Keyword Search:
text size: A | A | A
Victim's Family Speaks Before Execution
01/15/09 1:05 pm   |   reporter: Jeremy Campbell   producer: Jeremy Campbell
ABC 33/40 News - Victim's Family Speaks Before Execution
Stay on top of breaking news!
Sign up for ABC 33/40 News e-mail alerts.
Your Email:  
Follow ABC 33/40 News on Twitter
related stories:
Ohatchee, AL - The family of an East Alabama woman killed in 1982 shares their story just before her convicted murderer is scheduled to die. James Harvey Callahan is on death row for the abduction and murder of 26-year old Rebecca Suzanne Howell. Barring any last minute reprieve from the U.S. Supreme Court Callahan will be executed at 6 p.m. And this Thursday morning relatives of his victim spoke exclusively with ABC 33/40.

Beth Coheley, the victim's mother, says "It's something you don't forget. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas... we miss her. It's just an ongoing thing. That's the reason these appeals have been so hurtful to us. We think finally the closure we need - not just want- will be forthcoming."

The victim's sister, Donna Wood, explains "It's the justice that Becky finally deserves. We've waited a long time."

Her stepfther call it "An ending. One chapter is over and we'll just move on to another chapter. It's just all these appeals and trials... it's just like scratching a sore. It just hurts more and more and more. At least we won't have to scratch this sore again."

Wood explains, "Whenever we have to deal with an issue that involved Callahan - if it's a hearing, a trial, if it's another appeal - that forces us to think about the way she died and the way she died is devastating."

To her mother, "It's what he took from us. And he hasn't paid for it yet and life's pretty important."

Coheley has - in a way - lived through this before. A year ago she traveled to Holman Prison in Atmore only to learn that Callahan had been granted a stay one hour and ten

minutes before the execution.

Callahan is scheduled for death by lethal injection at 6 p.m. Thursday night.

 Email To Friend  Email This Article  AddThis Feed Button     Add to Mixx!

read more stories in Local News

ABC 33/40 Talkback - Story Comments
You need to be a registered member of
ABC 33/40 News to leave comments on news stories.
Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.
Username or Email Address
Password
Please leave your comments below:
Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.
More News and Videos


TM & © TV Alabama, Inc.
Please read our Privacy Policy. By using this site, you accept our Terms of Service.
Children's Television | EEO Reports | DTV Consumer Education Reports | Satellite Home Viewer Act Information
Closed Captioning Contact Information

ABC 33/40 adheres to the ICRA RATING SYSTEM

Pages throughout the ABC 33/40 website feature links to other sites, some of which are operated by companies unrelated to ABC 33/40.
ABC 33/40 has no control over the content or availability of any linked site.

Legal Notices. "TM & © TV Alabama, Inc.", recognizes the privacy interests of visitors to this site on the Internet.

{ts '2009-10-17 10:40:45'}