Did you ever think you were beyond God’s forgiveness? Russell Ford has befriended hundreds of men who believed that lie. Yet God’s grace showed them otherwise. When I read his story this summer I was struck with the beauty of Christ’s forgiveness and the miracle of God’s awesome grace.

Russell Ford has watched many of his friends die. It’s an integral part of his most unusual ministry. Ford is a chaplain for Death Row inmates in Boydton, Virginia. He knows he can’t save men’s lives. But he can lead them to the One who saves souls. Ford works with men who have committed gruesome murders. Some of them refuse to accept Christ’s forgiveness. But thankfully, some do. He has helped several brutal murderers become repentant pilgrims. Men like Alton Waye. He was convicted for killing a sixty-one year old woman. Even other death row inmates found Waye to be particularly mean. As with others, Russell Ford taught this man the gospel. Months passed and yet Waye didn’t seemed to change. Then days before his 1989 execution, this murderer’s demeanor had suddenly reversed. Ford walked Waye’s cell and found him singing spirituals. He had decided to accept the pardon from Jesus. The night before he was executed Alton Waye, the murderer, confessed his faith in Jesus and was baptized. Twelve members of the death squad witnessed God’s miracle of redemption. After the baptism, they all joined hands, singing “Amazing Grace” and reciting the Lord’s prayer.

No one is beyond Christ’s forgiveness. You may think, “But I feel so unworthy. I’ve failed God so terribly.” Listen, we’ve all failed. We’re all sinners. The great apostle Paul called himself the worst of sinners. And yet Christ showed him mercy “as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.“ (1 Timothy 1:16, NIV)

When you’ve really blown it with your life. When you just can’t shake this feeling that God won’t forgive you, the place to go is Jesus. As I think of the stories of Jesus interacting with “sinners” and religious leaders, I’m reminded of the stark contrast between His interaction with each group. So often those who knew they were wrong before God were often the ones most attract to the Lord. While those who believed their religious balance sheet put them in the black locked horns with this One who claimed to be the Messiah.

I’ve just finished an outstanding book on Jesus by my favorite author, Philip Yancey. It’s entitled The Jesus I Never Knew. His chapter on the revolution of grace unearthed for me a fresh new glimpse at the approachable nature of Jesus. As he peruses the various encounters Jesus had with the unsavory people of his day, Yancey makes these observations:

“In word and deed Jesus was proclaiming a radically new gospel of grace…In short, Jesus moved the emphasis from God’s holiness (exclusive) to God’s mercy (inclusive). Instead of the message ‘No undesirables allowed,’ he proclaimed, ‘In God’s kingdom there are no undesirables.’ By going out of his way to meet with Gentiles, eat with sinners, and touch the sick, he extended the realm of God’s mercy.”

As I read of the grisly crimes of these death row inmates, I caught myself thinking the words of the pious Pharisee in Luke 18. Then I read Chaplain Ford’s reminder: “Christ died for all of our sins. These men committed terrible sin, but they are not beyond God’s love.“ Aren’t we all guilty? Paul states clearly that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. “For there is no distinction to be made anywhere: everyone has sinned, everyone falls short of the God’s plan.“ (Romans 3:23) In a sense, everyone of us is on death row. Until Jesus opens the door locked by our sin and acquits us of our crime against the Holy One. We all can be pardoned because Jesus “went to the chair” for us. Everyone of us. “A man who has faith is freely acquitted in the eyes of God by his generous dealing in the redemptive act of Christ Jesus.“ (Romans 3:24)

We can learn a lot from Alton Waye, the death row inmate. He discovered that the grace of God was not out of his reach, no matter how badly he sinned. And neither is it out of reach for all of us. Look again at Jesus. Look again to Jesus. His life and sacrifice for us shout out the timeless good news-an eternal pardon is awaiting anyone who comes to the Father through faith in His Son. He’s the author of radical grace, the grace that truly can set our souls free.

When you feel you’ve outsinned God’s grace, remember this: your forgiveness doesn’t depend on your worthiness, but on what Christ has done for you at the cross. He loves you. Receive that love and new start today.

DI NOSE A GALLOP…SHIRLEY YUH TUN GOSSIP MERCHANT NOW? DI ONLY HOLE WHEY DIG WAS YUH NOSEHOLE….YUH SI HOW LIFE FUNNY DOE…YUH WHEY MEK DI TROUBLE A TALK BOUT OLE DIGGERY…SPATULA NOSE SHIRLEY COME WID DI GOSSIPS MI WAA HEAR IT…WHA ELSE?WHEY YUH SEH YUH TINK KILLA WAS AMERICAN?? DASH IT SHIRLEY DASH IT

http://youtu.be/r8S9kr1tBNM

http://youtu.be/ggdxGK_yo_k

http://youtu.be/DOeLdq7ZbB0

http://youtu.be/1p9Ht6mqfWw

http://youtu.be/e5ryzkVeMWw

http://youtu.be/l_NwrlZCdIU

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 002728

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT), INL/LP (BOZZOLO)

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2015
TAGS: PREL KCRM SNAR JM
SUBJECT: SIX POLICE OFFICERS ON TRIAL FOR MURDER

Classified By: Ambassador Johnson. Reason 1.5(d)

Summary:

¶1. (C) In late November, six Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)
officers, all members of the now disbanded Crime Management
Unit, were put on trial for the unlawful killing of four
people at a home in Crawle, Clarendon in May 2003. Chief
Judge Lensley Wolfe ruled that the prosecution failed to make
a prima facie case against three of the officers and ordered
the jury to release them. Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark
Shields advised NAS Director on December 16 that he believes
that all of the officers are going to “beat the rap.”
Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro Blair also advised NAS
Director that he had no faith in the judicial system and
based on what he felt was the prosecution’s inability to try
the case, the officers would be back on duty in no time. End
Summary.

