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Death Sentence
In this “true story that reads like a novel,” the #1 New York Times–bestselling author reveals the facts behind a notorious Southern murder case (Library Journal).
When North Carolina farmer Stuart Taylor died after a sudden illness, his forty-six-year-old fiancée, Velma Barfield, was overcome with grief. Taylor’s family grieved with her—until the autopsy revealed traces of arsenic poisoning. Turned over to the authorities by her own son, Velma stunned her family with more revelations. This wasn’t the first time she had committed cold-blooded murder, and she would eventually be tried by the “world’s deadliest prosecutor” and sentenced to death.
This book probes Velma’s stark descent into madness, her prescription drug addiction, and her effort to turn her life around through Christianity. From her harrowing childhood to the crimes that incited a national debate over the death penalty, to the final moments of her execution, Velma Barfield’s life of crime and punishment, revenge and redemption, this is crime reporting at its most gripping and profound.
“A painfully intimate, moving story about the life and death of the only woman executed in the U.S. between 1962–1998 . . . With graceful writing and thorough reporting, it makes the reader look hard at something dark and sad in the human soul . . . Breathes new life into the true crime genre.” —The News & Observer
“Undertakes to answer the questions about the justice system and the motives that drive women to kill.” —The Washington Post Book World
“An extraordinary piece of writing . . . The most chilling description of a legal execution that we are ever likely to get.” —Citizen-Times
“Taut and engrossing on the nature of justice and the death penalty as well as on guilt and responsibility.” —Booklist
When North Carolina farmer Stuart Taylor died after a sudden illness, his forty-six-year-old fiancée, Velma Barfield, was overcome with grief. Taylor’s family grieved with her—until the autopsy revealed traces of arsenic poisoning. Turned over to the authorities by her own son, Velma stunned her family with more revelations. This wasn’t the first time she had committed cold-blooded murder, and she would eventually be tried by the “world’s deadliest prosecutor” and sentenced to death.
This book probes Velma’s stark descent into madness, her prescription drug addiction, and her effort to turn her life around through Christianity. From her harrowing childhood to the crimes that incited a national debate over the death penalty, to the final moments of her execution, Velma Barfield’s life of crime and punishment, revenge and redemption, this is crime reporting at its most gripping and profound.
“A painfully intimate, moving story about the life and death of the only woman executed in the U.S. between 1962–1998 . . . With graceful writing and thorough reporting, it makes the reader look hard at something dark and sad in the human soul . . . Breathes new life into the true crime genre.” —The News & Observer
“Undertakes to answer the questions about the justice system and the motives that drive women to kill.” —The Washington Post Book World
“An extraordinary piece of writing . . . The most chilling description of a legal execution that we are ever likely to get.” —Citizen-Times
“Taut and engrossing on the nature of justice and the death penalty as well as on guilt and responsibility.” —Booklist
502 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
289 people are currently reading
764 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Bledsoe
54 books89 followersJerry Bledsoe is the author of "The New York Times "#1 bestseller "Bitter Blood, "and others. He has written for "Esquire, The New York Times, "and many other publications. He lives in North Carolina and Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 13, 2016
I spent much of the time I read this book angry.
Velma Barfield admitted that she had administered poison "to make them sick" to her victims...so I wasn't angry that an innocent person was found guilty.
Although Barfield was not wealthy enough to hire an lawyer with extensive death penalty case experience many such lawyers were involved in her case over the many years between her sentencing and final execution...so I wasn't angry about her lack of representation.
What I was angry about was the many, many presumptions and prejudices that underlay the way in which she was treated in prision, in the media and in the legal system.
Barfield was treated with a stunning amount of decency at a time when many other prisioners were enduring treatment that other countries have characterized as torture or, at the very least, cruel and unusal punishment. She had 'contact' visits with family while some other inmates were kept in solitary for years. She was allowed to receive phone calls from famous people. She was given birthday parties while in prison. There were a few moments when her treatment came closer to that of the 'average' prisoner but they stand out in the general sea of 'special' treatment.
And why? Repeatedly we are told that people considered her to have done "so much good" in prison. Which apparently meant that having called herself a Christian all her life (a time that included her many poisonings) she declared that she truly found God in prison. The proof of this, as much as anyone offered any, was that she "ministered" to others in prison, which meant in practice that she listened to their problems and let them call her 'mama.' As much comfort as that may have given the other inmates I fail to see that as brave active ministry. Barfield was 'bravely' proselytizing for the dominant religion of her area. She was 'bravely' exhorting prisoners to follow the tenets of the same religion practiced by those who incarcerated them.
Barfield may indeed have had a hard childhood (although not extraordinaryily harder than that of many of those around her.) She struggled with drug dependency for much of her life and there is little doubt that her many attempts to pay for drugs and get additional prescriptions resulted in her breaking the law repeatedly. One leaves the book wondering at the many doctors who prescribed painkillers and antidepressants with such ease and with a hightened understanding of why getting painkillers has become so much more difficult as the legal/medical system has had a chance to see the consequences of that practice.
