Lethal Justice One man's journey of hope on Death Row by Joy Elder

The author writes:

"I felt compelled to write Lethal Justice after having been present as a witness when my penfriend Lesley Gosch was strapped down and murdered by lethal injection in America's killing capital: Huntsville, Texas. I shared all of this with some close friends, who told me that I must write it all down. "In the book, we read through several letters of Lesley Gosch, dating from 1992 to 1998. We see a man without bitterness, a man whose life on Death Row is spent studying religion and philosophy, writing, painting and drawing and helping inmates less gifted than himself deal with their essential yet fruitless and futile legal procedures. We see him struggling against despair and despondency and rising to quite extraordinary levels of faith and hope. Ultimately, he is able to forgive those who kill him. "Myself and my friend were deeply moved by their meetings with him and with others on Death Row. We found that we were inspired by our friends in ways which have had a profound effect on our own lives. To see such people being routinely taken out and slaughtered beggars belief and fuels our passion to bring an end to this barbaric practice. "I wholeheartedly hope that the book will add its voice to the ever-growing revulsion against the death penalty. I hope to show that the death penalty is no academic issue, but a life and death concern. It is an issue about real people: people of whom we can all say 'there but for the grace of God...' "

Some Readers' Views

A reader from Llandudno - Wales:

"Compulsive reading - I could not put the book down!!

"Compelled - this is how Sister Joy came to write the book - I was equally compelled to read it. For the first time in my life I could not put a book down until I had finished it. It is extremely well written - no words are wasted - as the lives of those on Death Row are wasted. It is an emotional insight into a special friendship and exposes the harshness and injustices of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. My copy of the book was a late christmas gift but well worth waiting for. It will surprise you, make you sad, may move you to tears,even make you smile but above all - it will make you think."

A reader from Houston Texas:

"I couldn't put it down. A great read.

"Joy Elder tells the story of the horrendous struggles of those on Death Row in Texas. This really brought home the tragedy of the death penalty, not only for those who face it but their families and loved ones as well. A great book that everyone interested in death penalty issues should read to get the true human side of the story. If you have no strong stance on the death penalty, you will after reading this. As a Texan my eyes have been opened to the horrors of our criminal justice system I recommend this book. A very personal account."

A reader from London, England:

"It is an exellent book and I couldn't put it down.

"I recommend this to anyone who just wants a good book to read."

A reader from London, England:

"A very inspiring read.

"I quickly found myself engrossed in it and read it in the course of one afternoon. I must admit to having had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye for most of the time I was reading."

How to order

Details: Paperback - 203 pages, ISBN: 0340746114, published by Hodder & Stoughton