Episode #198 | 09.24.24

Sigourney Weaver: A Goddess, Beasts and Demons, and Paying Tribute from Death Row

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In this episode

In classic ‘80s films like Ghostbusters and Aliens, Sigourney Weaver battled demons and beasts. But to one particular inmate on death row in Georgia, she battled those demons and beasts in real life as well. To Alexander Williams, a convicted murderer, Sigourney Weaver was a goddess – a divine being sent to this earth to do battle with evil. He worshiped her from the floor of his prison cell. And as his day of reckoning drew closer, he waited for a glimmer of hope that the goddess would intervene and change his fate. This episode contains themes that may be disturbing to some listeners, including depictions of suicide, sexual assault, and child abuse.

Sources

Alexander E. Williams (Murderpedia)

Alexander E. Williams, Iv, Petitioner-appellant, v. Frederick J. Head, Warden, Respondent-appellee, 185 F.3d 1223 (11th Cir. 1999) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit - 185 F.3d 1223 (11th Cir. 1999), Aug. 26, 1999 (Justia US Law Archives)

Killing The Insane (Washington Post)

Williams vs State (CaseText)

Williams vs Head (CaseText)

Williams vs Turpin (CaseText)

Georgia Will Not Execute Mentally Ill Killer (New York Times)

Ga. Inmate's Death Sentence Commuted (Washington Post)

Whether to Kill Those Who Killed as Youths (New York Times)

Ga. Killer Apparently Commits Suicide (The Intelligencer)

The Badass: Sigourney Weaver Still Larger Than Life (Observer)

Credits

Hosted by Jake Brennan.

Written by Thom Dunn.

Copy edited by James Sullivan.

Scored and mixed by Joel Edinberg.

Additional music and score elements by Ryan Spraker.

DISGRACELAND theme song, “Crenshaw Space Boogie,” written and produced by Jake Brennan. Performed by Jake Brennan, Bryce Kanzer, Jay Cannava, and Evan Kenney. Mixed and engineered by Adam Taylor.

*illustrations by Avi Spivak @avispivak