Barfield, removed from a world in which she had to struggle to deal with her addictions and worry about how to make ends meet financially, seemed much happier in a world where her every need was looked after by the state. That is not surprising. It doesn't make her brave it just means that she functioned very differently in a world from which pressures she dealt with badly had been removed.
One has to wonder how well Barfield would have been treated had her spiritual journey taken her to a religion less approved and understood by her jailers and the outside community. What, for example, would have been the response, if she had found relief in Islam. Or Buddhism.
Finally, Bledsoe points out that for all the many, many discussions about the role of race in the application of capital punishment in the United States there has been comparatively little exploration of the role of gender in trying and sentencing criminals.
All in all, an informative book that was frustrating to the degree that it opened up a window on the presumptions of others and the actual application of the law.
Velma Barfield admitted that she had administered poison "to make them sick" to her victims...so I wasn't angry that an innocent person was found guilty.
Although Barfield was not wealthy enough to hire an lawyer with extensive death penalty case experience many such lawyers were involved in her case over the many years between her sentencing and final execution...so I wasn't angry about her lack of representation.
What I was angry about was the many, many presumptions and prejudices that underlay the way in which she was treated in prision, in the media and in the legal system.
Barfield was treated with a stunning amount of decency at a time when many other prisioners were enduring treatment that other countries have characterized as torture or, at the very least, cruel and unusal punishment. She had 'contact' visits with family while some other inmates were kept in solitary for years. She was allowed to receive phone calls from famous people. She was given birthday parties while in prison. There were a few moments when her treatment came closer to that of the 'average' prisoner but they stand out in the general sea of 'special' treatment.
And why? Repeatedly we are told that people considered her to have done "so much good" in prison. Which apparently meant that having called herself a Christian all her life (a time that included her many poisonings) she declared that she truly found God in prison. The proof of this, as much as anyone offered any, was that she "ministered" to others in prison, which meant in practice that she listened to their problems and let them call her 'mama.' As much comfort as that may have given the other inmates I fail to see that as brave active ministry. Barfield was 'bravely' proselytizing for the dominant religion of her area. She was 'bravely' exhorting prisoners to follow the tenets of the same religion practiced by those who incarcerated them.
Barfield may indeed have had a hard childhood (although not extraordinaryily harder than that of many of those around her.) She struggled with drug dependency for much of her life and there is little doubt that her many attempts to pay for drugs and get additional prescriptions resulted in her breaking the law repeatedly. One leaves the book wondering at the many doctors who prescribed painkillers and antidepressants with such ease and with a hightened understanding of why getting painkillers has become so much more difficult as the legal/medical system has had a chance to see the consequences of that practice.
Barfield, removed from a world in which she had to struggle to deal with her addictions and worry about how to make ends meet financially, seemed much happier in a world where her every need was looked after by the state. That is not surprising. It doesn't make her brave it just means that she functioned very differently in a world from which pressures she dealt with badly had been removed.
One has to wonder how well Barfield would have been treated had her spiritual journey taken her to a religion less approved and understood by her jailers and the outside community. What, for example, would have been the response, if she had found relief in Islam. Or Buddhism.
Finally, Bledsoe points out that for all the many, many discussions about the role of race in the application of capital punishment in the United States there has been comparatively little exploration of the role of gender in trying and sentencing criminals.
All in all, an informative book that was frustrating to the degree that it opened up a window on the presumptions of others and the actual application of the law.
June 12, 2014
Heartbreaking book.
This book tells both sides of a very sad murder story. I was always for the death penalty until reading this book.I have all the sympathy in the world for the victims and there families.I never saw the other side of it. When the perpetrators families have to go through the ups and downs of trying to save the life of there loved one. When someone has redeemed themselves and is doing good for others even prisoners it should count for something. This family continually went through the ups and downs of appeals and stays of execution.It destroyed the lives of her family for many years to come.There were a lot of circumstances that presented during trial tha t I think should have overturned the sentence of death. This book has really made a huge impact on me.
This book tells both sides of a very sad murder story. I was always for the death penalty until reading this book.I have all the sympathy in the world for the victims and there families.I never saw the other side of it. When the perpetrators families have to go through the ups and downs of trying to save the life of there loved one. When someone has redeemed themselves and is doing good for others even prisoners it should count for something. This family continually went through the ups and downs of appeals and stays of execution.It destroyed the lives of her family for many years to come.There were a lot of circumstances that presented during trial tha t I think should have overturned the sentence of death. This book has really made a huge impact on me.
August 14, 2014
Another book I did not register on GR apparently.
I gave it a 9 out of 10 on Bookcrossing and on Thursday, March 22, 2007 I wrote about this book:
9 out of 10
Well I see I forgot to write a journal entry.
I completed this book on January 31st and really enjoyed it.
What a story. very well written.
Highly recommend
I gave it a 9 out of 10 on Bookcrossing and on Thursday, March 22, 2007 I wrote about this book:
9 out of 10
Well I see I forgot to write a journal entry.
I completed this book on January 31st and really enjoyed it.
