© Copyright 2001 The Indianapolis Star
During the early minutes of March 14, Indiana executed Gerald W. Bivins for the 1991 murder of the Rev. William Radcliffe. More than an eye for an eye, this was one life for another.
Bivins could have prolonged his life a few more months through federal appeals but declined. Apparently, the execution by lethal injection didn't go as smoothly as planned. The Rev. Joseph Ross was 1 of 2 priests to stay with Bivins until the end.
Ross got there on March 12. The 1st thing Bivins said to him was: "You going to be OK with this? You going to make it through this?" The priest said yes. They read from Luke's Gospel about the man on the cross, executed next to Jesus. They would read this passage many times in the next 2 days.
That evening, Bivins' mother, brother, sister-in-law, and a friend of his mother, cooked his official last meal and brought it to the death row visiting room.
"This was one of those beautiful yet surreal moments in prison," recalled Ross. "Father Paul LeBrun, the Catholic chaplain, Jerry's mother, brother, sister-in-law, and I sat in the death row visiting room, a giant cage really, and ate a wonderful meal of chicken and dumplings, German ravioli, and vending machine sodas.
"We laughed, cried, told stories, laughed some more, and complimented Jerry's mother on the dinner," Ross said. "Jerry described it 'without a doubt' the best meal he'd had in 10 years. At the end of the meal, Jerry's brother stood, went to where Jerry sat and they just held each other and cried. Jerry's mother did the same."
"Grief is an odd thing on death row," said Ross. "When someone is executed, other prisoners go through a mix of things: sadness on losing someone they may love, fear from wondering when the state will do this to them, and anger that the one dying is, likely, perfectly healthy." That evening, Bivins' mother tried to take her own life by swallowing at least 50 Xanax pills.
On Tuesday, March 13, his last day alive, Bivins said his final goodbyes to his brother, sister-in-law and 2 friends. About 5 p.m., Ross and LeBrun were taken right into the lethal injection room, though the gurney was surrounded by a curtain. Bivins sat on a mattress in a 10 by 10-foot cell built into one wall. Ross says Bivins had a deep sense of God's forgiveness.
"We agreed that he would make some phone calls and that we would talk between them," Ross said. "We also agreed that we would give him communion and pray around 8:30 p.m. and then anoint him and pray before Father Paul and I had to leave."
About 10:30 p.m., they gathered again to pray. They read the prayers of blessing for a victim of oppression. They prayed Psalm 145 and read about the man on the cross next to Jesus, who asked Him to "remember me." Jesus responded: "Today you will be with me in paradise." Bivins told Ross to release his last statement:
"I know that I have hurt a lot of people in my life, especially my family and the Radcliffe family. I am sorry for the pain and sorrow I have caused Karen and Matthew Radcliffe, my friends and family. I ask that they forgive me. And to those here at the prison, I say, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do to me."
The priests went back to the death house at 12:20 p.m. "We sat there for a few minutes surrounded by several guards until the blinds snapped open," Ross said. "Jerry was lying on the gurney with an I.V. inserted into his left arm, which was hanging off the side of the gurney. His glasses remained on. He looked toward us and smiled. His arms were strapped to the gurney but he still managed a small wave of his left hand, from which hung a handcuff. He continued looking at us. It was difficult to tell when the actual injections began. Jerry's head remained looking through the window at us.
"After a couple of minutes of stillness, Jerry coughed hard and seemed to be choking. Some of the witnesses gasped and Jerry convulsed and gagged and strained against the straps. Finally, he stopped and was still. His head was straight and his mouth wide open. I continued to pray; others were sobbing. After about 8 to 9 minutes, the blinds snapped shut. A guard told us to stand. Bishop Melczek stood and made the sign of the cross toward the window. Except for sobs, we were silent."
Supporters of state executions say that we should all feel better now. Some people don't.