Wednesday, June 12, 2024

"Rebel Nun" - Dishonest/Dishonorable Sister Prejean Documentary?

"Rebel Nun" - Dishonest/Dishonorable Sister Prejean Documentary?

I requested that Sr. Prejean, those at Passion Pictures and those at NBC Universal Group (Universal Pictures Content Group) forward this paper to Lizabeth Hathaway, the sister of Faith (para 12).

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June 9, 2024 (edits 6/25 & 7/14/2024, only for clarity)

To: Passion Pictures, the NBC Universal Group (Universal Pictures Content Group) Sir Richard Branson, British Parliament and Home Office

sent to All Leadership, Tribeca Institute and Film Festival and all documentary judges, at their festival  June 9, 2024  (edits 6/25 & 7/14/2024, only for clarity) additional slight edits, herein  

Sent To: The New Orleans Film Festival and all sponsors Sept 8
New Orleans Film Society - Year-Round Team, Board of Directors, NOFF Programming Team, NOFF Seasonal Support
Many BCC: Louisiana Government and media and many more, at bottom

CC: thousands of journalists, movie/documentary critics, Catholic and other religious institutions (below), government leaders, worldwide
All Leadership, Tribeca Institute and Film Festival and all documentary judges, at the festival - Rebel Nun debut
 
RE: "Rebel Nun" - Dishonest/Dishonorable Sister Prejean Documentary?

From:  Dudley Sharp, independent researcher, death penalty expert, former opponent, 832-439-2113, CV at bottom 

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30 Examples: How Death Penalty Opponents Value Murderers 
More Than Their Innocent Victims
AKA - Full Rebuttal of Sir Richard Branson's Anti-Death Penalty Claims
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Intro

More than a year prior to the release of "Rebel Nun", I was asked, by Passion Pictures and "Rebel Nun" director/writer/producer Dominic Sevyer to participate in the Sister Prejean documentary. When I asked how they would handle "Sister Helen Prejean: Her Lies, Deceptions and/or Astounding Willful Ignorance?" (a), below, that invitation was rescinded. (emails upon request).
 
Sivyer, as well as many at the NBC Universal group (Universal Pictures Content Group) and throughout Passion Pictures, along with many others, were sent all (or most - added) of the following, more than a year ago. (emails upon request.).
 
Some insight, here:  
sent 5/8/2023, to Sivyer, Passion Pictures, the NBC Universal group (Universal Pictures Content Group) and many others. Correspondence from Passion Pictures began 4/12/2023.

Media Disaster: Dishonest/Dishonorable Sister Prejean Documentary?

"Rebel Nun" was first shown June 2024, at Tribeca Film Festival.
 
Based, only, upon my reading of the reviews of "Rebel Nun", interviews with Sivyer and Sr. Prejean and my experience with Passion Pictures, "Rebel Nun" is, likely, standard anti-death penalty propaganda, as, predicted, with the huge omissions, below. That is what many "documentaries' have become, as intended, but, rarely, reviewed as such, as the reviewers are, often, completely clueless to the truth, choosing not to research, nor fact check nor vet.
 
Sivyer, I hope I am wrong, about you. We shall see.
 
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Dominic Sevyer states: “It’s not even within my lifetime that we had (the death penalty), so I’ve hardly met anyone in my country who is pro-[death],” says Sivyer, he of no interest?
It is, precisely, the type of nonsense that I was expecting, where ignorance was presented over knowledge. Reality:  69% of those in Great Britain favored executing Saddam Hussein, in France: 58%, Germany: 53%, Spain: 51%, Italy: 46% (French daily Le Monde, 12/2006,
Sivyer's quote from "Rebel Nun Shares Sister Helen Prejean’s Ongoing Fight Against Capital Punishment 30 years after Dead Man Walking, Sister Helen still feels "in over her head", PAT MULLEN, POV,  JUNE 5, 2024)
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Some quick takeaways, with all sources at, bottom.
 
Preface
 
Sivyer noted: “(Prejean and I) were both keen on showing both sides of the issues, and looking at areas of her life where she felt like she could have done something differently. But she never dictated how I should tell her story or what needed to be included. It’s very rare to be in a position where somebody gives you that freedom. ("Rebel Nun’ Documentary Aims To Reinvigorate Push To Abolish Death Penalty ", Curtis M. Wong, Huffpost, June 6, 2024)

Followed up Oct 10, 2024: “I was determined to make a film that looks at both sides of this issue,” Sivyer said, ("At 85, Sister Helen Prejean vows to keep fighting the death penalty. 'I believe it's unjust'", NOLA).

Really?
 
If you believe that, my knowledgeable prediction is that you must, also, believe that he and Prejean decided not to show both sides (above and below), with Sivyer deciding to throw that freedom away (above and below).  How do I predict, without seeing "Rebel Nun", yet . . . a combination of reviews and interviews with Sivyer and Sr. Prejean and it would be the norm, for 30 years. 