What a story. very well written.
Highly recommend
March 27, 2019
A balanced, thorough history of Margie Velma Barfield, this book delivers exactly what it says on the cover. Nobody writes like this now--Bledsoe is totally absent from this work, proving that it is possible to write third person investigative journalism. I wish there were more, many more , like him.
May 14, 2024
I didn't realize the range of emotions I would have while reading this. I liked that it had multiple perspectives within.
February 27, 2018
Velma Barfield grew up in poverty, married and got out of the house and away from her abusive father just as soon as she could. She was a model mother to her two children, whom she adored, room mother, and a good employee. Things began to spiral downwards when her husband began drinking and became an alcoholic who couldn't hold on to a job. After Velma had a hysterectomy and was prescribed medication for chronic back pain, her personality changed drastically. She was soon addicted to pain killers and committed heinous crimes. Once caught, imprisoned, and clean, she never denied that she deserved to be punished for her crimes "while under the influence," but would the jury agree that the medications so altered her reasoning that she did not deserve the death penalty?
Jerry Bledsoe presents an intriguing account of Velma's life and clearly portrays the events which led to her capture, the impact it had on the family members who loved her, the prescription culture which willingly fed her addiction, and gives a non-biased description of her trial. The account of the trial and its lead-up was too ponderous and detailed for my taste, and I found it repetitive of many things already covered in the description of events. It was overall, however, a very thought-provoking story; the woman who did terrible things and damaged many peoples' lives while on drugs, and the caring helpful woman who wanted to lift and encourage others when clean. Is it appropriate she pay for her crimes with her life?
Jerry Bledsoe presents an intriguing account of Velma's life and clearly portrays the events which led to her capture, the impact it had on the family members who loved her, the prescription culture which willingly fed her addiction, and gives a non-biased description of her trial. The account of the trial and its lead-up was too ponderous and detailed for my taste, and I found it repetitive of many things already covered in the description of events. It was overall, however, a very thought-provoking story; the woman who did terrible things and damaged many peoples' lives while on drugs, and the caring helpful woman who wanted to lift and encourage others when clean. Is it appropriate she pay for her crimes with her life?
October 7, 2013
Jerry Bledsoe did a good job of providing background about Velma Barfield and showing how her crimes impacted her children & the impact she had on the folks who tried to help her. However, I am skeptical that Velma was truly reformed before her execution. For her sake, I hope she did truly have a religious experience & repented for her past crimes. So many criminals use religion as an excuse to try & avoid their punishment, and a part of me feels like Velma was one of them. I still feel Bitter Blood was a better read.
December 7, 2015
This book was well researched and well written. I can't say just why I didn't care for it. I guess I couldn't relate to anyone in the story.
Still I would recommend Bledsoe's work to anyone who enjoys true crime books.
Still I would recommend Bledsoe's work to anyone who enjoys true crime books.
September 11, 2016
Just really, really slow because Jerry Bledsoe loves details and has a tendency to over describe amd get into the weeds. Its an interesting story but not nearly as good as Bitter Blood.
January 7, 2023
I found the book fascinating...at first. Following a convicted serial killer through trial, appeals and execution. Until the preaching and all out attempt to try to portray this murderer as a godly wonderful woman. She brutally murdered FIVE people! One by fire, four by torturous poisoning. Including her husband and mother! She destroyed her victims families and the lives of her own two children. What the heck?
July 9, 2025
Addiction. We all know someone where it’s close or from a far that has dealt with it. It has torn families apart and made people do stupid things.
However there is no excuse to kill multiple people over it. Period. They spent a lot of time on her appeals process before the ultimate and correct punishment.
Very much recommend.
However there is no excuse to kill multiple people over it. Period. They spent a lot of time on her appeals process before the ultimate and correct punishment.
Very much recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2015
Bledsoe is a true crime master who exemplifies the best of the genre. Original research, fluid storytelling and an eye for the telling detail. You can't do much better than this in the genre. But make no mistake, this is a sad, depressing story that you may wish you hadn't read. Whether you support the death penalty or not, it's hard to argue that death sentences weren't meant for multiple, intentional murderers like Velma Barfield. Barfield was clearly a drug addict with all the most unpleasant behaviors associated with addiction. When she was in a controlled, low-stress environment Barfield not only functioned, she flourished. When she was stressed or, less generously perhaps, not getting her way, look out. Velma had a nasty streak and didn't mind taking it out on 2 husbands, a fiancee, two elderly patients and her own mother. Not to mention an attempt on her daughter and son-in-law. The list of her crimes - murder, arson, DUI, theft, insurance fraud, forgery and others - is shocking.
It's also hard to reconcile with the image of the "death row grandmother", the born-again Christian who helped other prisoners. Except, of course, that prison is another controlled and (in Velma's case) a low-stress environment. One that kept the spotlight locked on Velma, a spotlight she loved. I felt compassion for Velma and her deprived childhood and troubled marriage but I'm still not convinced I buy her stories of being sexually abused by multiple relatives. Velma always seemed to deliver to the listener what they wanted to hear. Was this just another case of that? I honestly don't know. I do know that Velma was guilty of at least 6 murders and had she not gone to jail would have committed more.
