How I Came to Oppose the Death Penalty
Contributed by Steve Earle, singer-songwriter

Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Steve Earle discusses the impact of witnessing his father write a letter to the Texas governor on behalf of a condemned man in San Antonio. Having already begun to reflect on the importance of political engagement and the ethics of capital punishment, Earle felt especially moved by both the book and film version of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood in the late 1960s. In tandem, these experiences contributed to his becoming a passionate advocate against the death penalty.
Title
How I Came to Oppose the Death Penalty
Description
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Steve Earle discusses the impact of witnessing his father write a letter to the Texas governor on behalf of a condemned man in San Antonio. Having already begun to reflect on the importance of political engagement and the ethics of capital punishment, Earle felt especially moved by both the book and film version of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood in the late 1960s. In tandem, these experiences contributed to his becoming a passionate advocate against the death penalty.
Creator
Truman Capote
Source
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Date
1965
Contributor
Steve Earle, singer-songwriter
Identifier
steve-earle-how-i-came-to-oppose-the-death-penalty