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News: Child Abuse Victim Facing Death Penalty
Member Since: 4/17/2011
Posts: 9,162
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Child Abuse Victim Facing Death Penalty
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Terry Williams is facing the death penalty in three weeks for killing the man who repeatedly raped him.
But when Terry was convicted, the jury didn't know the whole story. At the time of his trial, jurors say they had no history or background of the sexual assault and abuse that Terry Williams had suffered for years.
Terry was brutally raped for five years, beginning when he was thirteen, by an older man he trusted -- Amos Norwood. When the jury learned his information after the trial, five jurors came forward to say that they no longer supported his death sentence. Even Norwood's widow has forgiven him, and does not want Terry to be executed.
Sign the petition on Change.org asking Governor Tom Corbett of Pennsylvania to stop Terry's execution scheduled on October 3 -- click here to add your name.
"When I heard about Terry Williams' life and his legal case, I knew I had to do what I could to stop the scheduled execution of a man who should not be on death row and would not be on death row had the jury heard all the relevant evidence," said Sue Osthoff, Director of the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, a Philadelphia-based organization that assists victims of abuse and trauma who have been charged with crimes related to their abuse.
Like many of the victims of abuse Sue assists, Terry was repeatedly victimized. For Terry, that abuse by older males in his life started when he was only six years old. Despite continuing to suffer sexual abuse for the next twelve years, Terry received no counseling or support to help him deal with the repeated violence he endured. In fact, some of the people who were supposed to help were the ones who actually preyed on him.
None of this information was presented to the jurors during Terry's sentencing; had it been, Terry would not be on death row.
The public outcry for Terry's clemency is growing. A broad coalition of people has joined the jurors and victim's widow in asking that Terry’s sentence be commuted from death to life. Those calling for Terry’s life to be spared include a growing list of child advocates, victims' rights advocates, former prosecutors and judges, law professors, mental health professionals, and faith leaders across Pennsylvania.
Sue Osthoff is very familiar with stories like Terry's. She started this petition because she believes that if the jury had all of the evidence, they would not have sentenced Terry to death.
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As a teenager, Terry became acquainted with two middle-aged men who used their influence as a church leader and as a sports booster to get access to young boys. These men sexually abused and brutally exploited Terry. After years of suffering unimaginable horrors, when he was 17- and 18-years old, Terry killed these two men – and now faces death.
At the time of trial, Terry was traumatized and ashamed of the violence he suffered, and his lawyer did not investigate obvious signs of abuse. The jury thus did not hear any evidence about the relentless abuse Terry faced, nor did they know that the two men he killed were in fact his abusers.
The widow of the man whose killing resulted in Terry’s death sentence has forgiven Terry and does not want him to be executed. She has found peace and closure and does not wish to see any more loss of life. The victim’s widow has expressed herhope that Governor Corbett, the Board of Pardons, and District Attorney Williams will show Terry mercy.
Terry is deeply remorseful for his actions and prays that the families of the men he killed can find peace.
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Sign the petition here: http://www.change.org/petitions/gove...zZe_yEgnEmFWRb
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Member Since: 12/2/2011
Posts: 52,765
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 idk if i should sign it him killing the man made matters worst
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Member Since: 8/28/2012
Posts: 56
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Good for him. He just stood up for himself.
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Member Since: 4/17/2011
Posts: 9,162
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Quote:
Originally posted by KingsOfLeon1994
idk if i should sign it him killing the man made matters worst |
2 wrongs don't make a right, but he doesn't deserve the death penalty at all. He had no support and being sexually abused can do a lot to a person mentally.
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Member Since: 5/19/2012
Posts: 5,843
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Member Since: 12/2/2011
Posts: 52,765
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Quote:
Originally posted by Beyond Say
2 wrongs don't make a right, but he doesn't deserve the death penalty at all. He had no support and being sexually abused can do a lot to a person mentally.
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that is true this whole story is a mess and sad
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Member Since: 12/4/2010
Posts: 37,894
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I'm confused.
So they went through a WHOLE trial, and it was NEVER brought up that the victim repeatedly raped the murderer? 
