John Tanner - The Man Who Prayed with a Killer

Florida State Attorney, 7th Judicial Court, John Tanner is a controversial figure- beloved or despised for his political and legal stands. He is a man who met and prayed with convicted serial killer, Ted Bundy, more than 50 times before Bundy was executed in the electric chair in January, 1989. He is a man who sought the death penalty for America's First Female Serial killer, Aileen Wuornos ( who's troubled life was depicted in the movie, "Monster" starring Charlize Theron), and witnessed her execution by lethal injection. According to Daytona Beach News Journal staff writer, Derek Catron, calls John Tanner a man of God and a man of law.

Tanner was indicted at age 25 for a man's death, but the charges against him and three other training lifeguards were dismissed. In total he has won death sentences for nine killers. But who is John Tanner?

Premature at birth, John Tanner was born at the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1939. He is a 1957 graduate of Seabreeze High School ( Daytona Beach) and put himself through college at the University of Florida working as a lifeguard, waiter, salesman, and in construction. Between college and law school, Tanner joined the US Army in 1960, enlisting in airborne infantry (paratrooper) and became a Green Beret. He missed out on a chance to go to Cambodia because he refused to re-sign for three more years.

"I knew I had an aggressive, combative nature," John Tanner has said, and was determined to set the courtroom as his battlefield. On deciding to pursue law, Tanner states, according to Derek Catron, "If you're fighting over people's lives, what could be more significant? It was just another form of combat."

John Tanner learned early on about standing up for right and wrong. Tanner recalled to Catron, that as a child, while he walked along a pier in Daytona Beach, another bigger boy took off with Tanner's dog. His mother told the crying boy that if wanted his dog back, he had better go get it. Tanner retrieved his dog.

Tanner is currently serving his fourth term as state attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit (including Volusia and Flagler counties). He lost his office in 1992, after his public crusade against pornography incited anger among his constituents, brought about by his multiple discussions with Bundy. Tanner made it clear to Catron that the serial killer did not blame pornography on his killings, but added that "....its kind of like the fuel you put on a fire. The fires there. The fuel just intensifies it."

Meetings Tanner and his wife of 38 years, Marsha, had with Bundy, led them to believe that indeed he had found God, and his soul was saved, but also that his death by execution should be carried out. But Tanner did lobby for a stay of execution in order for investigators to meet with Bundy in hopes to try to solve more unsolved crimes. Tanner concluded that hardcore pornography was a public safety threat and pursued a now regretful path to rid society of porn. The choices he made, like speaking at churches, led to confusion that his was a morality crusade and not public safety.

At 40 years old, Tanner says that God found him, and he set out on a personal battle between his free will and God's will for him. He even questioned himself as to whether he should continue his pursuit of law. After a series of spiritual experiences, Tanner decided to continue in his chosen field.

"Whenever you see God's judgment fall upon someone else, it doesn't bring a good feeling" Tanner said to Derek Catron- this coming from a man whose manner and wit in the courtroom can be downright brutal at times, and during cross examination of Aileen Wuornos' testimony Tanner was cited as "savage."

John Tanner pursues what he believes in and does not let the fear of rejection or backlash deter him. Not even when he inadvertently got involved with allegations of police abuse within the Flagler County jail system, which involved his daughter, Lisa's, arrests in 2005. Although Tanner acting on what he thought was right has sometimes backfired in his face, Catron concluded that John Tanner has "..learned it takes more than courage to do the right thing. It takes faith to trust that your actions are true."

And that ideal is what Tanner will abide by as he prepares to seek re-election in 2008, confident that voters know where he stands, even if it is not always the popular choice.

Sources:

"Your State Attorney: Man of God, Man of Law"
Derek Catron
The Daytona Beach News Journal June 24, 2007