Why I am Fighting
There are times in this world, that we come across something that just infuriates us to the point of pure rage. For me, the case of Amanda Renee Cope and Billy Wayne Cope is one of those times. There are so many aspects of this case, that I find so reprehensible that I am unable to sit and keep my mouth closed, my opinions to myself, and the fact finding at a minimum.
When i first came across this case, i was on my lunch break at work, and read the transcripts from the Dateline website. I was so enraged, so mortified, and so hurt for a man that sits behind bars. I immediately picked up my pen and wrote a letter to Billy. I kept this letter in my purse for almost a week, so unsure of sending it. I mean, who does that? But with each day, there this was, in my head, in my heart, the travesty that was done to this man. The crime committed against a little girl. The pain of a mother losing her entire family. Two little girls who's world was torn apart. I could not live with myself as I sat each day and kept my mouth closed. So I mailed the letter.
A relationship began with Billy, and I knew that there was no way that this man could be guilty of anything of this nature. But I continued to devour all information about this case. i opened the website built by Kevin Bracket, and I read every line, looked at every photo, watched every video. By the time I was done, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Billy Wayne Cope was innocent beyond any measure. That is when my fight began.
When something happens to a child, there is this automatic emotional transformation that occurs. We no longer see the person accused, we only see the person before us as the person who must pay. When we are faced with the ugly description of what is done to a child, or we are shown photos or other visual stimuli, we no longer are a civilized people, we are transformed into this wild beast with pitch forks and torches, and the blood of the monster is the only thing that will satisfy us. The solicitor's office played on this emotional upheaval during the trial in hopes that the very core of this anger and outrage would blind all to the facts and ensure him another high publicity win. You see this in things around the courtroom that NEVER should have been allowed in the room. Brooms and mops of all shapes and sizes. Were they part of the evidence? NO. Was there any DNA or evidence linking them to the crime? NO. Why were they there? To inflame the jury. To keep the pitch fork mentality going, to never allow it to ease because that meant that that maybe, someone would see beyond the theatrics of his performance.
I have sat and I have gone over and over in my head some of the things that are being lied about by the solicitor's office, and I have looked at the video that Willie Thompson filmed that went over every single injury that this little girl suffered. The detail he gives, is so distasteful, that I could not watch it. There just does not seem to be any value in denying this little girl respect even in death. The suffering that she went through before her life was taken, the fear and the pain that she knew in her final minutes, haunt me to no end. I cannot go into a detailed argument over the false accusations of prior sexual abuse because to do so, I would need to point out some of the atrocities that Amanda suffered. I cannot do it. I cannot sit here and feel good about victimizing this little girl again and again just for a moment on a soap box.
If Mr. Brackett's office feels anything done to this little girl, a child of just 12 years, is abominable in any way, then perhaps he needs to step down from his stage and allow Amanda to be remembered as someone that deserves better. In my humble opinion, Kevin Brackett and Willie Thompson are raping and murdering Amanda repeatedly by glorifying all that she suffered just so they can get their point accross. I have to ask Kevin, if this was your daughter, would you allow the images, the assault to be broadcast all over the internet for everyone and anyone's enjoyment? Does Amanda not matter to you at all? After all, she was from a poor family, barely any means of survival, the bottom class right? Does her social standing deliver her from the basic rights of dignity?
As I read the billywaynecope.com site, there were more questions than answers. None of them good for the prosecution. In this obvious attempt to justify the actions of the police department, the solicitor's office, and the judicial system as a whole in York County South Carolina, it became clear that Mr. Brackett has left behind the morals that are required of a man in his position, but instead looks to the number of wins that he can print on his resume, no matter the cost.
There was a time when our society stood up to tyranny and poured outrage into picket signs and we would not be shut down. I am aware that the age is gone and we are only left with the notion and need to bury our heads in the sand and ignore that ugly around us. To many, it may seem that Billy Wayne Cope is insignificant in the fights that need to be fought. But if we are always waiting for the bigger war, then the battles are going to pass us by. I cannot sit by, keep my mouth shut, and watch the system that I depend on crumble under bullies or tyrants of any size. I may be one woman, I may be nameless, I may be here today and gone tomorrow. But I have beliefs, I have morals, and I have the ability to stand up and say "you will not do this". That is why I am fighting. For a little girl who died needlessly.For a mother that lost everything.For two little girls that lost their world.For a father, a husband, that sits in prison illegally.For a system that I believe in, a system that needs morals and ethics.For a legacy that began on small ideas, and depends on the little people.
