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An intriguing headline in the local paper caught Spencer's eye one ordinary day. "They Just Want to Watch Me Burn" told of a death row inmate who had "tried to commit suicide by taking a razor apart, and slitting his jugular vein." Luckily, he was discovered when his cellmate was awakened by blood dripping down into the bottom bunk. When Lowery arrived at the hospital, he was given blood transfusions, saving his life. The inmate's anger, though, was staggering as he felt he had been rescued only so "they could watch him die in the electric chair, rather than die the way he wanted to." The article made it clear that at this time in Lowery's life, he believed the world was filled with "mean and hateful people" who were "sadistic, mean, uncaring, and despicable." This is the story of how a random stranger was compelled to tell a prison inmate that good, compassionate people exist.
As the two began to correspond, Spencer came to believe Lowery was innocent. She was angry and appalled by the way his case was handled. As a child, Lowery had suffered severe abuse at the hands of his grandparents, leaving him vulnerable to abusive authoritarian figures. The handling by the police of his arrest for murder was abusive, incompetent, and illegal. When Spencer recruited help for him, and the case was examined, it became obvious there had been a miscarriage of justice. At the time, DNA testing was just beginning to exonerate others who had been falsely imprisoned, and the numbers were staggering. Of course, it took years to resolve his case. Finally, after serving twenty-eight years in prison, Lowery was released.
The authors effectively share the story of how Lowery was coerced into a false confession, the battles with the court system, and how he ultimately gained freedom. It is a story of survival, but it is also the story of the couple's love for each other. During the fight for Lowery's release, the two fell in love and married Their impressions of their unusual romance are written in language conveying respect, admiration, and gratitude. In addition to writing about the circumstances surrounding the case and the disturbing statistics concerning false imprisonment, the authors testify to the importance of God as a source of comfort in their lives. As Spencer attests, it was an urging from the Holy Spirit which compelled her to write that first letter to Lowery. Throughout the book, both speak freely of how God helped them through each trial. This is their poignant and personal story of what love can do—both their love for Christ and for each other.
This book is disturbing in its revelations. The writers reach deep into themselves to share a story that, though truly horrific, is infused with love and hope. One finds the incomprehensible abuses Lowery suffered, first at the hands of his grandparents and then law enforcement and the court system, hard to read. The result is truly gripping when the authors' matter-of-fact writing style and the book's chilling subject matter are united. The authors' voices are intriguing, and one is immediately pulled into their captivating story. Regardless of preconceived ideas about false confessions, this work gives readers many things to consider. Spencer and Lowery are to be commended for sharing this deeply personal story and shedding light on injustice. It is an enlightening indictment of the criminal justice system from a unique perspective.