———-
The Trial
———-

¶2. (U) Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Senior Superintendent
Reneto Adams, corporals Shenie Lyons, Patrick Coke and
constables Devon Bernard, Leford Gordon and Roderick Collier
are on trial for the May 7, 2003 murder of four persons,
namely, Angella Richards, Lewina Thompson, Kirk Gordon and
Matthew Jones. Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe and a
twelve-member jury are hearing the case. On December 12,
Wolfe found that the prosecution failed to make a prima facie
case against Constables Bernard and Collier and Corporal
Gordon and ordered the jury to release them. The case
against the remaining three officers is expected to be
completed early this week.

¶3. (U) According to the officers’ testimony, they went to
Crawle in search of Bashington “Chen-Chen” Douglas, who was
wanted for a number of crimes, including murder. The police
alleged they were fired upon by men in the house and the
police returned the fire and four people were killed during
the shootout. However, neighbors contradicted the police by
alleging the victims were killed in cold blood. The Director
of Public Prosecutions (DPP) told the court that the
policemen traveled in a disguised vehicle and after staking
out the house, returned later and opened fire on the
occupants. Director of the DPP, Kent Pantry stated that
forensic evidence showed that three victims were shot by one
gun. Pantry also stated that the evidence showed that shots
were only fired from outside the house to the inside.

¶4. (U) Shanice Stoddart, the 11-year old daughter of victim
Lewina Thompson was a key prosecution witness. Stoddart
testified at the trial that she and Angella Richards were
hiding under a bed in the house when a police officer removed
Stoddart from the house. The officer put Stoddart in the
yard and told her to look away from the house. Stoddart
testified that after officers went back into the house she
heard Angella Richards begging for her life and shots fired.

¶5. (U) Jack Craine, a forensic pathologist and professor at
Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, testified that
the wounds sustained by the victims were not typical of those
caused by a shoot-out. Rather, the wounds were consistent
with having been shot in a controlled way. In addition,
Craine stated that there was a possibility that victims
Richard and Gordon were shot while lying on the floor.

¶6. (U) Danhai Williams, a controversial “business man” and
People’s National Party (PNP) activist, was scheduled to
testify on behalf of the prosecution that he provided the
police officers with the unregistered gun allegedly planted
at the crime scene. Williams was expected to give evidence
in support of the prosecution’s claim that Adams planted a
gun on one of the dead victims. Williams did not appear at
trial and through a statement made by his attorneys claimed
that he was being harassed by the police and chose not to
make himself available for testimony as it would have caused
him to lie in open court. (Note: Williams, who is currently
facing charges of defrauding the GOJ in an unrelated housing
construction scheme, is a U.S. green card holder. Post
believes, however, that Williams has effectively abandoned
his LPR status and we are consulting DHS accordingly.)

¶7. (C) Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields is a
28-year-veteran of the London Metropolitan Police and was
seconded to the JCF as deputy commissioner in charge of crime
in March. Shields was also the lead investigator in the
Crawle case in 2003. During a December 16 meeting with
Shields, he stated that he believed all of the officers would
“beat the rap” and that it would be a major turning point for
Jamaica. He expressed disdain for Adams and stated that it
was his personal and professional opinion that Adams is a
“killer.” He lamented that if Adams is found not guilty and
put back on front-line duty, that Shields would resign the
force immediately and return to the UK. Shields stated that
he could not “work with someone he knew killed four people in
cold blood.”

¶8. (C) In addition, Shields stated that although he does not
have hard evidence, he believes Adams is behind some of the
threats that he has received on his life. Shields speculated
that even if Adams were to be found not guilty he could be
dismissed from the JCF “for the good of the service.”
Shields noted that with the overwhelming amount of evidence
against him, it would be in the best interests of Jamaica if
he were let out of the force. Shields also alleged that
prosecution witness Danhai Williams was not afraid to appear
in court as he claimed. Shields opined that Williams has a
lot of backing within the PNP as well as within the JCF and
noted that Williams did not reappear until after the defense
closed its case and that he found that the timing was more
than mere coincidence.

¶9. (C) Peace activist and Political Ombudsman, Bishop Herro
Blair also advised NAS Director on December 17 that he had no
faith in the judicial system and based on what he felt was
the prosecution’s inability to try the case, the officers
would be back on duty in no time. Blair also alleged that
Danhai Williams was not under any threat when he failed to
appear in court and corroborated Shields’ statement by
stating that Williams has “too much political power to have
to testify”. Blair stated that if no one is found guilty in
this case, it would be the “go-ahead for vigilantism.”

——–
Comment
——–

¶10. (C) According to Amnesty International, only one police
officer has been found guilty of unlawful killing in the last
six years in Jamaica. Piers Bannister, the London-based
researcher on Amnesty’s North American team is quoted in the
Observer on June 20 as saying “The police in Jamaica are
immune from effective prosecution and are allowed to carry
out killings with impunity…” Bannister has predicted that
all six police officers will walk and will resume their jobs
soon. As of now, Bannister is half right.

¶11. (C) There is a general distrust by many in Jamaica of the
police and the judicial system in general. Some in garrison
communities are fearful of police and see the police as an
enemy. It is likely that the impunity with which police
officers seem to operate in Jamaica contributes to this
sentiment. Until officers are held accountable for extra
judicial killings, the public distrust of the police and the
judicial system will persevere. This lack of faith likely
contributes to the periodic incidents of mob killings, where
many people feel the only justice they will see is that which
they mete out themselves against criminal oppressors. End
Comment.