Among the victims are Velma's children who showed a superhuman love and forgiveness for their mother. She lied to them, manipulated them, in one case poisoned them, used them, etc and they still loved her. I find it intriguing that Velma's spiraling out of control began not just with her husband joining the Jaycees and her hysterectomy but with her children entering their late teens. They were less dependent on her, less under her control. Sadly, Velma continued to manipulate them to the very end never fully taking responsibility for her crimes and thus leaving them feeling guilty that they "should have stopped her." Broken marriages, broken lives, they are Velma Barfield's last victims and Bledsoe tells their story with a compassion their mother was sadly incapable of.
It's also hard to reconcile with the image of the "death row grandmother", the born-again Christian who helped other prisoners. Except, of course, that prison is another controlled and (in Velma's case) a low-stress environment. One that kept the spotlight locked on Velma, a spotlight she loved. I felt compassion for Velma and her deprived childhood and troubled marriage but I'm still not convinced I buy her stories of being sexually abused by multiple relatives. Velma always seemed to deliver to the listener what they wanted to hear. Was this just another case of that? I honestly don't know. I do know that Velma was guilty of at least 6 murders and had she not gone to jail would have committed more.
Among the victims are Velma's children who showed a superhuman love and forgiveness for their mother. She lied to them, manipulated them, in one case poisoned them, used them, etc and they still loved her. I find it intriguing that Velma's spiraling out of control began not just with her husband joining the Jaycees and her hysterectomy but with her children entering their late teens. They were less dependent on her, less under her control. Sadly, Velma continued to manipulate them to the very end never fully taking responsibility for her crimes and thus leaving them feeling guilty that they "should have stopped her." Broken marriages, broken lives, they are Velma Barfield's last victims and Bledsoe tells their story with a compassion their mother was sadly incapable of.
March 9, 2021
Fast paced professionally researched and professionally written.
This book was an excellent choice to read. Jerry Bledsoe brought Velma Barfield and all the people affected by her crimes to life. Velma's abusive childhood her bipolar personality, drug addiction, check forgery, and wild manic fluctuations in temperament. Velma was a ticking time bombs and was a person with virtually no coping mechanisms. Velma goes on to murder poison and murder 5-6 people including family members. Her children Ronnie and Pam have their lives turned upside down after Velma admits to her son and police what she has done and receives the death penalty. For the victims’ relatives they live a nightmare however they received some solace from the outcome of the trial and execution
But there is no end for Velma's children. It seems, regardless of jailhouse conversion, empathy from supporters and the death of their mother hoping their lives can find some peace afterwards seems to be a impossibility, as they try to put their lives back together after their own demons of drugs and alcohol. Ronnie and Pam try to come to terms with the mother they loved, and wonder could they have stopped her. The book is extremely professionally researched and professionally written and is fast paced. I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Jerry Bledsoe
This book was an excellent choice to read. Jerry Bledsoe brought Velma Barfield and all the people affected by her crimes to life. Velma's abusive childhood her bipolar personality, drug addiction, check forgery, and wild manic fluctuations in temperament. Velma was a ticking time bombs and was a person with virtually no coping mechanisms. Velma goes on to murder poison and murder 5-6 people including family members. Her children Ronnie and Pam have their lives turned upside down after Velma admits to her son and police what she has done and receives the death penalty. For the victims’ relatives they live a nightmare however they received some solace from the outcome of the trial and execution
But there is no end for Velma's children. It seems, regardless of jailhouse conversion, empathy from supporters and the death of their mother hoping their lives can find some peace afterwards seems to be a impossibility, as they try to put their lives back together after their own demons of drugs and alcohol. Ronnie and Pam try to come to terms with the mother they loved, and wonder could they have stopped her. The book is extremely professionally researched and professionally written and is fast paced. I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Jerry Bledsoe
August 9, 2018
A mixed bag
The book gets five stars due to the impeccable research and writing of author Jerry Bledsoe but I really can't say I like the book. This was my second attempt at reading this and was surprised when the court section ended around only 50% completion of the book. I do highly recommend reading this if you are interested at all in capital punishment because that is the main thrust here. I understand that people can be redeemed in prison but this woman killed five people including her own husband and elderly mother. Blaming Valium and childhood sexual abuse cannot mean that murderers escape justice. Justice was done here and I felt like many of Velma Barfield's supporters lost sight of what actually went on. Sometimes as you read the second half you almost forget that anyone died at all and these horrible people plucked this sweet old granny from her cottage and put her on death rowe. I am happy for her redemption but also for her victims' families who finally were able to move on after six years of political grandstanding and misplaced religious fervor.
