Paul Ezra Rhoades. Executed November 18, 2011 at 9:05a.m.
I met a friend at 7am to drive south of Boise to the Penitentiary to protest this inhumane and despicable process. We arrived at 7:30a. There were sections roped off for the "against" group, and the "for" group. There were 4 supporters of the death penatly out there - how they can even show up baffles my mind....
A large group braved the wind and cold to voice their opposition to the execution, and I'm proud to have been a part of it...
The sadness I experienced is indescribable. I'm glad to have shared this with friends and colleagues, but I hope we never have to do it again.
Paul was scheduled to be injected at 8:07 a.m. At 8:05, with tears already streaming down my face as we waited through what we thought would be the final minutes of Paul's life, we received word that the execution had been delayed (not stayed) as a court action had been filed over night. Several minutes later, thecourt filing was denied, and the execution was rescheduled for approximately 9:05a.m. We stood our ground in the freezing cold (the temperature was dropping, even as the sun was rising) and waited some more...
As 9:05 approached, I could not garner the tears. It seemed anti-climatic due to the delay, which seems really odd to say... maybe almost heartless? But when I saw a gentleman walk towards the leader of "Idahoans Against the Death Penalty," whisper in her ear, and then a simple nod... I knew it was over. She announced that Paul had been pronounced dead, and the flood of tears began. Many of us hugged, while others stood frozen in silence. A few snowflakes fell as the sun peeked out from the clouds.
Minutes later we just walked away. Something Paul will never do...
I pray to God this doesn't open the gates in Idaho for more executions. I pray for the family of the victims; I pray for Paul and his family; and I pray for the employees at the Idaho Department of Corrections who were charged with taking away this man's life. I fear they had no idea what they were getting into....
This is a very sad day in Idaho; Very tragic.
