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American Morning
Death Row Decision: Sister of Murder Victim Speaks Out
Aired January 13, 2003 - 07:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The governor's commutation of all death sentences in Illinois is certainly outraging many of the victims' families. Nine years ago today, as I mentioned, Felicia Lewis was murdered, along with her boyfriend at the time. The convicted killer, Anthony Brown, is one of the death row inmates whose life was spared by the outgoing governor's decision.
Felicia Lewis' sister, Crystal Fitch, joins us also this morning from Chicago.
And we say, welcome to you here on AMERICAN MORNING. You just heard the reaction from one of the men now set free as the result of the decision from Illinois. Nine years ago today, with all of the memories of your sister's life, you are thinking and feeling what after this decision?
CRYSTAL FITCH, VICTIM'S SISTER: Well, quite frankly, I'm very angered, as many other victims' families are. I'm quite disappointed in the fact that I was basically lied to by someone that I thought that I could count on, a government official, the head of our state, the governor.
He quite frankly lied. He deceived our family members. He put us through so many different trials and tribulations, leading us to believe that he would, in fact, stick by his word that he would look at each and every case on a case-by-case basis. He, in fact, did no such thing.
I am now tormented with the thought to think that he actually never intended to look at each and every case, because he didn't have the time to do that.
So, I am outraged at the fact that he made that decision. I think any decision that he has made in the last three or four days has been very premature. And unfortunately, the citizens of the state of Illinois will bear the brunt of those decisions.
HEMMER: You think he's failed you then and your family and many others, is that right?
FITCH: Absolutely, absolutely. He's failed us, and he continues to fail us. And you know, he thinks that he's going out with this courageous -- having done this courageous deed, when, in fact, he has done nothing courageous. He is, if anything, a coward and a liar, and that's what he'll be remembered as in the state of Illinois by citizens of Illinois. HEMMER: Crystal, I ask this next question to you with all due respect to you and the grief you continue to suffer today. What do you say to those, like Madison Hobley, who were convicted wrongly, could have paid for this wrong conviction with his life? Your thoughts to them are what?
FITCH: Well, those individuals, who have been pardoned, you know, I am not aware of their cases, and I'm not aware of the evidence that, you know, took place at that particular time.
The only thing that I am aware of is the fact that the murderer who committed the crime that my family has endured is, in fact, very guilty. DNA evidence -- after he was proven guilty, DNA evidence that was introduced by his attorney further implicated him in this particular crime. There were eyewitnesses. This gentleman has never, ever throughout any of our trial experiences ever said that he was not guilty. And in fact, when we went to our clemency hearing, he again did not say that he was not guilty.
So, this is, like I said, a specific case that should have been looked at with the merits of this particular case, and Governor Ryan, had he done that, he would have seen that this individual did not deserve to be spared, because he, in fact, did not spare his victims. He humiliated them, he degraded them. This guy is an animal, he's a killer, and he does not deserve to live. He does not deserve to eat three square meals a day. He does not -- and he does not deserve to continue to live off my tax dollars. While I'm out working hard, trying to support my family, this guy gets to continue to live. It's just not fair, and that's my opinion about that.
HEMMER: Thanks for your time today -- best of luck to you and your family.
FITCH: No problem.
HEMMER: Crystal Fitch in Chicago.
FITCH: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired January 13, 2003 - 07:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The governor's commutation of all death sentences in Illinois is certainly outraging many of the victims' families. Nine years ago today, as I mentioned, Felicia Lewis was murdered, along with her boyfriend at the time. The convicted killer, Anthony Brown, is one of the death row inmates whose life was spared by the outgoing governor's decision.
Felicia Lewis' sister, Crystal Fitch, joins us also this morning from Chicago.
And we say, welcome to you here on AMERICAN MORNING. You just heard the reaction from one of the men now set free as the result of the decision from Illinois. Nine years ago today, with all of the memories of your sister's life, you are thinking and feeling what after this decision?
CRYSTAL FITCH, VICTIM'S SISTER: Well, quite frankly, I'm very angered, as many other victims' families are. I'm quite disappointed in the fact that I was basically lied to by someone that I thought that I could count on, a government official, the head of our state, the governor.
He quite frankly lied. He deceived our family members. He put us through so many different trials and tribulations, leading us to believe that he would, in fact, stick by his word that he would look at each and every case on a case-by-case basis. He, in fact, did no such thing.
I am now tormented with the thought to think that he actually never intended to look at each and every case, because he didn't have the time to do that.
So, I am outraged at the fact that he made that decision. I think any decision that he has made in the last three or four days has been very premature. And unfortunately, the citizens of the state of Illinois will bear the brunt of those decisions.
HEMMER: You think he's failed you then and your family and many others, is that right?
FITCH: Absolutely, absolutely. He's failed us, and he continues to fail us. And you know, he thinks that he's going out with this courageous -- having done this courageous deed, when, in fact, he has done nothing courageous. He is, if anything, a coward and a liar, and that's what he'll be remembered as in the state of Illinois by citizens of Illinois. HEMMER: Crystal, I ask this next question to you with all due respect to you and the grief you continue to suffer today. What do you say to those, like Madison Hobley, who were convicted wrongly, could have paid for this wrong conviction with his life? Your thoughts to them are what?
FITCH: Well, those individuals, who have been pardoned, you know, I am not aware of their cases, and I'm not aware of the evidence that, you know, took place at that particular time.
The only thing that I am aware of is the fact that the murderer who committed the crime that my family has endured is, in fact, very guilty. DNA evidence -- after he was proven guilty, DNA evidence that was introduced by his attorney further implicated him in this particular crime. There were eyewitnesses. This gentleman has never, ever throughout any of our trial experiences ever said that he was not guilty. And in fact, when we went to our clemency hearing, he again did not say that he was not guilty.
So, this is, like I said, a specific case that should have been looked at with the merits of this particular case, and Governor Ryan, had he done that, he would have seen that this individual did not deserve to be spared, because he, in fact, did not spare his victims. He humiliated them, he degraded them. This guy is an animal, he's a killer, and he does not deserve to live. He does not deserve to eat three square meals a day. He does not -- and he does not deserve to continue to live off my tax dollars. While I'm out working hard, trying to support my family, this guy gets to continue to live. It's just not fair, and that's my opinion about that.
HEMMER: Thanks for your time today -- best of luck to you and your family.
FITCH: No problem.
HEMMER: Crystal Fitch in Chicago.
FITCH: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