The book gets five stars due to the impeccable research and writing of author Jerry Bledsoe but I really can't say I like the book. This was my second attempt at reading this and was surprised when the court section ended around only 50% completion of the book. I do highly recommend reading this if you are interested at all in capital punishment because that is the main thrust here. I understand that people can be redeemed in prison but this woman killed five people including her own husband and elderly mother. Blaming Valium and childhood sexual abuse cannot mean that murderers escape justice. Justice was done here and I felt like many of Velma Barfield's supporters lost sight of what actually went on. Sometimes as you read the second half you almost forget that anyone died at all and these horrible people plucked this sweet old granny from her cottage and put her on death rowe. I am happy for her redemption but also for her victims' families who finally were able to move on after six years of political grandstanding and misplaced religious fervor.
May 27, 2017
The heart of this story...
are the lives that are affected by the death penalty. Don't assume from that sentence that I'm a proponent or an opponent...I don't believe anyone can know which side they're on unless they're a relative of either party. I'm sure some cases are so egregious that death is the only option, and others where emotions are so high as to make one question it's efficacy. In this case, one feels such empathy for the children, Ronnie and Pam, that you're hoping their lives can find some peace. It goes without saying, that the victims children, relatives lived a nightmare as well, however they received some solace from the outcome of the trial and execution...whereas there is no end for Velma's children. It seems, regardless of jailhouse conversion, empathy from supporters was well expressed in Bledsoe's narrative. I enjoy his writing and viewpoint immensely.
are the lives that are affected by the death penalty. Don't assume from that sentence that I'm a proponent or an opponent...I don't believe anyone can know which side they're on unless they're a relative of either party. I'm sure some cases are so egregious that death is the only option, and others where emotions are so high as to make one question it's efficacy. In this case, one feels such empathy for the children, Ronnie and Pam, that you're hoping their lives can find some peace. It goes without saying, that the victims children, relatives lived a nightmare as well, however they received some solace from the outcome of the trial and execution...whereas there is no end for Velma's children. It seems, regardless of jailhouse conversion, empathy from supporters was well expressed in Bledsoe's narrative. I enjoy his writing and viewpoint immensely.
September 20, 2012
Reading this book I was drawn to the number of people who were hurt by the crimes of Velma. The lawyers and family who fought so hard to prolong her life would like you to accept that prison had changed her but the fact still remains, whether addicted or not, this woman was still a serial killer. The question of whether she should live or die is not the main question , the main question should be was justice served. If this was a man who had killed seven people the question of death would not have been such an issue with people.
The book is wrote mostly by the views of Velma's family and her lawyers although you do hear from some of the victims family, it is mostly about the life of Velma and the fight to save it.
Well worth the read whether you are for or against the death penalty. In the end it left me crying for all the victims including her family.
The book is wrote mostly by the views of Velma's family and her lawyers although you do hear from some of the victims family, it is mostly about the life of Velma and the fight to save it.
Well worth the read whether you are for or against the death penalty. In the end it left me crying for all the victims including her family.
April 15, 2020
I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story. The book has amazing detail about the life of Velma Barfield and those of her extended family. Based on the story, it is easy to see that there had to have been a connection between the amount of pain and anxiety medication she was taking and her actions. Another story of there is no help for people who are in the predicaments caused by difficult family situations; addiction and mental health problems...only punishment. I found myself, just like her son did, what might have happened if there had been a concerted effort to help her disabuse herself of drugs she had started taking (much like the current opioid epidemic) and to help her husband with alcohol abuse. This is just one of the many failings of our society.
January 28, 2021
I really enjoyed Bledsoe's previous books BLOOD GAMES, BITTER BLOOD, and especially BEFORE HE WAKES, but I wasn't crazy about this one. It is a very sympathetic look at a truly despicable murderer who conned and manipulated people right up to the end.
February 27, 2022
Could have gone so much further
We never get much insight on what made Velma tick. Was it purely drugs? Was it a personality disorder? And how did she become such a model in prison?
We never get much insight on what made Velma tick. Was it purely drugs? Was it a personality disorder? And how did she become such a model in prison?
June 5, 2022
This book was one I am so happy that I read. I have to say I am not saddened by the fact Velma was executed. I am however saddened that her family went through so much because of her. This told both sides, not just hers which was why I enjoyed this book so much.
March 20, 2013
Made me cry...
June 30, 2020
This is the first book I've read by this author, though I've had a few by him in my wishlist for months and months and months. However, they usually go for over £10 a pop and that is way too expensive. So this one helpfully dropped to 99p and I snatched it up fast. I will definitely be waiting on further pricedrops on his other titles as well on the back of this.
The research is tremendous and I only dropped it one star because it got a little laboured around the middle section for me, with some repetitiveness as we traipsed through appeal after appeal after appeal process. They just blurred into one, pretty much. I was very, very surprised that other victims' deaths were permitted to be mentioned during her trial for one murder !! Bearing in mind she hadn't been arrested nor prosecuted for any others. I flew through the latter quarter-he did an astounding job relating what happened at the execution....very fascinating indeed.
