After her appearance at the Texas Book Festival, Joan Cheever made a round of visits in support of her book, Back from the Dead (available under Books in the right-hand column.) Her appearance in Bemidji, Minnesota was covered by the Pioneer. LINK
Cheever was in town on Monday to present a program at Bemidji State University. The former managing editor of the National Law Journal was Williams’ attorney during the last nine years of his life.
Now she can add author to her resume. Her book, “Back from the Dead,” was published this year.
Of the 587 men and two women who were spared by the 1972 ruling, Cheever researched 322 who eventually were released from prison. Of those, 111 returned to prison (33 for parole violations, 42 for non-violent crimes such as burglary, 29 for armed robbery or aggravated assault, two for attempted murder, two for manslaughter and three for murder.
Cheever said it took her about 18 months to compile a list of those who were on death row. Six years of research followed, including many dangerous encounters. “I had a lot of faith, and I had a lot of angels,” she said.
At least seven of the men she studied were exonerated of their murder charges. “They had their confessions beaten out of them,” she said. “Dead men don’t talk. This group of men are dead men walking, and they decided to put their faces on the death penalty discussion.”
Joan is also talking to reading groups in person and by phone. For more information, visit her website. Earlier coverage of Back from the Dead is here.
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