44 1/2 minutes long, but well worth watching. I've often wondered what it would be like to be on Death Row and Skinner gives a cursory glimpse of that existence. As the video went on, I found myself in the place of the condemned being driven to the death house, looking out the window along the drive and seeing the beauty...and the ugliest...all the while knowing it was the last landscapes I would ever see.
The video is completely one-sided, the maker of the video making no bones about being against the death penalty. It doesn't paint Pampa in a particularly good light, especially in the scenes where it shows only the worst and ugliest parts of this small town.
I didn't realize it until I watched the video that I used to roughneck with a guy who had, several years prior, lived at the house where the murders were committed; I had driven by there doing some research for the book I had intended to write, but didn't recognize it as the place where my co-worker had lived, that I had been inside the house and visited with him and his family. I don't know why I didn't remember that when I was researching the book.
The windbreaker Skinner speaks about being tested has been misplaced: Evidence Missing in Skinner Case.
Personally, I've gone back and forth on Skinner's innocence; at first, I thought he didn't do it, then was convinced he had. Now, I'm not so sure. The uncle that Skinner claims to have done it died in a car wreck several years later after the murders and another witness* has also passed away. I've interviewed Skinner's ex-girlfriend (whose house he was found at after the murders) and I understand why her recanting her trial testimony has been discounted: she's not a credible witness.
*Witness, in this case, doesn't mean "to the crime" but rather a person with "evidence" offered to prove Skinner's innocence. In this instance, it was someone in jail who claimed to have called the house just before the murders and being told by one of the victims that Skinner was passed out on the couch.
It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. As it is, it's a landmark case in how DNA evidence will be treated in future trials and subsequent appeals.
The video is completely one-sided, the maker of the video making no bones about being against the death penalty. It doesn't paint Pampa in a particularly good light, especially in the scenes where it shows only the worst and ugliest parts of this small town.
I didn't realize it until I watched the video that I used to roughneck with a guy who had, several years prior, lived at the house where the murders were committed; I had driven by there doing some research for the book I had intended to write, but didn't recognize it as the place where my co-worker had lived, that I had been inside the house and visited with him and his family. I don't know why I didn't remember that when I was researching the book.
The windbreaker Skinner speaks about being tested has been misplaced: Evidence Missing in Skinner Case.
Personally, I've gone back and forth on Skinner's innocence; at first, I thought he didn't do it, then was convinced he had. Now, I'm not so sure. The uncle that Skinner claims to have done it died in a car wreck several years later after the murders and another witness* has also passed away. I've interviewed Skinner's ex-girlfriend (whose house he was found at after the murders) and I understand why her recanting her trial testimony has been discounted: she's not a credible witness.
*Witness, in this case, doesn't mean "to the crime" but rather a person with "evidence" offered to prove Skinner's innocence. In this instance, it was someone in jail who claimed to have called the house just before the murders and being told by one of the victims that Skinner was passed out on the couch.
It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. As it is, it's a landmark case in how DNA evidence will be treated in future trials and subsequent appeals.
8 comments:
That was an interesting piece of journalism. I was getting really tired of hearing him say "You know what I'm taking about?"
They sure portrayed Pampa as a dump for some reason. I wonder why other than the part of town where the crime happened isn't exactly ritzy.
I have no thoughts one way or the other as to his guilt or innocence, but after having worked in a maximum security prison for several years I know even the most gruesome killers can come across as benign as a Boy Scout. I have been inside the Walls unit where the executions are carried out many times. There is a feeling of despair and hopelessness in that place. The inmates have said you can't imagine the mood of the entire place on the days someone is executed. I think it was even worse when death row was at the Huntsville Unit before they moved it to the Polunsky Unit in Livingston.
On a personal note it was strange to see pictures of Pampa where my brother lives and pictures of Livingston where my sister lives all in this film.
Guess we will see how this all works out for him. Thanks for sharing, Mike.
'Ah would kill for an avocado '
just a figure of speech ( maybe )
seriously I found this very intriguing , thanks for posting it Mike.
