Clayton Lockett’s disturbingly botched
execution in Oklahoma a few weeks ago has re-ignited the debate over capital punishment. Vicki
Schieber had a successful career in finance and two beautiful children. She had
always been against capital punishment. Such an opinion is easy, however, when you don’t
have skin in the game. But then her daughter was murdered and it became
painfully personal.
When my
daughter Shannon began reciting her ABC’s at eighteen months old, my husband
Syl and I were in awe. At age three, when Shannon could read at a second grade
level, we knew she was brilliant.
daughter Shannon began reciting her ABC’s at eighteen months old, my husband
Syl and I were in awe. At age three, when Shannon could read at a second grade
level, we knew she was brilliant.
Shannon
possessed a contagious love for the world. She was the president of the student
body at her high school and president of her freshmen class at Duke University,
where she graduated in three years with a triple major in mathematics,
economics and philosophy. At twenty-three Shannon went onto graduate school on
a full scholarship to the Wharton School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania.
possessed a contagious love for the world. She was the president of the student
body at her high school and president of her freshmen class at Duke University,
where she graduated in three years with a triple major in mathematics,
economics and philosophy. At twenty-three Shannon went onto graduate school on
a full scholarship to the Wharton School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Tragedy Strikes
Then,
suddenly, it all ended. Brimming with
potential and embracing the future, her life was snuffed out—the victim of a
rape and murder on May 7, 1998. Just
like that, my lovely daughter was gone and my world changed.
suddenly, it all ended. Brimming with
potential and embracing the future, her life was snuffed out—the victim of a
rape and murder on May 7, 1998. Just
like that, my lovely daughter was gone and my world changed.
Pain andanger emerged in an instant, as they always do.
But healing has come too in a most unexpected way. Through giving my life to fight against the
death penalty, I have found not just healing but power. I have testified before commissions, and
state legislatures. I have counseled and
cried with victims’ families and I have befriended an incredible human being on
death row. Through it all, or maybe
because of it all, I have been able to celebrate my daughter’s life in a way
that touches many others. Shannon’s life
was sacred but I have come to understand that all life is sacred. Destroying
one life as payment for another does not bring closure and peace. It is forgiveness that did that for me.
On the
Thursday afternoon that I received the phone call relating Shannon’s murder,
forgiveness was the last thing on my mind. My son, Sean, had driven in from
home in Maryland to meet Shannon for lunch.
When Shannon failed to show up at her office, Sean learned that she also
had failed to show up for a planned exam study session that morning. Shannon did not answer her phone either. When he called me to report this
uncharacteristic behavior, fear came over me.
“Please go to her apartment,” I directed.
Thursday afternoon that I received the phone call relating Shannon’s murder,
forgiveness was the last thing on my mind. My son, Sean, had driven in from
home in Maryland to meet Shannon for lunch.
When Shannon failed to show up at her office, Sean learned that she also
had failed to show up for a planned exam study session that morning. Shannon did not answer her phone either. When he called me to report this
uncharacteristic behavior, fear came over me.
“Please go to her apartment,” I directed.
A short time
later, Shannon’s neighbor called me. The previous evening, this neighbor had
heard screams from her apartment and called 911. The officers went to the
apartment but did not go in, claiming there was no hard evidence and maybe the
neighbor just heard the noise on a television.
In reality, when they knocked on Shannon’s door, there was a serial
rapist inside. Since Shannon was his
only rape victim that was murdered, it is believed that he never intended to
kill her, but did so to keep her quiet when the officers came to her door. When the police had looked around outside with
a flashlight, the balcony door was closed.
The next morning when my son arrived, the door was open. The killer had escaped through it after the
officers left.
later, Shannon’s neighbor called me. The previous evening, this neighbor had
heard screams from her apartment and called 911. The officers went to the
apartment but did not go in, claiming there was no hard evidence and maybe the
neighbor just heard the noise on a television.
In reality, when they knocked on Shannon’s door, there was a serial
rapist inside. Since Shannon was his
only rape victim that was murdered, it is believed that he never intended to
kill her, but did so to keep her quiet when the officers came to her door. When the police had looked around outside with
a flashlight, the balcony door was closed.
The next morning when my son arrived, the door was open. The killer had escaped through it after the
officers left.
