I just hugged the man who murdered my son

told by Mary Johnson and Oshea Israel on National Public Radio's StoryCorps:

While most StoryCorps interviews are between family and friends, this conversation comes from two people who easily could have been enemies.

In 1993, Oshea Israel was a teenage gang member in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One night at a party Oshea got into a fight, which ended when he shot and killed another boy.

Now 34, Oshea has finished serving his prison sentence for second-degree murder.

May 25, 2011 Region: North America and Caribbean, Practice, Victim, Case:Homicide, Forgiveness, Country:USA

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Victim's daughter meets IRA bomber: An interview with Jo Berry

by Lisa Rea

On October 12, 1984 an IRA bomb planted by Patrick Magee demolished Brighton’s Grand Hotel in Brighton killing 5 people including Sir Anthony Berry, MP for Southgate and a member of the Thatcher government. The bomb hit on the last day of the conservative party conference held at the hotel. The IRA bomber Magee was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He was released after 14 years under the negotiated Good Friday agreement.

The following is from an interview Lisa Rea conducted with Jo Berry, daughter of Sir Anthony Berry. She did this interview from her home in Macclesfield UK. Jo Berry chose to meet with Pat Magee in November 2000. Today the two work together on many initiatives including addressing peace conferences, giving workshops in prisons, and speaking at universities.

Q. How did the meeting(s) happen? What was the process?  Were you, and Pat, adequately prepared to meet? Walk us through what happened.

May 12, 2011 National Reconciliation, Correspondent:Lisa Rea, Support, Practice, Victim, Country:Northern Ireland, Region: Europe

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