I know the subject matter is a serious business but I did have to laugh at the opening chapter's title, "I Only Meant To Make Him Sick"!! I felt very sad for Velma's kids. She led the pair of them a right merry dance for so many years and they both did so much for her, though in fairness she was a lovely mum till circumstances just got away with her, really. The whole story is a really sad and tragic one, I have to say. It's not often you find yourself having any remnant of sympathy when it comes to a murdering maniac but she did actually end up genuinely rehabilitated during her time on Death Row and I found it a bloody shame that they did go ahead with her ultimate sentence, eventually. Actually, considering her addictions, I'm surprised she ever made it that far ! It's staggering that she didn't seem to be aware at all of her own tolerance to the drugs she'd been chucking down her throat for decades and persistently overdosed.......along with the car wrecks she was in ! She had as many lives as a cat ! She definitely engendered a great deal of sympathy among lawyers, many assisting her under a pro bono basis. People liked her......a lot.
Both Ronnie and Pam had extremely patient spouses, I have to say. It was amazing what both of them put up with in dealing with the mother-in-law. She was a bloody liability for so many years.
I had never, ever heard of Velma Barfield before, yet she was killing in my lifetime so I'm not sure how she passed me by. I must say, this paragraph really gave me pause for thought, "Even if nobody else was ever sentenced to death in the United States, one person would have to be executed every day for more than ten years just to kill all the people on death row at the beginning of 1998" !! It makes a total mockery of the given sentence altogether, I think. I don't know why they don't just get on with it !
A couple of things I noted: I'm not sure what the publisher's font used was here but it looked terrific, even on my old Kindle Keyboard. One person she encountered was named Record Lee and I highlighted what a splendid name I think this is ! I liked that photos were included in my digital version since 90% of true crime e-books don't include them, which is annoying. All my printed books have pictures in them, it can't be too much of a hardship to include them.
There are some apostrophe issues.....persistently writing sheriffs department as opposed to sheriff's and the same with Edwards, not Edwards' a few times. There were odd words missed from sentences as well.....typical slapdash digital formatting these days. Oh, and that American "thing" of writing 'people lighted candles' instead of lit candles.....horrible. In her final letters to her kids, there was a line, "I love you much" which I am guessing is a typo, which I gasped at in very high dudgeon !! THAT was very annoying. Then at one point Murphy's dead aunt Annie Belle was referred to yet at first mention she was one of his sisters. It was mentioned too that Velma was the first condemned prisoner to attempt to donate organs post-execution and I know this is an error because Gary Gilmore famously donated his corneas in 1977.
Let's hope the pricing gets dropped considerably on his other books as I really want to read those as well. I recognise one of the cases he's written about but that's all, so plenty to look forward to.
The research is tremendous and I only dropped it one star because it got a little laboured around the middle section for me, with some repetitiveness as we traipsed through appeal after appeal after appeal process. They just blurred into one, pretty much. I was very, very surprised that other victims' deaths were permitted to be mentioned during her trial for one murder !! Bearing in mind she hadn't been arrested nor prosecuted for any others. I flew through the latter quarter-he did an astounding job relating what happened at the execution....very fascinating indeed.
I know the subject matter is a serious business but I did have to laugh at the opening chapter's title, "I Only Meant To Make Him Sick"!! I felt very sad for Velma's kids. She led the pair of them a right merry dance for so many years and they both did so much for her, though in fairness she was a lovely mum till circumstances just got away with her, really. The whole story is a really sad and tragic one, I have to say. It's not often you find yourself having any remnant of sympathy when it comes to a murdering maniac but she did actually end up genuinely rehabilitated during her time on Death Row and I found it a bloody shame that they did go ahead with her ultimate sentence, eventually. Actually, considering her addictions, I'm surprised she ever made it that far ! It's staggering that she didn't seem to be aware at all of her own tolerance to the drugs she'd been chucking down her throat for decades and persistently overdosed.......along with the car wrecks she was in ! She had as many lives as a cat ! She definitely engendered a great deal of sympathy among lawyers, many assisting her under a pro bono basis. People liked her......a lot.
Both Ronnie and Pam had extremely patient spouses, I have to say. It was amazing what both of them put up with in dealing with the mother-in-law. She was a bloody liability for so many years.
I had never, ever heard of Velma Barfield before, yet she was killing in my lifetime so I'm not sure how she passed me by. I must say, this paragraph really gave me pause for thought, "Even if nobody else was ever sentenced to death in the United States, one person would have to be executed every day for more than ten years just to kill all the people on death row at the beginning of 1998" !! It makes a total mockery of the given sentence altogether, I think. I don't know why they don't just get on with it !
A couple of things I noted: I'm not sure what the publisher's font used was here but it looked terrific, even on my old Kindle Keyboard. One person she encountered was named Record Lee and I highlighted what a splendid name I think this is ! I liked that photos were included in my digital version since 90% of true crime e-books don't include them, which is annoying. All my printed books have pictures in them, it can't be too much of a hardship to include them.
