Might Change Your Mind.

I am sure that everyone has an opinion on the death penalty. I certainly do and thought that my mind could never be changed. Before reading Death Row I really never thought it through. The victims and their families, the condemned and the innocent people who love them, the correction officers, the Chaplin, the administrative staff , the journalists and other witnesses. Of course not forgetting the dreadful crimes that put that inmate on that gurney in the first place.

Michelle Lyons and the late Larry Fitzgerald recount their times working for the justice system and with the condemned. They relate how they felt about the death penalty and why. Such compassionate people in such violent circumstances. There are parts that made me cry as some laws just do not make sense. Michelle Lyons really made me think about the 'law of parties' when the actual murderer would get a life sentence but the driver would get the death sentence.

How do I feel about the death penalty now that I know more? I am more open to debate, more open to hearing the other person's point of view.

Michelle Lyons, John Moraitis and Laurel Lefkow give superb performances. Obviously this is a sensitive subject which some narrators would deem it necessary to add drama for the sake of pathos, not these professionals. They deliver this book in a empathetic yet factual manner.

If the death penalty debate is something that you are interested in I highly recommend Death Row, the Final minutes

2 people found this helpful

Tough but worth it.

A tough subject from someone who lived a tough life.
I found myself wanting to stop and return this book multiple times:
- Sometimes because I did not want to hear any more praise for the prison system
- Sometimes because the reading was not all that great
- Sometimes because I was done hearing about the conflict that is capital punishment

It was worth the listen. Mostly to hear the heartfelt story that Michelle told.
I was curious to see where Michelle would stand at the end and it was not what I would have thought.
The only way Capital Punishment will come to an end or more prominent use is if we as a society hear and understand all sides and then as a group attempt to move beyond punishment revenge.
Easy for me to type as I have not experienced the challenges that Michelle has...however, I would quote Victor Frankel who said: "There is always a choice."

2 people found this helpful

Great Book

This has been a great book about death row those who have had to go through it. Thank you for giving us a seat into yours and Larry's lives. God bless you.

Great read

I never considered the impact capital punishment has on those charged with carrying out the task. a very interesting perspective and the balance of humanity for others and realization of past transgressions are profound.

Starts good, falls apart around CH12

Started off with interesting details on countless observations of executions, like laying the groundwork for the eventual climax. Unfortunately, the story devolves around Chapter-12, when it turns into Michelle's disgruntled blame-game for why she couldn't witness more executions; not the climax I was expecting (or wanted to hear). I wouldn't describe this as a great story, but rather a chronological justification of every decision she's ever made, ending with therapeutic catharsis as the reason her book exists. While I applaud how strong a person she must've been, editors should have saved her from the weak finger-pointing chapters.

Interesting

As a person whose interest in LE and all aspects of it, it is interesting to hear the inside stories behind a very well known Texas Prison as Texas is highly known for the death penalty. There are stories of the persons on death row on the TDCJ website. It tells you the crime committed, last meal if there was one and date of execution. Michelle did good with this book. Getting her and Larry’s perspective on it. Superiors like hers seem to be everywhere.

Somewhat misleading title

This is an interesting book, but it does not really go into detail about “the final minutes”.
I was very disappointed the narrator consistently mispronounced several words common in Texas such as “San Miguel, Martinez, and Corsicana”. Come on, you’re from Texas and do not know how to pronounce common Hispanic surnames?
I appreciate that the author did not try to convince me the death penalty is wrong, but instead she explains her growth and changes which led to her change of mind.
As far as the conflict with Livingston, he is your boss. Your job is to do what he says, not what your former supervisor thought the job should be. No wonder you were drummed out, but as a former exempt employee, I understand the hypocrisy of those time sheets
Overall, a good listen

A very interesting book. Worthy to read ( or listen)

I know the writer, she is the daughter of my best friend, when her mom tell me where she was working , I always wonder how could she do that job!

So thanks Michelle for finally get my answer, now no because I know her mother I say is a great book and you need read it. But is because make you see how much heart breaking her and her mentor job was, also make you see another view to a death sentence.

I still think in some cases they need it, but i also think sometime the worst part for some people is been looked for a life.

The performance is great it doesn’t make you sleep, with happen to me when I listen to a not fiction books ( I have couple I can’t finish it), but sound like listen to a friend tell you a stories of they life; With is it.

Hard to follow but still enjoyable

The way the book uses multiple readers makes it somewhat hard to follow and confusing as to why voices are changing. It is still a good story if you can follow along and pay attention . Not a casual listen.