As I told Sivyer, a year ago, I know the debate and he does not.
 
Passion Pictures and "Rebel Nun" writer/producer Kari Lia: " ‘Rebel Nun’ is an honest, unflinching portrait of Sister Helen . . .". (Variety, March 26, 2024)
 
That appears untrue. Cambridge English Dictionary defines unflinching as "not frightened of or not trying to avoid something dangerous or unpleasant".
 
It appears clear that Sivyer, Passion Pictures and the NBC group (Universal Pictures Content Group) were avoiding the many unpleasantries of Sr. Prejean, as had been detailed for them and they seemed frightened that such would get out.
 
Lia, are you trying to convince yourself or others?
 
Those who have seen "Rebel Nun" will, now, be able to determine if Sivyer and Sr, Prejean, "keenly", showed "both sides" and how Sivyer, Passion Pictures and the NBC Universal group (Universal Pictures Content Group), all, used that "rare" freedom.
 
If you think it, extremely, odd that writers, producers and directors cannot decide to use that freedom, on their own, but can, only, have it when given permission by the subject, you would be astute.
 
Some takeaways, on "both sides" and "freedom": Sivyer, Passion Pictures and the NBC Universal group (Universal Pictures Content Group) had most of these, over a year ago.
 
1) There is a huge fraud, error and mis-directions problem within the anti-death penalty movement (a-g), with Sister Prejean a major part of that, as detailed, with all sources (a,c,d,g).

2) You will find similar problems within the supporters of Richard Glossip, as detailed (b).
 
3) Sister Prejean finds that the suffering by murderers on death row is greater than that of their innocent murder victims.
 
4)  From the Publisher:  "Dead Family Walking: The Bourque Family Story of Dead Man Walking", by D.D. Devinci, 2006. 
         " . . . Devinci's investigative research indicates that Prejean's book ("Dead Man Walking") is not honest.
        "In a time when the literary world of non-fiction is under microscope, "Dead Family Walking" reveals an explosive 1978 courtroom document that defies the ending of Sister Prejean's book  . . . which potentially makes her use of the Lord's Prayer in her finale one of the most disrespectful profanations history will ever record, and  certainly makes "Dead Man Walking" compete with James Frey's "Million Little Pieces" in their race towards deception."
       "Devinci wields your heart in the portrayal of a family's perpetual suffering resulting from a Catholic nun's (Prejean) prior relationship with an executed killer that inspired her exaggeration-filled book, "Dead Man Walking,", which the writer claims destroyed the lives of an American Family." "(The Bourques) had to go through much pain and anguish. Sister Prejean has been using the Bourques for her anti-death penalty and got away with it!"
       On November 5, 1977 the Bourque's teenage daughter, Loretta, was found murdered in a trash pile near the city of New Iberia, La, lying side-by-side near her boyfriend with three well-placed bullet holes behind each head.
        "Almost three decades after the murders and thirty exhaustive months of research later, Devinci's fact-filled "Dead Family Walking" sheds the truth about the early life of the murderer-rapist, Elmo Sonnier, who remains buried next to bishops, priests and nuns on sacred ground in a Baton Rouge cemetery and details a forbidden death row intimacy no one was supposed to know about."
 
5) Case Detective Michael Vernado, in the rape/torture/murder of Faith Hathaway, a Dead Man Walking Case "I wouldn't have had as much trouble with (Prejean's) views if she would have told the truth . . ." " . . . (Sr. Prejean) based her book on what was in I guess a defense file and what (rapist/murderer) Robert Willie telling her." " . . . she's trying to mislead people in the book. And that's something that she's going have to work out with herself." (Sr. Prejean's) certainly not after giving anybody spiritual advice to try to save their soul."
 
6) As is a common, from the anti-death penalty side, both Sr. Prejean and Stivyer paint the sister of rape/murder victim Faith Hathaway as a hateful, vengeance seeker. (Ibid, POV, JUNE 5, 2024). It may be impossible for Sr. Prejean and Sivyer to admit that the death penalty is sought for justice, as are all sanctions. Those who they deride are, in fact, justice seekers.
 
7) Book Review: "Sister Prejean's Lack of Credibility: Review of "The Death of Innocents", by Thomas M. McKenna (New Oxford Review, 12/05) "The book is moreover riddled with factual errors and misrepresentations." "Williams had confessed to repeatedly stabbing his victim, Sonya Knippers." "This DNA test was performed by an independent lab in Dallas, which concluded that there was a one in nearly four billion chance that the blood could have been someone's other than Williams's." " . . . despite repeated claims that (Prejean) cares about crime victims, (she) implies that the victim's husband was a more likely suspect but was overlooked because the authorities wanted to convict a black man." " . . . a Federal District Court . . . stated that 'the evidence against Williams was overwhelming.' " "The same court also did "not find any evidence of racial bias specific to this case."
- 
Prejean's speculation (lying?) is grotesque.
 
