Cruel and Unusual
January 8, 1981. Lodi, California. Michael Morales grabbed 17-year-old Terri Winchell from behind and attempted to strangle her with his belt. He then took a hammer and repeatedly struck his victim in the head, beating her into unconsciousness and crushing her skull. Morales left 23 identifiable wounds in Terri’s skull. Then he dragged her face-down across the road into a vineyard where he raped Terri Winchell and left her face down on the ground. Morales started to leave, but returned to stab Terri in the chest four times. Terri Winchell died from her wounds at the hand of Michael Morales and was left face down in the vineyard, naked from the waist down.
Morales confessed to the crime. He was tried and convicted. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection.
Now he has expressed remorse and is concerned that lethal injection may cause pain and therefore would be unconstitutional.
I believe that Terri Winchell suffered extreme pain at the hand of Morales as he repeatedly struck her in the head, raped and stabbed her. His punishment is, in my opinion, lenient. “Cruel and unusual punishment” does not equate to “not painful.”
Many do not agree with me. Many think that lethal injection is as cruel and unusual as is execution by hanging, electrocution, or the gas chamber. Read “A Deadly Clarity” printed in the LA Times. Not suprisingly, the author does not mention Terri Winchell a single time, as if this was a victimless crime. If the author had mentioned the victim, you might not sympathize with his subject - Michael Morales.
But Morales brutally raped and murdered Terri Winchell. And after he murdered her and left her naked and face down in the dirt, he took $11 from her purse to buy beer, wine, and cigarettes.
Is lethal injection “cruel and unusual” for the crime? Was Terri Winchell’s death cruel and unusual?
Once again, much of the media has chosen to fixate on the condemned, as if they were the victim.
At times I go to the garden of my heart
and pluck a rose of memory,
The thorns are sharp, and often pierce
to the point of pain,
But the beautiful fragrance of the rose
makes it all worthwhile.the dewdrops that appear are only tears
from an aching, broken heart.Then I leave my garden
and lock the gate… for awhile,
Til the scent of roses draws me back,
once more… to endure the bittersweet
pain… of memory!To my little rosebud, Terri Lynn
from her MomBarbara Christian
The People v. Michael Morales Background information from the California Dept of Justice - Office of Victims Services
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