Into the Abyss
By; Travis Johnson
Thesis
Into the Abyss
Thesis:
Into the Abyss takes place in a Texas prison with 2 inmates, Michael Perry, sentenced to death row and Jason Burkett, sentenced to life in prison. The two men committed a Triple-Homicide in 2001, killing a mother, son, and a friend of the son. We get to take a first hand look on how it affected the lives of the suspects, the victims family, and the community.
Defining the Purpose:
Werner Herzog conducted these interviews, and went over all of the crime scene data to show how murder takes a toll on multiple people. Not only does the suspect have to live with that the rest of their lives, but they families do to. They no longer have a mother, father, sister, or brother. They don't get to see that person ever again. The suspects have to live behind bars, but that is where they belong if they murder, or in that fact commit any other crime.
Explaining the Purpose:
When the families found out that their loved ones have been murdered, they were lost for words. They didn't know what to do, what to say, they were completely destroyed! Michael Perry was using Adam Stotler's drivers license when he was arrested and released later the next day on bond. When Lisa Stotler-Balloun found out that "Adam" was still out there, she had hope and was calling different hospitals trying to find which one he was at. Lisa thought that Adam was still alive, and had only been shot and was going to a near by hospital. When she finally found out that her brother was not the Adam at the hospital, she knew that her brother was not alive. The police asked her to come to the police station, but she just wanted to know, was he alive. She fell to the ground in pain and sorrow when they told her Adam was dead. Lisa had no one left. Charles Richardson (Jeremy Richardson's older brother) was in Georgia at the time of the murder. Charles aunt called him and broke the news to him. His uncle then went to Georgia to pick him up. Charles had also lost his sister when she was struck by a car while crossing the freeway. Charles is the one that introduced Jeremy to Michael and Jason, the two men that killed him. Charles thinks it is his fault that Jeremy is dead. He lives with guilt because he introduced Jeremy to them. The family members of the victims and Michaels mother all attended his execution. His final words were “I want to start off by saying I want everyone to know that’s involved in this atrocity that they are forgiven by me.” He sobbed briefly, then whispered, “Mom, I love you. I’m coming home, Dad. I’m coming home.”