Thursday, December 31, 1998
Another chapter in their lives
CRIME VICTIM GETS LETTER
Debbie Morris was signing her book, Forgiving the Dead Man Walking (Zondervan; $19.99), in New Orleans Nov. 27, when a woman handed her a letter from Joseph Vaccaro.
“I was just shocked by it,” the 34-year-old Union woman said. “It's hard to sort out how you feel about seeing a letter from a man who kidnapped and raped you 18 years ago. I was very grateful for the letter and pleased. It sounds as though he has, somewhat, gotten his life together in prison, which I'm thrilled about.”
Hearing from Mr. Vaccaro has been the most memorable and unexpected outcome of her book, which detailed her kidnapping and rapes by Mr. Vaccaro and Robert Willie in 1980. She was then 16-year-old Debbie Cuevas from Madisonville, La. Mr. Willie, portrayed by Sean Penn in the movie Dead Man Walking, was executed in 1984. Mr. Vaccaro is serving three life sentences in a maximum security federal prison.
The book, which describes the crimes and her journey toward forgiveness, was published in August (25,000 copies in its first printing). In one month, sales exceeded the publisher's expectations for the life of the book, now in its seventh printing.
She attributed the book's success to its connection with the movie and the death penalty debate.
What's more, Mrs. Morris said reporters were intrigued by the inclusion of the word “forgiving” in the title, so she often did five media interviews a day between August and the first part of November.
Mrs. Morris, wife and mother of two children, crisscrossed the country, appearing on television shows and speaking at colleges, churches and conventions. She appeared on the cover of Ladies Home Journal in October and will appear on the May cover of Today's Christian Woman. Her book will be condensed in January for the Reader's Digest non-fiction hardback series.
The New Orleans woman who handed Mrs. Morris the letter from Mr. Vaccaro is his pen pal. Mrs. Morris expects a follow-up, because the letter was only partially completed. Mr. Vaccaro has read her book, but Mrs. Morris declined to reveal the letter's contents.
“I won't say anything about that until I'm able to talk to him, personally, except that he expressed a lot of remorse and deep grief over what he had done.” She plans to write him after Christmas.
Besides Mr. Vaccaro, Mrs. Morris heard from law enforcement, prosecutors, grand jury and jury members involved with her case. At the end of October, she got a call from Mr. Penn. He had seen her interview on Extra and apologized for not being able to appear with her on the Leeza talk showearlier in the month.
Mrs. Morris also got hundreds of letters and e-mails from strangers who were touched by the book.
“It's made me see that this book really has helped other people out there. It's healed, and it's inspired. All the glory for this goes to God.”
Another chapter in their lives
JAIL HAUNTS INNOCENT MAN
QUADS THRIVE IN KINDERGARTEN
CRIME VICTIM GETS LETTER
LESBIAN TEEN'S HARD YEAR
MOTHER-DAUGHTER CLOSER
EX-RINGMASTER ON STAGE
TEEN FINDS HER OWN HOME
WINNING BASEBALL TEAM
BEANIE MADNESS SLOWS
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