I screamed
and cried in horror, then shaking and sobbing, dialed my husband’s number at
work. There are no words to adequately describe
what it was like to live every parent’s worst nightmare. Despair, anger, horror, emptiness, and
alienation from God…it’s all that and more.
and cried in horror, then shaking and sobbing, dialed my husband’s number at
work. There are no words to adequately describe
what it was like to live every parent’s worst nightmare. Despair, anger, horror, emptiness, and
alienation from God…it’s all that and more.
Confronting
Beliefs From Abstract to Reality
Beliefs From Abstract to Reality
It took
nearly four years before the killer was found.
Long before that, I had come to grips with my life as it was now. Philosophically, I had always been against
the death penalty. Life is God’s alone
to give and take. But when confronted
with such principles in the face of my daughter’s murder, I had to move from
abstract beliefs to dealing with reality.
nearly four years before the killer was found.
Long before that, I had come to grips with my life as it was now. Philosophically, I had always been against
the death penalty. Life is God’s alone
to give and take. But when confronted
with such principles in the face of my daughter’s murder, I had to move from
abstract beliefs to dealing with reality.
It took me
over a month before I could even return to work but I knew Syl, Sean and I had
to pull our lives back together. I had
a graduate degree in social work, and I understood the phases of grief. I also
knew that anger and a desire for revenge destroyed people. I was never soft on crime but as I studied
the issue of the death penalty, my earlier value against it became solidified.
Syl and I were united in our belief.
over a month before I could even return to work but I knew Syl, Sean and I had
to pull our lives back together. I had
a graduate degree in social work, and I understood the phases of grief. I also
knew that anger and a desire for revenge destroyed people. I was never soft on crime but as I studied
the issue of the death penalty, my earlier value against it became solidified.
Syl and I were united in our belief.
Prior to the
court hearing, we had to fight the district attorney who insisted the guy
should be put to death. But when it came
time for us to write the victims’ statement–to make our wishes known–we
requested that the killer be put behind bars for the rest of his life with no
possibility for parole.
court hearing, we had to fight the district attorney who insisted the guy
should be put to death. But when it came
time for us to write the victims’ statement–to make our wishes known–we
requested that the killer be put behind bars for the rest of his life with no
possibility for parole.
We made thisdecision on two levels, spiritual and logical.
Syl and I were both the fifth-born of eight children from solid Catholic
families. We adhered to the belief that
all life is sacred and that God is merciful. Jesus died between two criminals
whom He had forgiven. We knew that the
killer had a drug-addicted father who was violent toward his mother. In a phone conversation his mother had with
me, she admitted remorsefully that she sometimes took her pain and frustration
out on her son. I am not for an instant excusing his behavior but I recognize
that his childhood was a painful model of violence. Rape is not a crime of sex, but of violence.
Taking the
life of Shannon’s murderer would never bring Shannon back. Instead, it would prolong the agony for
us. All capital punishment cases are
automatically appealed, typically over a period of many years. Every time the
case is appealed the closure often promised to victims’ families is delayed.
life of Shannon’s murderer would never bring Shannon back. Instead, it would prolong the agony for
us. All capital punishment cases are
automatically appealed, typically over a period of many years. Every time the
case is appealed the closure often promised to victims’ families is delayed.
Living
the Rest of Her Life
the Rest of Her Life
After I got
over the shock, I asked myself, “How am I going to go on and live my life?”
over the shock, I asked myself, “How am I going to go on and live my life?”
I felt my
daughter was looking down from heaven, saying, “That guy killed me, don’t let
this end your life too.” I saw people
filled with anger for years, even decades waiting for the killer to be
executed. I met a woman who spoke emotionally before a legislative commission
on her desire to have her daughter’s killer executed. Her daughter was killed
in 1988, so for almost twenty years she has been consumed by a desire for
revenge. I’ve seen it suffocate families
and destroy marriages.
daughter was looking down from heaven, saying, “That guy killed me, don’t let
this end your life too.” I saw people
filled with anger for years, even decades waiting for the killer to be
executed. I met a woman who spoke emotionally before a legislative commission
on her desire to have her daughter’s killer executed. Her daughter was killed
in 1988, so for almost twenty years she has been consumed by a desire for
revenge. I’ve seen it suffocate families
and destroy marriages.
