Executed by the State of Illinois on September 18, 1996

Even though Ray Lee’s tragic life was full of reasons that had led to his crimes, such as regular beatings by an alcoholic father who sexually abused his sisters, and life on the streets from an early age that led to life-long mental problems, he never made any excuses. He spent the last years and months of his life trying to redeem the tragedy of his life, trying to make up, if only in the smallest way, for the wrongs he had done.

He tried to write and tape apologies to his victims’ families. He tried to sell paintings to be able to leave a small amount of money to a daughter he barely knew. He tried to donate his organs, the only things he owned in the world, but the Department of Corrections would not allow it. Cardinal Bernardin, who was himself dying of cancer, met with Ray and prayed with him. The mother of one of his victims, Connie Mitchell, a fellow Christian, forgave and befriended him.

He felt he failed, but he asked me to sing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" outside the prison as he was executed. He wrote verses of apologies to all he felt he’d wronged. I sang them and led hundreds in song with me that night in Joliet.

Written by Jennifer Bishop, National Board Chair of Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation.

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