Choosing Mercy: A Mother of Murder Victims Pleads to End the Death Penalty

by Antoinette Bosco

Overview

When 18-year-old Shadow Clark shot and killed her son and daughter-in-law Toni Bosco's heart was crushed. In time her grief transformed into something else: forgiveness, and a conviction that to want one more unnatural death would be wrong. "I could say he must be punished for life, but I could not say, kill this killer." Toni chose mercy over vengeance -- and again, her life changed forever.

Today she is widely known as an opponent of capital punishment in this, the only modern Western nation that still has the death penalty. In recounting her dramatic journey Toni Bosco presents compelling arguments why the death penalty fails both politically and morally. She shares stories of other parents who suffered through similar experiences but also learned to choose love over fear.

Gut-wrenching, timely, and inspiring: Choosing Mercy may not change minds but cannot help but begin to change hearts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570753589
Publisher:	Orbis Books
Publication date:	04/28/2001
Pages:	239
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	9
	Introduction	13
1	The Murders	19
2	Beginning the Healing Process	36
3	Raising My Voice	57
4	Plunging into the Debate	74
5	A New Door Opens--and Prisoners Become Kin	93
6	Calls Come In--and I Am the Learner	110
7	Behind the Bars, Seriously Flawed Prison System	130
8	The Other Victims	150
9	Leadership from the Pulpit	165
10	Concern about the Death Penalty Grows	181
11	So Much Known--So Much to Be Done	200
	Postscript	221
	Sources and Notes	229
	Recommended Books	237
	Resource Groups against Capital Punishment	238

Editorial Reviews

Journalist Bosco (The Pummeled Heart) had her world overturned in 1993 when her son and daughter-in-law were shot to death while they slept. Their murder made no sense, even after the police arrested the 18-year-old son of the home's previous owner. Although the killer did not receive the death penalty (and despite his evident lack of remorse), Bosco, a devout Catholic who had always opposed the death penalty, was troubled by the resolutely pro-capital-punishment stance espoused by many violent-crime survivors and their advocates. In this spiritually charged meditation on violence and punishment, she addresses difficult issues, ranging from a deeply flawed corrections system to whether the worst offenders possess the capacity to atone and be redeemed. Bosco recounts how she became involved in the debate as a journalist and a mother for her own healing unsentimentally describing how her resolute prolife stand was sorely tested by her anger and grief and meeting others in her unfortunate position, including bestselling author Dominick Dunne, who forgave his daughter's murderer. Her advocacy increased when she went public as a writer and speaker willing to uphold the seditious view that "unnatural death is an evil, no matter whose hand stops the breath," and she includes here an appendix of books and organizations that argue against the death penalty. Bosco writes in a clear yet sometimes prolix fashion; much of her contemplation takes the form of wrestling with Christian biblical mandates, which may keep readers of other faiths at a distance. Even so, this is a brave, sustained and timely argument against capital punishment from one who has paid a heavy toll. (Apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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