If he is behind
bars with no possibility for parole, that is the end of it. Such a scenario is
not the easy way out for criminals. A maximum-security prison is hell on
earth. I have visited them. A year ago I developed a pen pal relationship
with a man on death row. A contact who
worked with inmates found someone who had a similar background as my daughter’s
killer. I wanted to visit him and to
understand the life he lives on death row.
bars with no possibility for parole, that is the end of it. Such a scenario is
not the easy way out for criminals. A maximum-security prison is hell on
earth. I have visited them. A year ago I developed a pen pal relationship
with a man on death row. A contact who
worked with inmates found someone who had a similar background as my daughter’s
killer. I wanted to visit him and to
understand the life he lives on death row.
My pen pal
killed two people and has been in maximum-security prison in a Maryland for
almost twelve years. This convicted
killer was on drugs and lived a life full of denial at the time of the
murders. He eventually experienced a
profound conversion in prison. “This is
my just punishment,” he told me. “I am thankful that I am here. On the streets, I might never have changed
and never repented.” A priest visits him
every week. The guards love him and he
is a model prisoner. He accepts that he
will never see the outside of a prison cell.
killed two people and has been in maximum-security prison in a Maryland for
almost twelve years. This convicted
killer was on drugs and lived a life full of denial at the time of the
murders. He eventually experienced a
profound conversion in prison. “This is
my just punishment,” he told me. “I am thankful that I am here. On the streets, I might never have changed
and never repented.” A priest visits him
every week. The guards love him and he
is a model prisoner. He accepts that he
will never see the outside of a prison cell.
I pray every
day for my daughter’s killer that he too will repent. It is an incredible gift of grace to say I
forgive him and to go on. I could never have accomplished it without the grace
of God. I called out to God from the
start. I told him over and over, “I don’t know how I’m going to get through
this.” But if I really want to honestly
align my will to God’s, I must want what he wants for souls: conversion and
salvation, not death and damnation.
day for my daughter’s killer that he too will repent. It is an incredible gift of grace to say I
forgive him and to go on. I could never have accomplished it without the grace
of God. I called out to God from the
start. I told him over and over, “I don’t know how I’m going to get through
this.” But if I really want to honestly
align my will to God’s, I must want what he wants for souls: conversion and
salvation, not death and damnation.
Anger
destroys people. Forgiveness gives us a
better life. Even if a person has no faith—no reason on spiritual grounds to be
against the death penalty—it is better for them as individuals to preserve
their health and need for healing.
destroys people. Forgiveness gives us a
better life. Even if a person has no faith—no reason on spiritual grounds to be
against the death penalty—it is better for them as individuals to preserve
their health and need for healing.
I began
working against the death penalty in 2002 and since early 2006 have worked
full-time to abolish the death penalty.
Through my work, I believe I am honoring my daughter. Her life counts
for something and it is her memory that is making a difference now.
working against the death penalty in 2002 and since early 2006 have worked
full-time to abolish the death penalty.
Through my work, I believe I am honoring my daughter. Her life counts
for something and it is her memory that is making a difference now.
Vicki, who has spent her
career in a variety of financial marketing and management roles, was profiled
on “Dateline NBC”, a show that also aired multiple times on Court TV. Her story
is part of an NBC film on the death penalty sponsored by the Robert Kennedy
Foundation. She has long been active in leadership positions in non-profits
dedicated to literacy and programs for elderly, disabled and low-income
residents of Washington, D.C.
career in a variety of financial marketing and management roles, was profiled
on “Dateline NBC”, a show that also aired multiple times on Court TV. Her story
is part of an NBC film on the death penalty sponsored by the Robert Kennedy
Foundation. She has long been active in leadership positions in non-profits
dedicated to literacy and programs for elderly, disabled and low-income
residents of Washington, D.C.
Vicki is the recipient of the
Fannie Mae Foundation Good Neighbor Award, the Courage in Community Award of
the McAuley Institute Board of Trustees and the Exceptional Community Spirit
Award from Rebuilding Together of Washington, D.C.
Fannie Mae Foundation Good Neighbor Award, the Courage in Community Award of
the McAuley Institute Board of Trustees and the Exceptional Community Spirit
Award from Rebuilding Together of Washington, D.C.
____________________________________________________________
For more inspiration, check out Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families. Your children will laugh while learning big spiritual lessons with Dear God, I Don’t Get It! and Dear God, You Can’t Be Serious.
Follow Patti at Twitter and like her Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families and Catholic
News & Inspiration on Facebook.
For more inspiration, check out Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families. Your children will laugh while learning big spiritual lessons with Dear God, I Don’t Get It! and Dear God, You Can’t Be Serious.
Follow Patti at Twitter and like her Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families and Catholic
News & Inspiration on Facebook.
