Humanities Moments

How I Came to Oppose the Death Penalty

Contributed by Steve Earle, singer-songwriter
San Antonio Express, September 12, 1964
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

Player

Location