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Interviews with the Condemned
The 16th interview is being held with Michelle Sue Tharp who is housed at the death row unit for women at Muncy, Pennsylvania for the last 5 years. Please read Michelle's profile and this interview to learn a little more about her. We thank Michelle for participating with this series and for answering the questions.
Personality: Name:
Michelle Sue Tharp
1: Question:
Where were you born and raised? Answer:
I was born in
Canonsburg hospital, and raised in Canonsburg, as a child, later lived
in
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:
The favorite childhood memory that I remember is being with my
grandparents. I had a favorite pet, a dog named Candy.
4: Question:
Did you like school? If so, share with us your favorite memory from your
school years. Answer:
My favorite memory of
school was 1988, the year I graduated and had my daughter Tonya!
5: Question:
What person or event impacted you most as a child? Answer:
My
grandparents.
6: Question:
What hobbies or activities did you participate in while growing up, e.g.
scouting, sports, etc. Answer:
I was in the girl
scouts for 3 years. I also played softball. 7: Question:
What was your first job? Please describe your duties/responsibilities
and whether or not you liked the job. Answer:
I had only one
job and that was at a clothes store being a cashier. I really enjoyed
it. Met all kinds of different people. I babysat a lot to and I got
paid, but I never thought of it as a job though.
8: Question:
As a child or teenager, what did you want to do when you grew up? Why?
Answer:
I always
wanted to be a beautician but I got pregnant my graduating year, and
never looked back or thought about it, but it was the 1 thing I always
wanted to be!
9: Question: Do you have a favorite movie or book? Please elaborate. Answer:
My
favorite movie(s) are Dirty Dancing, and Pretty Woman! I can’t really
say why, I think it has something to do with the way the woman in the
movies were treated. No matter who we are or what we do, we should be
treated with respect and those 2 movies showed just that!
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: -
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
at the time of my arrest, I was working as a cashier in a clothing
store.
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: Yes and no! At the time I really thought it was helping me get through the days, but in reality it was just making my problems worse then better!
14: Question: What do you miss most about the outside world and why? Answer: What I miss most about the outside world is my children and my grandparents! My whole life was them! I’ve never felt so alone or empty as I did when they were taken from me! All I needed was them, and when I lost them, every and anything I had or felt left where I am at now!
15: Question: What is the one thing you regret most? Answer:
The 1 thing I regret
most is my actions. The thing I know now that weren’t right! I’d
give anything to have that day back! When I say actions, I’m talking
about the actions that got me where I am at now!
16: Question:
Do
you have any strong spiritual or religious beliefs? If so do they
influence how you view the future? Answer: In May of 2005 I was baptized! It was one of the most important days in my life! It is a day that was very special and I shall never forget it! I never really felt God with me but I know now that he is! He has given me strength, and has helped me through some very hard and rough times.
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: When the jury came back guilty and then shortly after came back with death are feelings I can’t even describe, but I do know I would never wish that on anyone! No matter who would be there for you the sentence alone is horrifying, but I do think if I had family there to support me I could of dealt with it much better! When I heard the verdict come back death, my legs just gave out and I fell to the floor! My lawyer caught me! I truly try not to remember it.
19: Question:
What is a typical day like for you on
death row? Answer:
I
want to begin this by saying there are no easy or good days on death
row! At least not for me! We are up at 6.10 every morning for count, at
7:00 A.M. breakfast is brought. At about 7.30 –
20: Question:
Do you feel that capital punishment
serves as a deterrent? Yes/No Please elaborate on your answer. Answer:
No, I
don’t! To me I think it has gotten worse concerning the death penalty!
So many have been killed, and how many were found innocent after they
were killed? Also who gives the right to those people to kill ones who
have been found guilty, how are they any different then the one who have
been found guilty. We are all sentenced to death by the jurors. People
who know nothing about us only what they hear, see or read. So many are
sentenced to death and are innocent. So we have the right take ones
life? That why the death penalty is given for taken ones life?
21: Question:
If you could change one thing in the
world today, what would it be and why? Answer:
If I
could change 1 thing in the world it would be for everyone to stop
judging each other! We are all human, making mistakes, yes some bigger
than others but we’re still humans! So many judge but yet have done
some terrible things in their lives just have never been caught! How can
one judge another when they really don’t know what happened! What is
true or not? They don’t have the right but because of this so many are
sitting on death row!
22: Question:
If you could go back in time, where
and to what date would you travel and why? Answer:
If I could go back in
time I would go to April 18, 1998. I can’t really say how it would be
different because if I was given that day back I don’t know if I would
think differently! I want to say I would! I want to go to that day to
understand why I made the poor decisions that I made! I want to
understand why it even happened as it did! So many questions but no
answers!
23: Question:
What has been the most important and
life-altering event you have experienced? Answer:
April
18, 1998! That day changed my life completely! Any and every thing I had
in my life was taken that day! I never knew one hurt or feel so much
pain as that! It lives with me day after day and I believe it will
continue to for ever how long I have left! The most important day(s)
have been September 5, 1988, August 16, 1990, June 6, 1994, and October
12, 1997. Those are the days my babies were born the days I had waited
for all my life!
24: Question:
What is the most important thing that
you want our visitors to know about you? Answer:
I
want and need for people to know that I am not the monster so many think
I am! I have made my share of mistakes and poor decisions but hurting
any of my children is something I never do, not intentionally. See a lot
of people don’t know what my babies mean to me! I always wanted
children. I wanted to show and give them love and things I never got a s
a child! My children loved me for me! Something no one else did! I
didn’t have to be someone or something that I wasn’t! I only had to
be me and they accepted me and loved me unconditionally! Something I
wanted my whole life!
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: I have done this interview so that people could try and understand that everything you see or read or hear is not the truth! I also hope by doing this people will understand that because of our mistakes, we have been judged, hated! And for it to keep continuing does not make anything different! Would you like to be judged on lies? Looked down on? Everyone makes mistakes for what they have done! It isn’t right for another to do and think the things they do about another! God is the only person who is to have that right.
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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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