Welsh-American Death Row Inmate's Story Explored in New Documentary
A man of Welsh descent, who raped and murdered a nurse in Florida in 1992, has spent over three decades on death row awaiting execution. Roderick Orme, an American with distant family ties to Llandudno in Wales, has been sentenced to death three times for the brutal killing of his former girlfriend, Lisa Redd, in Panama City.
The Crime and Its Aftermath
In March 1992, Orme, while on a drug and alcohol binge, called Lisa Redd for help. When the 34-year-old mother and nurse arrived at a motel, he raped, beat, and strangled her to death. The crime shocked the community and led to a long legal battle. Orme was first convicted in 1993, with a jury voting 7-5 for the death penalty. After appeals, he was resentenced in 2007 with an 11-1 jury recommendation, and again in 2022 following a Supreme Court ruling requiring unanimous jury votes for death sentences.
At the 2022 hearing, Orme expressed remorse, stating, 'I've carried this thing as long as I can. If I can bring any peace or solace to Lisa's family by giving up my life, I feel that's the right course of action.' He waived his right to present mitigating factors, citing his parents' deaths and a desire to end the suffering for Redd's family.
Family's Anguish and Forgiveness
Lisa Redd's sister, Carol Atwell, has been a vocal presence throughout the legal proceedings. In a recent documentary clip, she shared her raw emotions, saying, 'If they would let me, I would put the needle in him. I will be there when he takes his last breath.' She described Orme as a liar and recounted how he stalked Redd before the murder, threatening, 'If I can't have her, no one can.' Despite her pain, Atwell hugged the documentary maker, Rhys Williams, telling him she doesn't hate him but doesn't understand his correspondence with Orme.
An Unlikely Friendship
Welsh cameraman Rhys Williams began writing to Orme 20 years ago after reading about the case. Intrigued by the Welsh connection—Orme has a tattoo of a winged Welsh dragon and shares his surname with the Great Orme headland—Williams initiated a pen-pal relationship. They have exchanged letters, emails, and phone calls, discussing topics like sport and music, though Orme has never directly addressed his crime. Williams explains, 'I was curious but I found out in my own ways what had happened.'
The documentary, 'My Friend on Death Row,' follows Williams as he travels to the U.S. to explore this relationship and broader issues around the death penalty. It features interviews with a former executioner and campaigners, including one who married her convict pen pal. The film aims to shed light on the complexities of capital punishment and human connections in extreme circumstances.
Legal and Personal Reflections
Orme's case highlights the evolving legal standards for death penalties in the U.S., particularly the shift toward unanimous jury decisions. His lawyer, Charles Collins, had planned to argue mitigating factors such as drug history and mental health, but Orme chose not to pursue them. The Redd family has testified in multiple hearings about the lasting impact of Lisa's death, emphasizing the need for justice.
As the documentary airs, it prompts questions about forgiveness, curiosity, and the boundaries of human empathy. Williams reflects on his correspondence, noting it's just 'two men in their 60s writing to each other talking about sport and music and stuff.' Yet, the story underscores the deep wounds left by violent crime and the slow march of justice on death row.
