Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Mercy (01/15/26)
-
TITLE: May God Have Mercy | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
01/19/26 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Judge McCauley announced, “I sentence you to be taken to the State Penitentiary, and there to be hung until you are dead. May God have mercy on your soul.”
I was immediately handcuffed by the attending marshal and led out to the awaiting prison vehicle, transported to the state prison, and secured in a cell on death row.
Two years earlier…
I was sitting the in the same courtroom, not as a defendant, but as the father of one of several children that had been molested and murdered.
Oswald Manning, the molester and murderer, was being released after his defense lawyers managed to prevent the acquitting jury from hearing about his confession and other would-be condemning evidence.
As Manning exited the court house, he looked directly at me, with a smirk on his face.
This did not go unnoticed by the news reporters, one who took a photo that was published with the headline, Acquitted man laughs at victim’s father.
Later, attorneys for my defense would unsuccessfully argue that I was “temporarily insane,” triggered by Manning’s behavior, but in my “heart of hearts,” I knew then and there, that if given the opportunity, I would do to Manning what I felt should have been done through the criminal justice system.
I had been a Church-going, family man, and was familiar with Scripture forbidding revenge, and that commanded me to leave the matter in God’s hands, but I couldn’t get the details of my child’s torture, or Manning’s smirk, out of my head.
I knew that I would be the first “person of interest” that the police would investigate when Manning’s bullet-riddled, dead body, was found in his over-turned vehicle t along an isolated strip of highway, three years later.
I thought I had covered my tracks well, letting years pass by before taking action, and with the help of trusted, sympathetic friends, I established an “air-tight” alibi of having been with them at an all-night card game.
I had managed to obtain a non-traceable firearm to do the deed. All known evidence, linking me to the crime scene, was destroyed.
I got away clean, having gotten pre-arranged transportation from a friend.
On scene, the police photographed Manning’s vehicle and the stolen vehicle used to run Manning off the road. The miscellaneous contents in both vehicles were seized.
For 60 years, the plan worked. The cold case remained open, but with my air-tight alibi and no more leads, there was no further police action.
Among the contents of the stolen car was a paper coffee cup that I had used, but DNA had not been heard of in the 1960”s.
But by 2023, with the availability of DNA testing, many cold cases were reopened, including the murder of Manning.
Further investigation and analysis provided similarities between my child’s DNA and the DNA found on the coffee cup, leading the police to conclude that Manning’s murderer had to be a very close relative.
I, once again, became the number one person of interest. To receive lighter sentences, my friends testified, and I was convicted of the first-degree murder of Oswald Manning.
I never did get any lasting satisfaction from Manning's death.
Flashbacks of the bloody event would often awaken me from a sweaty, restless sleep.
I became an alcoholic, trying to ease the pain of the child I lost, and erase the haunting memory of the gory revenge.
While on death row, awaiting execution, I had many long talks with the prison chaplain, Rev. Peter Morse, about the Romans 8: 1 assurance, and the unlimited 1John 1:9 forgiveness.
Just like the man on the cross next to Jesus, I knew I deserved (1), the physical death penalty for the murder, but could I receive the same assurance of eternal life, as he did (2)?
Rev. Morse pointed out that Moses and David had been involved in murder (3), and of God’s Heb. 4:16 invitation to boldly come to His throne of grace to find mercy.
Would I benefit from the divine mercy spoken of by Judge McCauley?”
Did Manning receive the Heb. 4:16 mercy?
I was to be found dead in my cell from a massive heart attack before my scheduled execution.
As I had requested, Rev. Morse posted my obituary, announcing that I had gone Home to be with the Lord.
(1) Luke 23: 41 (2) Luke 23: 43 (3) Ex. 2: 11, 12/2Sam. 11, 12
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
