"When Rudolph Holton was finally released his
attorney's drove him across the street to speak with the assembled
press.
He expressed a sense of being overwhelmed by the rapid change in his
circumstances. As he faced the bright evening sun with dark glasses
on he
expressed appreciation for the diligent work of his lawyers
insecuring his
release and forgiveness for those responsible for the more than 16
years he
spent in prison. He also apologized to those he had wronged when he
used to
be a drug addict.
He assailed the Death Penalty and called on Jeb to
act to
halt executions and reexamine the convictions of those less fortunate
than
himself. He called the system broken and denied that justice could be
done
within such a system. He affirmed that he was innocent of the crime
for
which he had been sent to Death Row.
He expressed a desire to see his
children whom he had not seen in over a year. And wished he could see
the
superbowl in person but would settle for seeing his home team on
television. It was an emotional and joyous time marred only by the
pick-up
truck driving by with occupants screaming that he deserved to die. He
seemed unaffected by it but others present were not."
