Lindsey Barnett was only 18 years old when she was forced to confront the horrible news that both of her grandparents, A.J. & Patsy Cantrell, had been murdered in their home, in Creek County, Oklahoma. Twenty years later, on January 12, 2023, Lindsey stood alongside several family members as they witnessed the execution of Scott Eizember, the man who murdered her grandparents.
On May 16, 2023, I sat with Lindsey at her home in Oklahoma City to interview her about her experience serving as a witness to the execution of Scott Eizember, which had taken place just four months earlier. She shared details of her traumatic response to the execution, stating that the experience did not provide her with the justice or closure she had been promised by those who worked for victim services. She further shared with me that her witnessing experience only served to intensify the trauma that she had experienced from her grandparents. Lindsey states that she is now adamantly opposed to the death penalty and will speak out against executions for the remainder of her life.
Soon after the execution of Scott Eziember, Lindsey forged an unlikely friendship with the man who had served as the spiritual advisor for Mr. Eziember. Rev. Jeff Hood had also witnessed the execution, as he stood next to Scott Eziember to offer him comfort and spiritual guidance during his final moments. The video clip above provides a look into the friendship that has developed between Lindsey and Rev. Hood, largely formed due to the trauma they share from witnessing the execution of Scott Eziember. The link below leads to an article that these new friends wrote together about the unlikely way that their friendship was formed.
Opinion: An Unlikely Friendship Forged After An Oklahoma Execution