If you're searching for an example of what open hearts can achieve, then look no further than the story of Jennifer Thompson and Ronald Cotton. When Thompson identified Cotton as her rapist in 1984, she was sure she had the right man. But she was wrong. Cotton, then 22, was convicted of raping Thompson and another woman on the same night in Burlington, N.C. He would spend the next 11 years behind bars for a crime he didn't commit.
That's not so uncommon, right? We now know how unreliable eyewitness testimonies can be. That was the tragedy; now for the remarkable part:
In 1995, DNA evidence cleared Cotton of the rapes and showed that another man who was in prison with him was the rapist, a case recently covered by CBS' '60 Minutes.' Now, Thompson and Cotton are friends and have written a new book together on their story called 'Picking Cotton.' Source
The two speak on the phone weekly and travel together to speak out on the problems with eyewitness evidence. Even their families are friends. Thompson said she felt horrible guilt when she found out Cotton was not her rapist. "Suffocating, debilitating shame," she told '60 Minutes.' She asked Cotton if she could meet with him at a local church. "I started to cry immediately. And I looked at him, and I said, 'Ron, if I spent every second of every minute of every hour for the rest of my life telling you how sorry I am, it wouldn't come close to how my heart feels. I'm so sorry.' And Ronald just leaned down, he took my hands...and he looked at me. He said, 'I forgive you,'" Thompson told CBS. "I told her, I said, 'Jennifer, I forgive you. I don't want you to look over your shoulder. I just want us to be happy and move on in life,'"Cotton said. SourceI hope none of us reading this will ever find ourselves in Cotton's or Thompson's position. But the path that these two chose to walk together stands as a beacon of conduct for all of us.
Is there someone YOU need to forgive to free yourself?
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Comments: (97)
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By: OUCH on 3/11/2009 10:26AM
Good God.... only, ONLY a black man would find himself in participating in such incredibly insane nonsense, LOL. White woman fingers him as her rapist. They lock his black azz up for 11 years. After stealing 11 years of his life, somebody decides it's time to pay attention to the DNA evidence that was available all along...ho-hum.. he's cleared and set free. He gets out, white woman who lied on him asks to meet him. They meet. She turns on the old white woman waterworks and crys, he lets her off the hook ofcourse. They become "friends", and have written a book together titled, "Picking Cotton".
SMDH. ONLY a black man.
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By: dc on 3/11/2009 11:26AM
He got convicted in 1984, not 2004. DNA was not the science then that we have come to rely on today!!!
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By: ann on 3/11/2009 1:13PM
You're right only a black man....you know why, because black people are some of the most forgiving people on this earth. Look at Katrina, even Stevie Wonder could see what was going on. Just look at our history and all that we've endured as a people. I just think it's in our nature, we've been discriminated against and wronged so much that we just keep our heads up and keep going. I always say, heaven is gonna be filled with a whole lot of black faces, there will hardly be a white face in sight. If they happen to make it up there, they'll probably ask to leave once they realize that Jesus is not white!
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By: deelyte on 3/17/2009 11:27PM
Not only did THEY write a book, but SHE is sharing in the profits!!!. . . Now. . . if she was soooo remorseful about what she did, how come she did'nt defere all book profits TO HIM ALONE? Which in essence means that she is being rewarded for her bad behavior!!!. .Only in America!
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By: andrew on 3/13/2009 10:45AM
We've all made mistakes so why can't jennifer? Although it was a terrible mistake, and if she is sincere why punish her. Yes it hurts but a mistake can be compared to an accident done but not intentional
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By: sexualchocolatelol on 3/13/2009 11:36AM
lol...it wouldn't have been me. i wouldn't have forgave crap. well, this is the first story i've ever heard of this, letting you know you get one silly man every 2000 years who would forgive someone for wrongfully putting them in jail for 11 years. that must have been the smoothest 11 years in jail ever.
put it this way. she's crying about how much she wants to apologize...'okay, sleep with me for the next eleven years irregardless of your present situation and the debt will be repayed'! let's see how she reacts to that. but this story would have never been published had he made an offer like that. i think they paid dude to make it seem like he wasn't upset. hmpf...that's a movie in itself. lol...i would have had to forgive her behind a bulletproof glass. as soon as i would have seen her, i would have had to have been like Hannibal Lecter, tied up with a muzzle. lol.
but i'm sure my man was just thankful to be out. if i had to forgive someone to get me out of 'everday butt banging' i'd forgive them in a second. but i'd still ask for that 11-year passionate advance.
now i'm a 'real' black man. sex solves everything. not writing a book with someone...lol. gimme da booty...and food of course.
peace
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By: LDH on 3/11/2009 11:17AM
I totally agree with you. I'm not trying to be hostile..but we as black people forgive for everything. And on top of that only because it is a white women showing remorse (or guilt)would it even get any attention. Don't get me wrong...I am not always angry , but sometimes I think we need to be angry for more than 10 minutes when racism stares us right in face. We must decide if this black man was being honest or he was afraid not to forgive on camera.After all he was falsely accused by 12 of her peers..oh sorry !!...HIS PEERS
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By: ann on 3/11/2009 1:12PM
I saw the interview and I really believe he's forgiven her, of course I'm sure it's with the help of GOD. We are forgiving people, always have been and probably always will be. That's one thing whites have figured out about us. Ever notice how they get irate and upset about things that have absolutely nothing to do with them. They always want to have a say in and about everything, even if it's none of their business...they'll make it their business, most Black people aren't like that. We may have an opinion about a situation but if it doesn't involve us, we'll stay out of it and let folks work their own problems out.
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By: Tired of poor me attitude on 3/11/2009 4:51PM
Oh PLEASE! Forgiving? Then why, at EVERY opportunity do we hear about Slavery? Nobody even KNOWS a slave or a slaves child. It has been over 145 years and it is used as an excuse to this day.
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By: Choppa on 3/13/2009 6:03PM
In response to:
By: Tired of poor me attitude on 3/11/2009 4:51PMNeutral Oh PLEASE! Forgiving? Then why, at EVERY opportunity do we hear about Slavery? Nobody even KNOWS a slave or a slaves child. It has been over 145 years and it is used as an excuse to this day.
FYI...It seems you miss the point entirely. Moreover, you must be the "nobody" that doesn't know "a slave or slaves child". The majority of "African-Americans in America IS a descendant of a slave, hence, a slaves child!! LMAO at how you failed to consider that.
On that note, I agree with others that note the forgiving spirit that African-American possess. Albeit, some are angry..and rightfully so, it is our HUMAN right to be angry when our rights are trampled upon...but we still forgive. Rarely is that anger aimed at the source, which is a pity. So thank God some possess the "poor me attitude" for if you prefer the retaliation method...well the world would be an uglier place... MUAH!
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