There are some apostrophe issues.....persistently writing sheriffs department as opposed to sheriff's and the same with Edwards, not Edwards' a few times. There were odd words missed from sentences as well.....typical slapdash digital formatting these days. Oh, and that American "thing" of writing 'people lighted candles' instead of lit candles.....horrible. In her final letters to her kids, there was a line, "I love you much" which I am guessing is a typo, which I gasped at in very high dudgeon !! THAT was very annoying. Then at one point Murphy's dead aunt Annie Belle was referred to yet at first mention she was one of his sisters. It was mentioned too that Velma was the first condemned prisoner to attempt to donate organs post-execution and I know this is an error because Gary Gilmore famously donated his corneas in 1977.
Let's hope the pricing gets dropped considerably on his other books as I really want to read those as well. I recognise one of the cases he's written about but that's all, so plenty to look forward to.
May 23, 2020
Comprehensive and thoughtful telling of a horrible murderess's crimes. As is the norm for this sort of book, about half is devoted to the subject's (Velma Barfield's) life before and during her crime spree. The last half concerns her history in the legal system (trial, hearings, legal manuvers, and in prison).
Despite her abusive childhood, it's nearly impossible to have sympathy for her. She used a number of people; killing them off when she didn't need them, couldn't put up with them, or pretty much just got tired of looking at them. Her history with drug addiction was certainly a contributing factor in most of the murders. But it's not at all an excuse.
Nobody wanted her to get addicted to Valium and the cocktail of other drugs. She got addicted; that's not to say that she wanted that to happen, but she never seemed to want to do anything about it either. There was no end of suffering that she caused her family, not to mention her victims' families.
Strictly as a story, Death Sentence was very predictable, almost numbingly so. The constant refocusing of her very protracted legal defense was perhaps more interesting than the series of murders that led up to her eventual execution.
It sounds distasteful to report that poisoning these folks was not as exciting or cunning as the modus operandi of other serial killers, but, as soon as we meet x, y, or z, we can estimate that arsenic will be in the coffee or beer before too many pages have elapsed.
That's definitely not the author's fault; the pacing is fine. We don't waste time with a full bio of every person in her church or neighborhood. Only principle characters are fully fleshed-out; that's all we need. This is a good read of a truly vindictive and asocial person who might've had even a slightly better (and hopefully, less dangerous) life had she realized that she needed help.
Despite her abusive childhood, it's nearly impossible to have sympathy for her. She used a number of people; killing them off when she didn't need them, couldn't put up with them, or pretty much just got tired of looking at them. Her history with drug addiction was certainly a contributing factor in most of the murders. But it's not at all an excuse.
Nobody wanted her to get addicted to Valium and the cocktail of other drugs. She got addicted; that's not to say that she wanted that to happen, but she never seemed to want to do anything about it either. There was no end of suffering that she caused her family, not to mention her victims' families.
Strictly as a story, Death Sentence was very predictable, almost numbingly so. The constant refocusing of her very protracted legal defense was perhaps more interesting than the series of murders that led up to her eventual execution.
It sounds distasteful to report that poisoning these folks was not as exciting or cunning as the modus operandi of other serial killers, but, as soon as we meet x, y, or z, we can estimate that arsenic will be in the coffee or beer before too many pages have elapsed.
That's definitely not the author's fault; the pacing is fine. We don't waste time with a full bio of every person in her church or neighborhood. Only principle characters are fully fleshed-out; that's all we need. This is a good read of a truly vindictive and asocial person who might've had even a slightly better (and hopefully, less dangerous) life had she realized that she needed help.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2020
*Some light spoilers about the case*
A really interesting crime story that I knew nothing about. This book makes you think about how different circumstances make people feel very different about criminals...a grandmother murders several people with arsenic to fund her perscription drug habit is looked upon with much more sympathy than some addicted to street drugs trying to find their habits. Overall, I found Velma to be manipulative and toxic and I had no sympathy for her, as I don't have sympathy when I read about other serial killers.
The book is very balanced and manages to tell the story of Velma and her victims in a factual way. Bledsoe looks at different perspectives, espeically when it comes to the arguement about capital punishment. Regardless of how you feel about that issue, this book brings up unexpected details that may make you think twice either way. The main thing for me was how traumatic it was for Velma's family after her conviction and sentence. It's a reminder that the fact that the appeals process for a death sentence can take years, and that's both a positive and a negative.
The trial was an interesting section because we see how a defence lawyer handles things when their client has confessed and is hoping for a lesser guilty verdict.
In the second half of the book, things drag on a bit, with lots of repetition. Of course, this is reflected in the real life events but it was a bit boring to read.
A fairly well-written True Crime account.
A really interesting crime story that I knew nothing about. This book makes you think about how different circumstances make people feel very different about criminals...a grandmother murders several people with arsenic to fund her perscription drug habit is looked upon with much more sympathy than some addicted to street drugs trying to find their habits. Overall, I found Velma to be manipulative and toxic and I had no sympathy for her, as I don't have sympathy when I read about other serial killers.
The book is very balanced and manages to tell the story of Velma and her victims in a factual way. Bledsoe looks at different perspectives, espeically when it comes to the arguement about capital punishment. Regardless of how you feel about that issue, this book brings up unexpected details that may make you think twice either way. The main thing for me was how traumatic it was for Velma's family after her conviction and sentence. It's a reminder that the fact that the appeals process for a death sentence can take years, and that's both a positive and a negative.
