May God Have Mercy On Your Soul

In some states by law, in others by tradition, judges imposing a sentence of death complete the grim ritual with the words "May God have mercy on your soul." In 1982, in Grundy, Virginia, a young miner named Roger Coleman was sentenced to death for the murder of his sister-in-law. Ten years later, the sentence was carried out, despite the extraordinary efforts of Kitty Behan, a brilliant and dedicated young lawyer who devoted two years of her life to gathering evidence of Coleman's innocence, evidence so compelling that media around the world came to question the verdict. The courts, ruling on technicalities, refused to hear the new evidence and witnesses. Finally, the governor of Virginia ordered a lie-detector test to be administered on the morning of Coleman's scheduled execution, and in a chair that to Coleman surely looked like nothing so much as an electric chair. In John Tucker's telling, this story is an emotional and unforgettable roller-coaster ride from the awful night of the crime to the equally awful night of the execution. Perhaps it was not Roger Coleman whose soul was in need of God's mercy, but the judges, prosecutors, and politicians who procured his death.

Houston is a big city, with a crime rate to match that of most big cities. Violent crimes occur daily. On this particular day, Matt Wakefield, a young HPD Robbery Investigator was dispatched to a robbery by firearms at a convenience store, with added info of Shots Fired! A two-time ex-con had attempted a carjacking. Matt arrived after the victim was rushed to a hospital by a Houston Fire Department ambulance. There, he learned Alice Renfro was DOA, and met her husband, Jim. Capital Murder charges would now take precedence over robbery charges. A suspect, identified by a witness, was arrested blocks from the scene. Jim was stunned at the loss of his beloved wife. Matt tried to comfort the devastated man, staying with him until the Coroners Office sent a Unit to transport her to the County Morgue. He attended her funeral and kept Jim apprised of progress on the case. The suspect was indicted, tried, found guilty of Capital Murder and sentenced to death. Typically, execution didnt occur for 15 years or more, due to repeated appeals, on the taxpayers dime, and support from Anti-Death Penalty groups. The convicted murderer was placed on Death Row at the Polunsky Unit in East Texas to await death. But Alice didnt get an extra 15 years. Jim met grief-stricken Celia Gomez at a Victims Support Group; her husband had also been murdered by a hijacker. Seeking justice, they changed identities, becoming employees of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division. After almost 4 years, they worked on Death Row, on the night shift, with the required jobs. They were patient and smuggled pistols on to The Row; one foggy night the time was right. Their revenge would not be denied. They escaped to Mexico, but Matt was coming after them.

In a unique book, a nationally-known crime writer presents the moving story of the last moments of 171 killers, before they paid the ultimate price for their crimes. Illustrations.

The Dakota Conflict, or Great Sioux Uprising as it was called, occurred 150 years ago in 1862 and became identified as part of the American Civil War. This collector's edition is set amongst this theater of the American Civil War, where the Sioux Nation rebelled against Minnesota and led to some of the bloodiest conflicts of the period.

Those raised by a BPD parent endured a volatile and painful childhood. This book offers readers step-by-step guidance to understanding and overcoming the lasting effects of being raised by a person with this disorder. Readers discover coping strategies for dealing with low self-esteem, lack of trust, guilt, and hypersensitivity.