Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1982-11-07

Duration: 00:28:33

Subjects: Veterans | Military | Louisiana State Penitentiary | Vietnam War, 1961-1975 | PRISONERS

Contributors:

• Sexton, Sharon Elizabeth Host
• Doughty, Harry Interviewee
• Thomas, Seabell Interviewee
• Ates, Roger Speaker
• Thomas, William E., Sr. Interviewee
• Witherspoon, G. Ashanti Interviewee

This episode of the series “Folks” from November 7, 1982, features Sharon Elizabeth Sexton’s report on the problems facing Vietnam veterans in Louisiana. She visits the Vet Center in New Orleans and listens in as a group of Vietnam veterans discuss their feelings on their rejection from society, their negative portrayal in the media, their employment problems, and the lack of help available to them. Sexton also interviews William E. Thomas, Sr., a Vietnam veteran serving a life sentence for murder at Angola. He discusses his experience in the war, being trained to be violent, his family noticing changes in his behavior when he returned home, and the events that led him to commit murder. This episode also includes interviews with: Harry Doughty, a team leader at the Vet Center in New Orleans; Seabell Thomas of the Veterans Program in Baton Rouge; and G. Ashanti Witherspoon of Vets Incarcerated at Angola.