8) Sr. Prejean finds that God is an ogre because He caused His Son to be executed, meaning she does not accept nor understand the Passion of the Christ, the most important moment within Christianity.
 
The definition of a rebel nun.
 
Sr. Prejean: "The (anti-death penalty) cause is everything." (America interview, 5/10/2012). She means it.
 
9) The reason Sr. Prejean has, never, saved a murderer from death row is because she cannot. Someday, journalists may discover that the case facts and the judicial rulings are, often, very different from the narrative of Sr. Prejean and other anti-death penalty activists.
 
After 30 years, most journalists and filmmakers, actively, refuse to learn that lesson.
 
10) Sister Prejean states, in reference to the death penalty, that “I couldn’t worship a god who is less compassionate than I am." (Progressive, 1/96). She has, thereby, established Her standard of compassion as the basis for god’s being deserving of Her devotion. If god’s level of compassion does not rise to the level of Her own, god couldn’t receive Her worship.
 
The "humble nun". god must be worthy of Her. Truly, a Rebel Nun.
 
11) In the DMW movie, murderer Matthew Poncelet repeats the final `words of one of the real murderers, Robert Willie: “I would just like to say … that I hope you get some relief from my death. Killing people is wrong. That’s why you’ve put me to death. It makes no difference whether it’s citizens, countries, or governments. Killing is wrong.”
     Here, tragically, hauntingly, it seems that Sister Prejean has taught Willie to be an anti-death penalty activist. The crucial elements of atonement, expiation, responsibility and forgiveness are replaced by the classic anti-death penalty saying that all “Killing is wrong”, the amoral position of equating murder and execution, violent crime and just sanction, the guilty murderer with the innocent victim – the worst set of messages for the murderer’s redemption . . . just as Detective Vernado observed.
 
12) “We spent some time with Faith Hathaway’s sister, in such pain and trauma, to understand her experience of losing her sister at such a young age. I can understand that visceral pain, and I can understand that want to get rid of it, and to get rid of the person who caused it,” observes Sivyer.
          I was unaware that Sivyer had lost a loved one to a rape/murder, as that is the only way to understand that pain. If so, I am very sorry. If not? (Ibid, POV, June 5, 2024).

I requested that Sr. Prejean, those at Passion Pictures and those at NBC Universal Group (Universal Pictures Content Group) forward this paper to Lizabeth Hathaway, the sister of Faith.

In Closing

Why do you not know any of this? As a near ironclad rule, journalists and filmmakers, only, use anti-death penalty sources, fail to fact check or vet them (a-g), and do not consider pro-death penalty sources (a-g), as detailed, thoroughly.
 
It appears to make no difference how slanted, inaccurate or fraudulent a media story, film or documentary may be, they may, still, receive great awards (h). Sadly, it is the world we live in. Within the anti-death penalty movement, the truth matters, very, little, way too often.
 
My hope is that "Rebel Nun" does much better . . . but hope is, quickly, vanishing, these days. Please, restore it.

We shall see.

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Media Disaster: C-Span & The Death Penalty Information Center
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Sources:
 
a) Sister Helen Prejean: Her Lies, Deceptions and/or Astounding Willful Ignorance? - A Compilation
 
b) Richard Glossip: Little Credibility with His Supporters
 
c) 2022 Does Truth Matter? Sr. Prejean, The Church & U of Notre Dame
 
d)  2016 Sister Helen Prejean: Does Truth Matter?
 
e) The Death Row "Exonerated"/"Innocent" Frauds:
71-83% Error Rate in Death Row "Innocent" Claims,
Well Known Since 1998
 
f) 30 Examples: How Death Penalty Opponents Value Murderers More Than Their Innocent Victims
AKA - Full Rebuttal of Sir Richard Branson's Anti-Death Penalty Claims
 
g) Research, w/sources, w/fact checking/vetting & critical thinking, as required of anyone within a public policy debate and which rebut all anti-death penalty claims.
 