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Member Since: 11/11/2010
Posts: 28,420
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I know this is going to sound terrible, but maybe death will be a good thing for him. I stand by his decision to kill the guy that abused him, and I think he should have been granted some leniency. But I doubt prison is any better.
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Member Since: 1/2/2012
Posts: 22,450
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Quote:
Originally posted by Doc
I'm confused.
So they went through a WHOLE trial, and it was NEVER brought up that the victim repeatedly raped the murderer? |
MTE.
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Member Since: 11/4/2010
Posts: 34,287
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how could this boy have been given a fair trial yet have such VITAL information withheld from the jury until after he's been found guilty? that's seriously despicable and i don't even understand how something like that could happen
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Member Since: 9/9/2011
Posts: 2,109
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Quote:
Originally posted by Doc
I'm confused.
So they went through a WHOLE trial, and it was NEVER brought up that the victim repeatedly raped the murderer? |
Yeah, I don't get it. :/
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 5/2/2010
Posts: 6,088
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Quote:
Originally posted by Doc
I'm confused.
So they went through a WHOLE trial, and it was NEVER brought up that the victim repeatedly raped the murderer? |
No. maybe he was ashamed. How hard it must be for someone to admit they were raped. Let alone a man.
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Member Since: 11/11/2010
Posts: 28,420
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Quote:
Originally posted by callum
how could this boy have been given a fair trial yet have such VITAL information withheld from the jury until after he's been found guilty? that's seriously despicable and i don't even understand how something like that could happen
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It was probably a technicality. The judge could have withheld it from the court for many reasons, actually, since the guy wasn't convicted for the sexual assault. It's ****ed up, I know.
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Member Since: 4/17/2011
Posts: 9,162
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Quote:
Originally posted by Doc
I'm confused.
So they went through a WHOLE trial, and it was NEVER brought up that the victim repeatedly raped the murderer? |
Yeah, that kinda got me too...
Here's more info
Quote:
As a teenager, Terry became acquainted with two middle-aged men who used their influence as a church leader and as a sports booster to get access to young boys. These men sexually abused and brutally exploited Terry. After years of suffering unimaginable horrors, when he was 17- and 18-years old, Terry killed these two men – and now faces death.
At the time of trial, Terry was traumatized and ashamed of the violence he suffered, and his lawyer did not investigate obvious signs of abuse. The jury thus did not hear any evidence about the relentless abuse Terry faced, nor did they know that the two men he killed were in fact his abusers.
The widow of the man whose killing resulted in Terry’s death sentence has forgiven Terry and does not want him to be executed. She has found peace and closure and does not wish to see any more loss of life. The victim’s widow has expressed herhope that Governor Corbett, the Board of Pardons, and District Attorney Williams will show Terry mercy.
Terry is deeply remorseful for his actions and prays that the families of the men he killed can find peace.
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Member Since: 8/17/2010
Posts: 3,155
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Judicial system. 
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Member Since: 12/4/2010
Posts: 37,894
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Quote:
Originally posted by Beyond Say
Yeah, that kinda got me too...
Here's more info
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Yeah, his lawyer sucks.
I wonder what they said his motive was during the trial, since the true motive was never revealed.
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Member Since: 10/8/2009
Posts: 35,527
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Oh my god, are people ACTUALLY saying he should get the death penalty? What the **** is wrong with you.  signed.
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Member Since: 11/4/2010
Posts: 34,287
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Quote:
Originally posted by ManDown
It was probably a technicality. The judge could have withheld it from the court for many reasons, actually, since the guy wasn't convicted for the sexual assault. It's ****ed up, I know.
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that's ******** though, i don't understand how literally withholding this kids motive for the crime can even fall through the cracks like that? how is that something his lawyer never even bothered to follow up let alone use it in his defence at the trial?
this is insane, i signed the petition
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Member Since: 3/27/2009
Posts: 30,284
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I'm with Doc and a few others, why was this information not presented during the trial? I mean, the abuser might have not been formerly convicted of a molestation crime, but having that said information during the trial would've -- more than likely -- yielded different results.
I'm still going to read into this more before signing the petition, however.
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Member Since: 1/27/2006
Posts: 51,546
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I'm not surprised. He was a black teenager with a court-appointed lawyer in the 80s. I'm sure they gave two ***** to defend mercilessly.
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