User blog:UnderAPineapple/Hamilton: Justice Waits (Episode 1, Part 4) - Final Part

Hello. This will be the last part of the four-part premiere episode of Hamilton. For those new to this series, this is a realistic fictional crime series, that is hosted by a group of hosts. One of the eight hosts will be appearing during each episode, and the host for Hamilton: Justice Waits, is Susan Summers. In addition, if you have not read the previous three blogs depicting this episode, I advise you to go to Part 1 (the first blog), and start from there.

For those who have read each part, you would know that we previously covered the trial, conviction, and sentencing of Robert Woods. Now, we look at his life on the state's death row, and his fight to avoid his upcoming potential execution.



Story
Robert Woods (to Susan): I wake up every day to the same cell. I don't eat the same as I did, more than 10 years ago. I'm not as athletic as I was, 10 years ago, and emotionally, I'm completely and utterly drained. It doesn't feel good to know that you might die with a needle in your arm.

"anarchy"

- For Robert Woods, every day is like a timer, just counting down the days, the hours, even the minutes, before his upcoming execution by lethal injection.

Robert Woods (to Susan): It gets to you, knowing that one day, you're gonna be executed. But it feels a hell of a lot worse, if you know you're gonna be executed, for something you didn't do.

"anarchy"

- As of August 2018, Robert has spent almost 9 years on death row in the state of Texas. Convicted and sentenced to die for the shooting death of David Moore, he knows that his chances of getting out alive, could be pretty slim.

Susan Summers (to Robert): How confident are you, that you're going to one day walk out of prison, a free man?

Robert Woods (to Susan): I'm hopeful, but confident? Not as much as I thought, ten years ago. You know, Texas is the #1 death penalty state. Usually if you're condemned to die in the state of Texas, it's it for you. Very few people make it on death row in this state, and are either given clemency, or are exonerated.

"anarchy"

- Since 1982, the state of TExas has put to death, 553 individuals, most of them male, and all of them by lethal injection. But that doesn't strike fear into the mind of Steve Twain, Robert's defense attorney. As a matter of fact, he says, it fuels him.

Steve Twain (to Susan): I've been with Robert since the very beginning, and I intend to be with him and stand beside him until the die I die.

Susan Summers (to Steve): So it goes without saying then, that you believe he shouldn't be where he is now.

Steve Twain (shaking his head): Robert shouldn't be anywhere except for at home with his daughter, Somer. I mean, I'm morally opposed to the death penalty, being a Catholic myself. However, if we're gonna use it, at least use it on people we know are 100% guilty. This case has so much reasonable doubt, O.J. Simpson would be enraged at the verdict.

"anarchy"

- During nearly a decade in prison, Robert has filed, appeal, after appeal. And each time, they were denied. Slowly but surely, Robert began to lose hope.

Robert Woods (to Susan): I spent a lot of nights initially, crying myself to sleep. And as you can see visibly now, my eyes, are red-rimmed. I could've grown crops with my tears. I can only imagine the pain my daughter has been going through all these years.

Susan Summers (to Somer): Somer, how much do you miss your dad?

Somer Woods (to Susan): I miss him, every day. (beginning to get emotional) He wasn't there when I graduated, when I got my first boyfriend, when I... um, got accepted at UT Austin. And, it hurts, because I rarely got to see him in middle school, y'know, in my darkest times.

Susan Summers (to Somer): What were those dark times like for you?

Somer Woods (to Susan): Um, I was bullied in school, mainly because I didn't have a father that was there for me. Many called me a "socialist" because I opposed capital punishment, during my history and government classes. I got picked on in high school because, as a result of only having one parent at the time, I wasn't as well-off in terms of income, as the rest of the classmates. And once I turned sixteen, that just took a drastic turn for the worst.

"anarchy"

- In 2015, Robert's wife, and Somer's mother, Emma Woods, passed away after a brain aneurysm, at the age of only 32 years old. Robert was not allowed to attend the funeral. Somer, then less than sixteen years old, moved in with Emma's parents, until graduating in the spring of 2018.

Susan Summers (to Robert): If your wife was sitting here right now, what would you have to say?

Robert Woods (to Susan): "Thank you, for everything you did". She supported me throughout every single day that I've been incarcerated, and even after I was convicted, she continued to stand by me. I still wish that I had the aneurysm instead of her, and I ask God every night, "Lord, why her? You could've just killed me, why her?".

"anarchy"

- During his time on death row, Robert Woods has had numerous altercations with inmates, most notably in 2011. He claims that one morning, he had entered the jail shower, and all of a sudden, a fellow inmate, Kelly Longworth, attacked him, and raped him.

Susan Summers (to Robert): If you don't mind me asking, can you give me a little bit of detail surrounding the 2011 alleged, sexual assault that took place.

(Robert Woods pauses for several seconds; after about forty seconds, we can see Robert beginning to tear up and get emotional, struggling to say anything as his lips are quivering)

Robert Woods (looking down, with subtitles showing): No comment, ma'am.

"anarchy"

- Kelly Longworth is still on death row, and does not have an execution date set. Our consultants at Hamilton discovered Longworth was sentenced to die fr the 1995 shooting deaths of two rival gang members. Despite this alleged rape and his wife's passing, Robert states that the worst point of his life in prison, was on October 10, 2015, when his father, Raymond, suffered a nearly fatal seizure, and was rushed to the hospital.

Susan Summers (to Raymond): (pauses) How often do you think about Robert?

Raymond Woods (crying): Every single day.

