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Interviews
with the Condemned
Interview no.15 (2006-05-21)
The 15th prisoner contributing to our "Interviews with the Condemned" series is Winston "Clay" Barrett. Clay is housed on Georgia's death row for past year. Please visit Clay's profile to learn more about him, followed by some case information (Railroaded) by clicking here. We like to thank Clay for his participation.
Personality: Name:
Winston "Clay" Barrett
1: Question:
Where were you born and raised? Answer:
Atlanta,
2: Question: Will you share with us what it was like for you growing up? (Did you have a pet, a favorite game, hiding place, or favorite toy? Were you raised by both parents, a single parent or relative?) Answer:
3: Question:
Do you have a favorite childhood memory? If so, what is it? Answer:
Yes,
the Christmas I got my first motorcycle at age 12.
4: Question:
Did you like school? If so, share with us your favorite memory from your
school years. Answer:
Yes, my favorite
school years memory was when my basketball team went to the State
Championship playoffs. It was the first time in my schools history.
5: Question:
What person or event impacted you most as a child? Answer:
My father, he
was a WW2 paratrooper. Very brave and strong but also very kind and
loving.
6: Question:
What hobbies or activities did you participate in while growing up, e.g.
scouting, sports, etc. Answer: Baseball, football, basketball, tennis, hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, riding horses, motorcycles, and riding bicycles.
7: Question:
What was your first job? Please describe your duties/responsibilities
and whether or not you liked the job. Answer: Taking care of my parent’s farm when I was 12. Feeding the livestock, chopping wood for the fireplace, helping with the construction of our home, helping to grow and harvest crops, helping to run our riding (horseback) academy. And also I would work construction for other people and do farm work.
8: Question:
As a child or teenager, what did you want to do when you grew up? Why? Answer:
A
professional football or basketball player or coach.
9:Question: Do you have a favorite movie or book? Please elaborate. Answer:
10: Question:
Where was the most beautiful or special place that you can remember
having visited? Please describe it. Answer:
11: Question: What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you? Answer:
The time one of my
friends got drunk and went to the wrong funeral parlor and mourned the
wrong corpse all night long and did not know the difference until his
wife pointed this out to him. I have never laughed so hard in my life.
12: Question:
What job or occupation did you have prior to your incarceration? Were
you employed at the time of your arrest? Answer:
Yes I was employed. I
was doing heating and air installation and electric work also.
13: Question:
Were you involved with drugs or alcohol prior to your incarceration? If
so, please share the effects this had on your life. Answer:
I drank alcohol and
smoked Marijuana but not any hard drugs.
14: Question: What do you miss most about the outside world and why? Answer:
My
children, girlfriend, family and friends. Also freedom to move about and
work, also real food and enjoying the outdoors.
15: Question: What is the one thing you regret most? Answer:
That
the man I killed in self defense was a longtime friend, we had gone to
school together and had known each other over 30 years. Even though he
was trying to kill me it is still painful to think about me taking his
life.
16: Question:
Do
you have any strong spiritual or religious beliefs? If so do they
influence how you view the future? Answer:
Yes, I’m
a Christian. Being a Christian gives me the strength to carry on and
knowing that God knows the truth of what really happened. Also knowing
that no matter what may happen to me in the future my God will welcome
me with open arms when I die.
17: Question: How important is it for you to have contact with your family, friends and/or the outside world? Please elaborate. Answer:
18: Question:
Do you remember your first thoughts
when hearing the jury’s verdict of death as your sentence? Will you
share this experience with us, e.g. your thoughts, feelings, reactions? Answer:
I
was relieved that I was sentenced to die as opposed to a life sentence.
If I cannot be free I would rather be dead. I had to laugh at the
expression on the prosecutors face, it was like – Oh my God, what are
we going to do now.
19: Question:
What is a typical day like for you on
death row? Answer:
20: Question:
Do you feel that capital punishment
serves as a deterrent? Yes/No Please elaborate on your answer. Answer: It may deter some people but in most cases the crime is in the spur of the moment and it would not in these types of situations.
21: Question:
If you could change one thing in the
world today, what would it be and why? Answer: I would wish that people would live by the golden rule – Do unto others as you would have them do to you. This would solve all of the world’s problems. War, exploitation of others, cruelty, racism, greed, etc
22: Question:
If you could go back in time, where
and to what date would you travel and why? Answer:
To the 1500’s in
23: Question:
What has been the most important and
life-altering event you have experienced? Answer: The most important was accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. The most life altering was when this happened, I will never be the same again
24: Question:
What is the most important thing that
you want our visitors to know about you? Answer: That I honestly didn’t kill someone in cold blood and I was only trying to keep from being killed myself. If I could go back in time and change things I would but I can’t. Also to assure them that I was wrongfully convicted by the authorities and that they intentionally manipulated the evidence and testimony to secure a conviction and death sentence.
25: Question: If you have anything else that you
would like included as a part of this interview, please share it with us
now. Answer: Any help that anyone could provide would be appreciated. As everyone already knows I desperately need forensic pathologists, Ballistics experts, and crime scene investigators to review the evidence. Only then will the truth come out of what really took place. Anyone involved the news media is welcome to review the evidence also, all pen pals are welcomed also. Help me in my fight for justice and freedom.
Back
to interview introduction page. Webmaster’s note: I have tried to type the handwritten answers as complete and correct as possible. There is always a possibility that a typo or so slips in. Please send an e-mail when you come across them. Thank you!
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