The Victims of Crime

When you hear that the victims of a crime are devastated, you will probably think of the victims the crime was committed against. We all know they are the most important victims, who should not be violated against. But, they are not the only victims in a crime. Often, people forget how things affect the families of the crime on both sides.

I think about my situation every day and how I have had to know about the suffering of my family as well as the victims family and how they have had to suffer throughout the years over this ordeal. As sorry as I am and as bad as I feel about the victims family’s pain and suffering, I feel that much more for my family.

It absolutely hurts me for what my family has been put through. And, it seems that it will never end for both families. I have to live with that thought until I am dead.

If my fate is to die in here on death row, will they show my family pity and sorrow, or will they sneer and say that I got exactly what I deserved ? I know that even when I am gone my family will continue to pay for what I have been convicted of.

And when the state has executed us, who do our families have the right to hate or to forgive ? It is the state lawmakers, the D.A. who pushed to have us sent to our deaths. The Judge who sentenced us to die, or should it be us for putting them through it all ? My opinion is that we are all to blame and hopefully to be forgiven for what has been done. I say this should apply to both sides. Forgiveness should be in all our lives.

Thank you

Matt Hyde
Holman 3700, 5-D-9
Atmore, AL 36502
USA

written - August, 2002

Something to think about

Words from death row......

For a full list of articles written by Juveniles on Alabama's Death Row, go to the complete list of titles at Stories.