I’ve had a cup of tea with a man who executed 62 people and it was one of the strangest, most disconcerting experiences of my life.
Correctional Officer Jerry Givens had to press a button to fire up an electric chair or push a lever for lethal injection in the state of Virginia. Those repeated small movements of his finger took life from others and they took from him.
Like many Australians, I am increasingly sickened by the prospect that Andrew Chan and Andrew Sukumaran are close to being executed by Indonesia. The Bali Nine drug smugglers could soon be transferred to the island where they will die. I’m horrified for their families, their friends and supporters and for Australia.
But I’m also distressed for Indonesia. Every execution demeans, degrades and dehumanizes those who order it, those who agree with it and most of all, those who have to carry out the heinous act.
Givens talked about the cost on an SBS Insight episode ‘Trained to Kill’ alongside soldiers, police officers and snipers who had had a duty to take the lives of others. All men were deeply damaged. As psychiatrist Professor Sandy McFarlane told the program “killing other people is extremely destructive to a person’s sense of well being”. The cop who shot a man during a violent domestic dispute (so saving a woman’s life in the process) said it ruined his life because ‘when you kill somebody you kill a part of yourself’.
Bali Nine pair have plead for their lives in letter to Indonesian government.
Jerry Givens couldn’t let himself feel the impact of what he did. He told himself that they were savages and he read about their absolutely appalling acts of crime. He told himself he was carrying out the wishes of a majority of Americans who believe in the death penalty.
He still vividly remembered every detail about the first execution he carried out – I won’t go into details but I’ll never forget what he told me, I had nightmares for weeks. I will share that the executioner prayed with each man, with his hand on their head as he cut their hair.
Givens didn’t tell his wife and children what he did for a living. He had to dissociate from the act, by entering what he called ‘executioner mode’ but in doing so eliminated too much of himself.
Top Comments
When I read the title I thought u were talking about a cup of tea with a drug dealer as we all know they kill people. The author keeps saying they are rehabilitated. They have not told police any information about those drug suppliers up the chain of command so I don't think neither of them has been rehabilitated.
As one who has fired live rounds and blanks... I believe that those in Indonesia who are charged with carrying out these awful executions will well know if they had bullets in their guns...