The trial was an interesting section because we see how a defence lawyer handles things when their client has confessed and is hoping for a lesser guilty verdict.
In the second half of the book, things drag on a bit, with lots of repetition. Of course, this is reflected in the real life events but it was a bit boring to read.
A fairly well-written True Crime account.
March 18, 2020
This is a good book. I listened to the book through audiobook format so it was an over `14 hour thing to get through. Part of me through this book was just getting on with it and kill the murderer. While there was some compassion for Velma and that fact that she was abused and an addict she still had to face up to her crimes and while sh ultimately did the lead up was provoking. In the way she was treated. Don't abuse criminals that are not what I am saying but all the amenities such as b-day parties by the police officers and the ability to have visits with special people is not a way to treat a convict. Yes in a way she tuned around her life that she got off drugs but I don't buy the spiritual crap. She was with god when she made those murder attempts asking all to pray over who she was a killing.
If at times the book didn't drag on I think I would have up this a star but some points were hard to get through. Sloughed on because I wanted to see this book to the end.
If at times the book didn't drag on I think I would have up this a star but some points were hard to get through. Sloughed on because I wanted to see this book to the end.
July 13, 2023
hmmm…unpleasant woman
Jerry Bledsoe writes a good book. Four stars reflects the quality of the book. Zero stars for Velma. Velma manipulated Ronnie so badly no wonder he has such terrible problems. She continued to manipulate him ever after she found God. I give Ronnie and Pam credit for sticking by Velma. I get that Velma was addicted to drugs, killed to feed her habit and although she was warned why didn’t any family member get her professional help? The last part of the book was so tedious with friends coming to visit, walking around the prison and praying and singing and praying and singing…boring. Even after her conversion I never felt empathy for Velma. I have my own opinion/judgements about her churchy hangers-on. I would have loved them to minister to the victim families instead. Once again the victims and family of the victims are forgotten.
Weren’t there 3 fires, one to kill her husband, what was the objective with the other two?
Jerry Bledsoe writes a good book. Four stars reflects the quality of the book. Zero stars for Velma. Velma manipulated Ronnie so badly no wonder he has such terrible problems. She continued to manipulate him ever after she found God. I give Ronnie and Pam credit for sticking by Velma. I get that Velma was addicted to drugs, killed to feed her habit and although she was warned why didn’t any family member get her professional help? The last part of the book was so tedious with friends coming to visit, walking around the prison and praying and singing and praying and singing…boring. Even after her conversion I never felt empathy for Velma. I have my own opinion/judgements about her churchy hangers-on. I would have loved them to minister to the victim families instead. Once again the victims and family of the victims are forgotten.
Weren’t there 3 fires, one to kill her husband, what was the objective with the other two?
August 22, 2024
Another well written book from Bledsoe. Some are annoyed by his "minutia". I like the way he tells his stories, including some detail around all the characters. So for me, this was another one in the list of his True Crime books that I found enjoyable.
I also found it enlightening: I've always been a proponent of the death penalty. But this book forced me to stop and look at it from all perspectives. I feel like I came away from it with a more open attitude, which I feel is most important. Anytime a book can give me the opportunity to soften a bit and grow in empathy, makes me feel more human. I don't know whether Barfield really found God or not but I see that she helped a great number of folks find their humanness, and I think that that should be a goal in life. She did some good before she moved on. Thank you Jerry Bledsoe for showing me that.
I also found it enlightening: I've always been a proponent of the death penalty. But this book forced me to stop and look at it from all perspectives. I feel like I came away from it with a more open attitude, which I feel is most important. Anytime a book can give me the opportunity to soften a bit and grow in empathy, makes me feel more human. I don't know whether Barfield really found God or not but I see that she helped a great number of folks find their humanness, and I think that that should be a goal in life. She did some good before she moved on. Thank you Jerry Bledsoe for showing me that.
July 26, 2025
What a captivating read this was. I had to take time after reading the book to look up the 60 Minutes interview. I needed to hear for myself what she sounded like. After listening to the interview, I am convinced this woman had everyone snowballed! I truly do not believe she repented for what she had done. Perhaps that sounds judgmental of me. However, I have spent time in prison myself and have heard many people tell their story. When listening to them, they give things away. It just does not seem like she had any remorse for what she did! This is, of course, my opinion solely.
January 17, 2024
While I definitely have an interest in true crime, trying to read this book was all the fun of scrubbing grout with a toothbrush, with nothing satisfying to show for it. The pace was so slow it was nearly nonexistent, and after trying to get into it for several days I had still barely gotten past Velma's childhood and teen years because I would find myself putting the book down after three or four pages out of boredom. DNF and moving on.
May 15, 2017
A very thorough account of the life and crimes of Velma Barfield. Most of the story is told through the eyes of her son Ronnie which gives it an interesting read. The only disappointing part is that I was able to get this entire story through newspaper articles. I don't feel I learned anything new about Velma through this book.
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