1995 Killer Given Purple Heart in Prison

[tekisui]

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times

FAYETTEVILLE — Guards took the shackles off death row prisoner James Davis and led him into a small room to get the Army medals he earned more than 40 years ago.

The North Carolina inmate slouched over as retired therapist Jim Johnson picked up the Purple Heart and the Good Conduct medals Davis earned in Vietnam, but never received.

But Johnson told The Fayetteville Observer that as he prepared to pin the medals on the triple-murderer from Asheville, Davis snapped to attention, hands cupped to the side. Johnson stepped back, and the two Tet Offensive veterans looked at each other. Davis then gave a textbook-sharp salute, Johnson said.

A few minutes later, the medals were tucked away. Davis, who will likely never touch them again, returned to his cell on death row, hard of hearing from the bombs that fell in 1968, one of which rocketed a chunk of metal that remains in his thigh. The leg still throbs when it gets cold.

The 62-year-old killer wants to give up all his appeals for killing two of his former bosses and another person in a tool company in 1995, although an attorney continues to fight for him.

"No soldier's service to our country should be ignored," Johnson said. "A lot of people would say, 'It's just a medal. Forget it.' Not to me, it's not. To me, it's the recognition that every soldier deserves. No matter what happened, his service should be recognized."

more: http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090905/NEWS01/90905011

[Dinger]

1. K & R

I have my reasons.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

2. Glad they awarded him his medals.

[Skittles]

3. hey, he earned them

[proteus_lives]

4. If he deserves them he should get them.

I'm glad he got them.

[noamnety]

5. K&R

+1 to Jim Johnson, for being able to see the humanity in people.

[tekisui]

6. I am touched by the empathy of DUers.

:thumbsup:

[progressoid]

8. Not much empathy by the commenters at the link however.

sad

[tekisui]

9. Oh, it is always like that.

I had to remove myself from the comment sections.

[cherokeeprogressive]

10. An old cliche says something to the effect: A Single Aw-Shit Nullifies a Thousand Atta-Boys.

Not to minimize the murders in any way, but the things he did before they were committed should be recognized for what they were, and who knows? Maybe if he had been given his due in a timely fashion, he wouldn't be where he is today.

Sad indeed.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. Long Overdue. Thank You for Your Service, Mr. Davis.

The part about the salute makes me misty. "Davis snapped to attention, hands cupped to the side." I'd bet that his thumbs were aligned with the seams of his prison trousers, and that his feet were at 45 degree angles.

[NYC_SKP]

11. K&R. He earned his medals, and a VA physicial diagnosed mental maladies.

Spending a tour or two in Viet Nam can't leave a soldier without some issue.

"A Veterans Administration physician determined Davis suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and depression. His marriage collapsed, he attempted suicide and he was fired for fighting with co-workers not long before he returned to his job and went on a shooting spree."

I thank him for his service.

:patriot: