The Right Thing: Framed by My Brother
Broadcaster
BBC World Service
TX Date
3rd Feb 2023
Presenter
Mike Wooldridge
Producer
Mike Lanchin
Researcher
Ewan Newbigging-Lister
Editor
Kristine Pommert
Quotes
"You marvelled at the victim’s ability to suppress the most ordinary emotions and see things in the round"
D J Taylor, The Tablet
In July 2000 Floyd Bledsoe was convicted of the murder of his 14-year-old sister-in-law in the small Kansas town of Oskaloosa. His older brother Tom had originally confessed to the killing, but later changed his story, accusing Floyd of the crime.
A committed Christian, Floyd spent the next 15 years fighting his conviction, while also wrestling with the Bible’s teaching to forgive those who have done us wrong. Should and could he forgive Tom for what he had done? And his parents, who had sided with one of their sons over the other?
Mike Wooldridge speaks to Floyd about his ordeal and about his struggle to do the right thing by his faith. Mike also hears from a volunteer prison chaplain who helped Floyd resolve the dilemmas he faced; and from a family friend who stuck by Floyd when other members of his own church turned their backs on him.
The programme was commissioned for the BBC World Service’s Heart and Soul strand. The Right Thing is CTVC’s recurrent series within this strand.