

0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:29.400
<v Speaker 1>month by month. We don't know the total number yet,

0:16:29.760 --> 0:16:32.240
<v Speaker 1>that will still be to be determined, but certainly we

0:16:32.280 --> 0:16:35.640
<v Speaker 1>are seeing governors and specifically the state of Florida.

0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:39.200
<v Speaker 2>De Santos is running out of ink. He is signing

0:16:39.280 --> 0:16:42.400
<v Speaker 2>death wards left and right. They wasn't close last year,

0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:43.920
<v Speaker 2>by the way they didn't just set a record in

0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:47.120
<v Speaker 2>the state and number one. They were way nineteen versus

0:16:47.160 --> 0:16:48.960
<v Speaker 2>who had the most after that five.

0:16:48.880 --> 0:16:51.520
<v Speaker 1>Five I believe Texas and South Carolina maybe.

0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:53.120
<v Speaker 2>So we got two more of this month in the country.

0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:55.720
<v Speaker 2>Both of those are in Florida within two weeks of

0:16:55.760 --> 0:16:57.680
<v Speaker 2>each other, at the seventeenth and the thirty first, I

0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:00.680
<v Speaker 2>believe I have right, So yes, Florida's we started the

0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:03.720
<v Speaker 2>year with only I think somewhere around seventeen eighteen on

0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:07.439
<v Speaker 2>the books planned, and already more have been signed. That

0:17:07.520 --> 0:17:08.800
<v Speaker 2>number will go up in the country.

0:17:08.880 --> 0:17:11.639
<v Speaker 1>It certainly will. And look, we will continue to follow

0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:14.960
<v Speaker 1>some of these stories that actually make an impression or

0:17:15.520 --> 0:17:17.640
<v Speaker 1>at least have some lessons in them. I think it's

0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:19.199
<v Speaker 1>something that we can all look at. This is our

0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.439
<v Speaker 1>criminal justice system, and certainly so many of us have

0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.200
<v Speaker 1>been touched by it in different ways. So we always

0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:29.200
<v Speaker 1>appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy roback alongside TJ. Holmes,

0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:30.560
<v Speaker 1>and we will talk to you soon.