NEW VOICES: Murder Victim’s Widow Supports Clemency for Husband’s Killer

Mamie Norwood, whose hus­band, Amos, was killed by Pennsylvania death row pris­on­er Terry Williams (pic­tured), recent­ly wrote a let­ter to two state offi­cials ask­ing them to ​“stop try­ing to exe­cute Terry Williams.” 

Norwood’s let­ter was addressed to Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams and State Representative Mike Vereb, who oppose the death penal­ty mora­to­ri­um imposed by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. Vereb recent­ly intro­duced a leg­isla­tive res­o­lu­tion stat­ing that the mora­to­ri­um ​“exhibits astound­ing dis­re­gard for the addi­tion­al and unnec­es­sary heartache he has now caused to the fam­i­ly and loved ones of Terrance Williams’ victims.” 

Norwood said in her let­ter, ​“I have for­giv­en Terry Williams and I don’t want him exe­cut­ed and I have said this many times… [Y]ou have nev­er spo­ken to me and you do not speak for me.” 

In 2012, Norwood joined dozens of child advo­cates, for­mer pros­e­cu­tors and judges, men­tal health pro­fes­sion­als, and five of Williams’ jurors in call­ing for clemen­cy. She con­clud­ed her recent let­ter by say­ing, ​“I am ask­ing that you please stop try­ing to exe­cute Terry Williams. And please don’t use me for your own polit­i­cal gain or to get your name in the news. You should be tru­ly ashamed of yourselves.” 

Read the full text of Mamie Norwood’s let­ter here. UPDATE: Family mem­bers of oth­er vic­tims have also pub­licly respond­ed to state­ments by oth­er Pennsylvania pros­e­cu­tors in oppo­si­tion to Governor Wolf’s mora­to­ri­um that false­ly sug­gest­ed that they sup­port­ed seek­ing the death penal­ty for their fam­i­ly member’s murder.