Please be a voice. There is a petition for Billy Cope and his freedom. http://www.change.org/petitions/free-an-innocent-man-free-billy-wayne-cope
Please sign and undo the injustice that has been done!
When i first came across this case, i was on my lunch break at work, and read the transcripts from the Dateline website. I was so enraged, so mortified, and so hurt for a man that sits behind bars. I immediately picked up my pen and wrote a letter to Billy. I kept this letter in my purse for almost a week, so unsure of sending it. I mean, who does that? But with each day, there this was, in my head, in my heart, the travesty that was done to this man. The crime committed against a little girl. The pain of a mother losing her entire family. Two little girls who's world was torn apart. I could not live with myself as I sat each day and kept my mouth closed. So I mailed the letter.
A relationship began with Billy, and I knew that there was no way that this man could be guilty of anything of this nature. But I continued to devour all information about this case. i opened the website built by Kevin Bracket, and I read every line, looked at every photo, watched every video. By the time I was done, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Billy Wayne Cope was innocent beyond any measure. That is when my fight began.
When something happens to a child, there is this automatic emotional transformation that occurs. We no longer see the person accused, we only see the person before us as the person who must pay. When we are faced with the ugly description of what is done to a child, or we are shown photos or other visual stimuli, we no longer are a civilized people, we are transformed into this wild beast with pitch forks and torches, and the blood of the monster is the only thing that will satisfy us. The solicitor's office played on this emotional upheaval during the trial in hopes that the very core of this anger and outrage would blind all to the facts and ensure him another high publicity win. You see this in things around the courtroom that NEVER should have been allowed in the room. Brooms and mops of all shapes and sizes. Were they part of the evidence? NO. Was there any DNA or evidence linking them to the crime? NO. Why were they there? To inflame the jury. To keep the pitch fork mentality going, to never allow it to ease because that meant that that maybe, someone would see beyond the theatrics of his performance.
I have sat and I have gone over and over in my head some of the things that are being lied about by the solicitor's office, and I have looked at the video that Willie Thompson filmed that went over every single injury that this little girl suffered. The detail he gives, is so distasteful, that I could not watch it. There just does not seem to be any value in denying this little girl respect even in death. The suffering that she went through before her life was taken, the fear and the pain that she knew in her final minutes, haunt me to no end. I cannot go into a detailed argument over the false accusations of prior sexual abuse because to do so, I would need to point out some of the atrocities that Amanda suffered. I cannot do it. I cannot sit here and feel good about victimizing this little girl again and again just for a moment on a soap box.
If Mr. Brackett's office feels anything done to this little girl, a child of just 12 years, is abominable in any way, then perhaps he needs to step down from his stage and allow Amanda to be remembered as someone that deserves better. In my humble opinion, Kevin Brackett and Willie Thompson are raping and murdering Amanda repeatedly by glorifying all that she suffered just so they can get their point accross. I have to ask Kevin, if this was your daughter, would you allow the images, the assault to be broadcast all over the internet for everyone and anyone's enjoyment? Does Amanda not matter to you at all? After all, she was from a poor family, barely any means of survival, the bottom class right? Does her social standing deliver her from the basic rights of dignity?
As I read the billywaynecope.com site, there were more questions than answers. None of them good for the prosecution. In this obvious attempt to justify the actions of the police department, the solicitor's office, and the judicial system as a whole in York County South Carolina, it became clear that Mr. Brackett has left behind the morals that are required of a man in his position, but instead looks to the number of wins that he can print on his resume, no matter the cost.
There was a time when our society stood up to tyranny and poured outrage into picket signs and we would not be shut down. I am aware that the age is gone and we are only left with the notion and need to bury our heads in the sand and ignore that ugly around us. To many, it may seem that Billy Wayne Cope is insignificant in the fights that need to be fought. But if we are always waiting for the bigger war, then the battles are going to pass us by. I cannot sit by, keep my mouth shut, and watch the system that I depend on crumble under bullies or tyrants of any size. I may be one woman, I may be nameless, I may be here today and gone tomorrow. But I have beliefs, I have morals, and I have the ability to stand up and say "you will not do this". That is why I am fighting. For a little girl who died needlessly.For a mother that lost everything.For two little girls that lost their world.For a father, a husband, that sits in prison illegally.For a system that I believe in, a system that needs morals and ethics.For a legacy that began on small ideas, and depends on the little people.
Please be a voice. There is a petition for Billy Cope and his freedom. http://www.change.org/petitions/free-an-innocent-man-free-billy-wayne-cope
Please sign and undo the injustice that has been done!