Most will realize that the media has been using only anti-death penalty claims and, then, failed to fact check, vet, not use critical thinking, with that research, while avoiding all pro-death penalty research and experts, for decades. How do I know most will realize this? Because they wouldn't have seen any of this, prior:
 
The Death Penalty: Justice & Saving More Innocents
and
Students, Academics & Journalists: Death Penalty Research
(7 pro-death penalty experts listed)
 
600+ pro death penalty quotes from murder victims' families &
3300+ from some of the greatest thinkers in history

h)  Media Disaster: Journalism's Death: The Death Penalty & the Media
and
 
Partial CV
BCC: The Clarion Herald, The Archdiocese of New Orleans, Biblical & Theological Scholars, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Tablet, First Things, National Catholic Reporter, America, Our Sunday Visitor, American  Society of Religion, Oxford Academic,Board of Directors-Catholic Media Association, Jesuits-Global, Vatican News, Crux, Catholic News Service (Rome), Global Sisters Report, Crisis Magazine, EWTN, The Catholic Herald (UK), Catholic Digest, Congregation of St. Joseph, Today's Catholic, U.S. Catholic, The Irish Catholic, The Catholic Network, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Mobilization Network,   Ignatian Solitary Network , Glenmary Challenge Magazine, Catholic Review, Archdiocese of Boston, The Compass, The Sentinal, Roman Catholic Communicators of Canada, Novalis Publishing Archdioces of St.Louis & St.Louis Review, Our Northland Diocese & Diocese of Crookston, Catholic New York, Archdiocese of Detroit & Detroit Catholic. ONE Magazine, Religion Unplugged (The Media Project), Archdioces of Lousiville, Global Pulse,  UCA NEWS, Twenty-Third Publications, Archdiocese of Detroit, Eureka Street,  The Acton Institute, The Word On Fire, Holy See Mission, The Witherspoon Institute, University of the Incarnate Word, Diocese of Fort Worth,  La Croix International, People of Praise, Nebraska Catholic Bishops (staff and parishes), Creighton U., Seton High School (Students & Teachers, Bladensburg, MD), The Catholic Weekly (Australia), Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, Diocese of Salt Lake City, Arizona Catholic Conference, Religious News Assoc., Diocese of Green Bay, Rev. Harry D. Gatewood, M.Div., Louisiana Catholic Diocese (Bishops and staff), The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), Catholic Digest,  Catholic Journal, Today's (SA) Catholic, US Catholic,  The Catholic Weekly, Crisis Magazine, FAITH Magazine,  Catholic Telegraph,  The Irish Catholic,  Archdiocese of Seattle, NW Catholic, Zenit, NZ Catholic, The Central Minnesota Catholic, The Catholic Network, The Universe Catholic Weekly, Broadview,  Duke Divinity School. REligion Unplugged, The Associated Church Press, The Christian Recorder, PCUSA.org, Prison Fellowship, Pennsylvania Prison Society, Archdiocese of Miami, Augustinian Defenders of the Rights of the Poor (ADROP), Order of Malta, Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition, Virginia Catholic Conference & Diocese of Richmond, All Students & Teachers St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge) , Loyola U., Holy Trinity Catholic Church (Washington DC), Archdiocese of San Antonio, DeSales Media Group & Diocese of Brooklyn,  RENEW Intl., Angelus News, FloridaCatholic, Catholic Standard and Archdiocese of Washington DC, Oklahoma Diocese, Where Peter Is, The Wanderer, Nebraska Diocese, The Dialog & Diocese of Wilmington, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Catholic Herald, Catholic Philly & Philadelphia Archdiocese, Intermountain Catholic & Diocese of Salt Lake City, Opus Dei, Notre Dame Observer, Diocese of Raleigh, Diocese of Scranton, Renew Intl., Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Catholic League, The Sisters of Saint Dominic (Blauvelt, New York), The Catholic Telegraph,  Church Militant, The Catholic Sun, New Advent, The (Fordham U) Observer, St. Patrick Catholic Community (Scottsdale, Az.), Diocese of St. Cloud,  Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Diocese of Tucson,  Catholic Daughters of America,    The Record & Archdiocese of Louisville,  The Archdiocese of  Los Angeles, Oklahoma Faith Network, OKLAHOMA STATE COUNCIL FELLOWSHIP OF CHURCHES, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma ,Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, Hope For Generations, Young Israel, Torah in Motion, World Mizrachi, Jewish Federation (Tulsa, Oklahoma), The Synagogue Congregation B'nai Emunah (Oklahoma) Temple B'nai Israel (Oklahoma), Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice, Tulsa Metropolitan Ministries (Oklahoma), Family Promise of Tulsa County (Oklahoma) Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Churches throughout Oklahoma, Oklahoma Baptist Convention, many more

U of Notre Dame Institutions
Exoneration Justice Clinic (Notre Dame Law School), Klau Institute of Civil and Human Rights, G. Marcus Cole, Dean, Notre Dame Law School, ND's de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture, ND's Tocqueville Program for Inquiry into Religion and Public Life, ND's Program on Church, State & Society, All Professors, Notre Dame Law School, ND's Center for Social Concerns, Gallivan Journalism Program, ND Debate Team, ND's Dept. Of Theology, Notre Dame Magazine, The (ND) Observer, Notre Dame News, WSND Radio-FM,
 
and South Bend Tribune and AWAKE
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