"The most interesting story I have about meeting Watt was that I mentioned an inmate that I had photographed in Maryland that was the only person I believed to be innocent (I've photographed over 200 Death Row inmates). Watt immediately knew exactly who I was talking about and pulled a file on him. As I read the file I knew that the inmate had conned me. He was guilty as hell of a horrific and brutal sex crime. Watt's knowledge of every single case was encyclopedic."
Mark Jenkinson
What's interesting is that all these years later, Mark uses the negatives from the original photos to teach his students high-resolution scanning. Three of these are the most recent scans he did in one of his classes. Thanks Mark!
The NYU prof. has memorialized Watt and his work with some stunning photos--a most illuminating collection focusing on an equally exceptional individual. Nice to see, and to know that it will be preserved in such fine form. - Professor Jim Acker, UAlbany
It makes me miss Watt. The details are so characteristic of him – the soda can, the old typewriter, the piles of files, the photographs. I’m so grateful I got to spend some time with him as we worked out the donation of the collection. - Professor Margaret Vandiver, Univ. of Memphis
Watt Espy, "In His Natural Habitat"
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| Watt Espy in his office at the Capital Punishment Research Project, Headland, Alabama On the walls are portraits of death row inmates. "A true genius in his natural habitat." Mike Radelet, University of Colorado Boulder |
The above picture is displayed at UAlbany (SUNY), where Espy's research is now archived. In the video below, I actually filmed the Watt Espy exhibition case at UAlbany,
3 comments:
My goodness, that's quite a decor that your Uncle Watt had in his office. I would have liked to have met him, I live up the road and have long studied the death penalty.
Please forgive my tardiness, but I love the photograph of Watt that you sent to me. He is still my hero! Vic Streib
WOW This is fantastic!
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