Marnewick was in regular contact with screenwriter Brian Cox and, after seeing the script, convinced Cox to correct factual inaccuracies. But he couldn't persuade him to change the storyline the film-makers were pursuing. Marnewick says he understands it is their movie and not his. The book, Marnewick says, is about life and death and what it means to take someone's life. It is set in apartheid-era South Africa but that is only the backdrop.
About people were executed in the century leading up to South Africa's final hanging in November, Most were black Africans and other people of "colour". Marnewick poured his own experiences into the book's main character, barrister Johann Weber - renamed John Weber for the film. In , a classmate of Marnewick's was murdered and his killer executed. Marnewick was He went on to qualify as a High Court barrister and then became an acting High Court judge, sometimes defending and sometimes sentencing people accused of appalling crimes.
In , people were executed in South Africa, the highest annual toll in the country's history. Marnewick defended between 40 and 60 murder cases. The exact number is a blur but he proudly remembers the overall result.
The successful acquittal of Xerxes Nursingh led to death threats and, ultimately, Marnewick and his family left South Africa for New Zealand. Marnewick defended Nursingh on the triple murder charge and won what was a high-profile trial in the Durban High Court in He ran the same defence he would later use in Shepherds and Butchers - temporary insanity, or sane automatism. The defence was founded on the premise that Nursingh's mother had abused him emotionally and sexually.
In , Marnewick and his family moved to New Zealand permanently. In , he started work on Shepherds and Butchers. He dug up case files of the 21 people executed in just three days in December, and found that 32 people died in five days of hanging.
He was present for all 32 executions. Marnewick interviewed Johan, whose job it was to guard prisoners sentenced to death - to feed them, take them for haircuts, sit with them when they had visitors.
But on the day of the execution, he became the butcher. From 6am, Johan would escort a prisoner during the last hour of his or her life. He would take them to get their fingerprints recorded, sit next to them during a chapel service, and stay with them when the clock struck 7am. He watched as they took their final breath.
What was unique and "utterly unthinkable" about this system, was that the warders were on first-name terms with the people they were helping execute. They were both shepherds and butchers and, as Marnewick believed, the role exacted a terrible toll. Johan told Marnewick it became an adrenaline rush that he and others began to look forward to.
Once reported you will be blocked. No Football Clubs.. There will be no Liverpool and Manchester United post or any other football clubs.. No Politics or Eskom related videos or pictures. No Political post or Videos is allowed.. No promoting of Political Parties.. Please no Eskom related videos or post.. Post on your own profile..
No Offensive post.. Rude comments or Sexist remarks. If muted take that as your final warning. No Promotions.. Spam or Competition links Allowed. Self-promotion, spam and irrelevant links aren't allowed.
No Competition links and No Group or Page links.. We request you post directly without your page or group links.. No self promoting. No Naming and Shaming.. No Crime related info. No screenshots of any individuals or businesses.. This can done on your own profile.. No defamation of character without proof.. No Crime related post to be shared in the group.
0コメント