I am like you , unsure of his innocence , the blood spattered jacket seems the evidence to point away from him , but then he managed to walk a distance that night so he sure may not have been so intoxicated with booze and drugs like one of the witnesses stated he was , lets hope the DNA will prove him innocent ,never a good thing to want another human being dead, guess we never know our true feelings on the death penalty I want to say I am against it but if we were in a position of having our family members murdered , think that would make me come close to agreeing with it ,I pray to God that will never happen.
Yes, Laura, he's pretty smart. I knew who he was; he and his g/f "traded" with me at the store but other than remembering her sons, they didn't make that much of an impression upon me. I'm not sure I ever knew their names. It's not a big town, but I probably had several hundred people come in on any given night. I'm pretty sure they bought their vodka from our store that New Year's Eve. but I couldn't say enough to swear to it. That's always the busiest day of the year w/ a thousand or more customers.
Sis, I know what you mean. That phrase is way overused. I can't remember at what point in the video it was, but they almost got to the store where I worked when the murders happened when they were filming while driving down Foster. That part of town where the murders occurred is "across the tracks" and many roads are still not paved there.
Alison, I go back and forth on his guilt and innocence all the time. Twila's mother said the windbreaker was hers. Even though it was too large for Skinner, it's been my experience that women like to wear jackets and coats that are over-sized. I could wear my ex's coat, for example. There's a blogger who had written several good articles about Skinner; I need to link to them one of these days. He thinks he's innocent.
If I have any doubt, it's what you brought up, namely that if he was so incapacitated by the booze and esp. the codeine, how could he make his way to his ex-g/f's house? It's not a LONG way, but it would be for someone high and drunk. It's several blocks away and across a major highway. In fact, I bet that was the "nail in his coffin" as far as how the jury decided.
I don't think I ever wrote about him, but I knew/worked with a guy who was executed. If ever someone deserved it, he certainly did. I may work up a post about him one of these days.
I just read this. I don't believe half of what I see/read from the news. They had a show about a young girl here who was murdered by another girl. Didn't know them, but know the Dad. Anyway they couldn't even get the name of Pinellas Park right. One minute it was Tampa, the next St. Petersburg. The only time they got it right was when they said the name of the High School She went to. You are a wonderful writer Mike with so much talent.
Thanks Beary, but it would help a lot if I brushed up on my grammar usage...it's only been...well, a long time since I had an English class.
As I said, I change my mind all the time about this case. At the moment, I'm back to leaning towards "guilty". I still think the DNA should be tested, although I'm not sure that would prove anything unless there was some unknown person's blood on the evidence.
Skinner claims that Twila's uncle was the killer and there's some compelling testimony (not "evidence") towards that but if there IS different DNA, then I wonder if they could retrieve it from a body that's been buried for so long. (Since '97) I guess they could.
I also think he deserves a new trial. His attorney (Comer) had been the DA and had prosecuted Skinner in another case before this one. He was also convicted of "mishandling" some seized drug money while in office. Funny thing about that, Comer was awarded the highest amount ever as a public defender, really, REALLY close to the amt. of his fine for his crime. It's been denied by the appellate court, but I honestly think it was a true case of infective counsel.
Skinner also claims he was allergic to codeine. I am too, but if I have a choice of a painkiller, that's what I opt for. It makes me itch a little, but does a lot better job of dulling my pain. Anyway...I think he WAS pretty messed up earlier in the evening, but I also think as a habitual drug user, he probably had a greater tolerance than most.
Then there's his journey to his ex-g/f's house several blocks away. How could he have made it if he was too wasted to kill someone? The timeline isn't matching up, at least not IMHO.
The Skeptical Juror, the guy I wrote about above, has quite a few articles on the case, including this series
I enjoyed the link. I don't know how I feel about Death Row. On one hand I cry for hurt people, dogs and cats, but on the other hand if someone killed some one I loved. Reckon I'd about want to pull the last rites Myself. Valerie loves true crime stuff. So when She is here, its what We watch. Will have to keep a eye out for this one.
Nothing new on Skinner, still waiting to do the DNA tests.
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