I think it is fair to say that a certain sizable portion of the people who come to this site start with the view that I am to be believed about as far as I can be thrown. I acknowledge this, and accept it. I recognize that the reasons for this are entirely my own fault. That said, just because someone was once dishonest doesn’t mean that they will always be so; such a conclusion is neither logical nor healthy. I spoke a little about this subject in a past entry, and I called the process “uncrying wolf”, an obvious reference to the story we tell our children about what happens to liars. I lamented that there was very little succor for the boy (or man) once he gets painted with the “liar’s brush”. Turns out, the best way for the boy to once again earn his way back into the realms of the believable is to have someone of irrefutable character standing with him in the fields, guarding the sheep. Call it “honesty by association”, if you will. Most inmates never find individuals of such high moral quality, as they are pretty rare these days. I guess DNA is about the truest friend (or greatest enemy) an inmate can have. I am fortunate in that I have something even better: my father.
His book (Murder by Family) recently came out, and you can find it at the following sites and bookstores:
…and just about any other place that books are sold.
I have gotten my copy now (He asked me to read early manuscripts as he was writing it), and the final work is really very good, very accurate. Not to mention the fact that I lived the book. This is not a “Pro-Me” work. My father pulls no punches, and none of it is glossed over. His task was to honestly retell the true story of my case, from the night of December 10th, 2003, until my conviction. You have never heard the true story in its completeness, because the news media does not report events, it reports a perception of those events. Usually, said perception is the one best designed to grab your attention, and nevermind the truth. I really hope you will read his narrative if you feel you have some questions about my situation, particularly those which pertain to God and His role in all of this. As weird as it sounds, it turns out to be very uplifting.
I can see it coming now: “Aha! They are just trying to make some money off of this! I knew they were up to something.” A few thoughts on this, if you do not mind: First off, my Dad is donating all of the proceeds of this work to charity. So, kindly put that in your pipe and smoke it. I have recently received a lot of nasty letters from people regarding me getting money sent to my commissary fund from my father. This confused me, until I had a friend track down a certain thread on an internet forum, where someone “in the know” proclaimed my Dad sends me 100 dollars a month. It is true that when I was in seg at the county jail, my Dad did send me some money. I am not sure of the exact figure, but I think it was actually considerably less than that, but no matter. What is important is that this was something I stopped, at my own request, when I came to DR. I simply felt it would be better for our relationship. I didn’t want to be a taker any more. I want to state this as clearly as I can, so there is no confusion: I will not receive one penny from the sale of this book, nor will Dad, any friends, or any family. My Dad and I discussed the possible beneficiaries of any money taken in form its sale, which are all reputable and recognized charities, and I am very pleased with the list of recipients. So, sorry, guys, you will have to take that off of your list of criticisms to lob my way. Don’t fret, the list is still nice and juicy. (Read that last line with as much sarcasm as you like.)
You can read more about my Dad, or the book, at his website: www.kent-whitaker.com (And by the way: Murder by Family hit the New York Times Best Seller List in October, and in addition to the CBS 48 Hours Mystery program and the hour on Oprah Winfrey Show this fall, ABC’s Primetime-20/20 will feature our story in February.)
© Copyright 2009 by Thomas Bartlett Whitaker.
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