"anarchy"

- Raymond Woods, now 59 years old, has to be in a wheelchair at all times, when awake or not at home - the seizure caused paralysis from the waist down. According to Raymond, his physical health is already at an all-time low, and seeing his son die by the state, would possibly bring him to the brink of suicide.

Robert Woods (to Susan): I feel terrible for my father. There's so many people, not just me, who has to suffer from what happened. There's my daughter, who I know talked with you about her opinions on my case. I know my wife suffered up until the day she died. My own father told me, multiple times, "If you get execution, I might just shoot myself". It's hard on all of us. But we can't forget the families of the victims, especially of Mr. Moore.

Ashley Moore (to Susan): There isn't a single day that passes, that we don't think about David. He was our only son, and we lost him in such a violent manner. God didn't call him to Heaven, a bullet did. That's what gets at us the most.

"anarchy"

- Ashley and Randall Moore say that although it won't bring their son back, Robert Woods, deserves to be executed.

Randall Moore (to Susan): I am 100% convinced that we have the right person locked up. He was sentenced by a judge, to die for the murder of our son, and I believe it was the right decision.

Ashley Moore (to Susan): I think it will give me satisfaction to see him die. He's dying a much more peaceful death than what he inflicted on my baby boy.

Susan Summers (to Ashley): Do you ever think that, there might be a possibility, of someone else being involved in the murder?

Ashley Moore (to Susan): Absolutely not. I believe with all my heart, that we have the right guy.

Susan Summers (to Robert): Ashley and Randall Moore, the father of the victim you're accused of killing, have told me, that they want to see you put to death, what do you say to that?

Robert Woods (to Susan): I honestly... from the bottom of my heart, feel bad for them. I don't blame them for wanting me dead. If they're honestly convinced that I killed their son, which I didn't, then that's something I can't change. But the problem is, killing me isn't justice. First off, it's not going to bring the victim back. And most importantly, you're killing the wrong guy. I wish they found it in their hearts to, look at the actual evidence, and make their decision aside from "oh, well he was arrested, so he must be guilty", because no offense, but I don't believe they've looked at the evidence outside of the emotional aspect.

Susan Summers (to Steve): Steve, your client is months away, from receiving a lethal injection. How confident are you, that you'll be able to either get a stay, get clemency, or possibly a re-trial?

Steve Twain (to Susan): The reason I'm confident, and the reason I feel we're going to get justice for Robert, is because we know the truth. The truth is that Robert Woods is an innocent man. The man who fingered Robert as the shooter, is a convicted criminal, child molester, and a drug dealer, who has been a person of interest in this murder, since Day 1. Robert Woods has had no criminal background, he has never broken the law. We've proven that Jesse Jackson framed Robert Woods - he used a car that was similar to Robert's and used a similar gun, to shoot him, and then blamed Robert. If all goes well, we should see justice for Robert Woods. (smiling)

"anarchy"

- STeve Twain has a personal connection with this case. It will be his last case before he retires for good. The 78-year old experienced lawyer will be fighting nonstop to seek a stay of execution, or clemency from Governor Greg Abbott. To him, there is everything to lose.

Steve Twain (to Susan): In all my cases I've dealt with, 35 years as a defense attorney, 15 years working as a district attorney, the Robert Woods case is the case I most reflect on. This a case of innocence being destroyed, and a man's life ruined, because of the works of a criminal and a thug. I've vowed, that I would not retire, until I make sure that Robert's life is spared. To see such an amazing, and remarkable individual like Robert, who served our country, and who was a family man, get put to death by the state of Texas, for something he didn't do, is appalling. I will not stop, until he gets what he deserves, and that's freedom.

"anarchy"

- Robert Woods is scheduled to be put to death on Thursday, November 29, 2018. If he is executed, he would be 37 years old. The Governor of Texas has the power to give clemency to an inmate scheduled to die, which would change the inmate's sentence of "death" to "life without the possibility of parole". Under Governor Greg Abbott's tenure as governor, 35 men have been put to death. Abbott has only commuted the sentence of one death row inmate. That inmate, Thomas Whitaker, was scheduled to die in February of this year, for hiring a man to kill his mother and brother. But 45 minutes before his scheduled death, the governor commuted the sentence as requested by Whitaker's father, who survived the attack. As of now, we are unsure as to what will happen, to Robert Woods.

Following this interview...
Somer Woods will begin her first year at the University of Texas in Austin, in the fall of 2019.

If her father is to be executed, she will be there.

Robert Woods says he hopes to appeal his case to the United States Supreme Court.

Jesse Jackson was arrested one month after his taped interview with Susan Summers, for driving under the influence.

Polls and Comments
How likely do you believe it will be that Robert Woods will avoid execution? VERY likely Possible NOT likely Impossible

Sneak Peak
Here's a sneak peak of the next episode, Hamilton: Live to Tell.

Prosecutor Ann McCaskell: This is a case of a woman who showed no remorse towards her intended victim. She mercilessly bullied Laurie Cutter, because of her disability, and because she was poor. And because of that, she went to her house, and set it on fire.

Doctor Marie McGowan: Laurie suffered third-degree burns, throughout more than 75% of her body. She was unconscious.

Detective Arthur Gonzales: When she woke up in the hospital, she actually thought that it had been an accident.

News Reporter (male): Charlestown Police are investigating a house fire, that some are claiming to be an arson attack. A young girl was sent to the hospital, where she is in grave condition.

Prosecutor Ann McCaskell: This case made national news, because of the atrocity of the crime. But I don't think Miss Cooper knew that she hadn't finished the job she wanted to finish.

Laurie Cutter: I'm Laurie Cutter, I'm 29 years old, and I survived my attempted murder.