Woman marries death-row pen pal

It began with an inmate pen-pal program. It blossomed into poetry. It led to a marriage.

James Lewis Morgan and the former Tracy Cope are husband and wife. She, formerly of Nottinghamshire, England. He, of death row at Central Prison in Raleigh.

Tracy Morgan began her courtship of convicted killer James Morgan 4 1/2 years ago, visiting him in prison from England five times before she moved to Raleigh with her 15-year-old son.

Her poetry touched Morgan, she said.

"It was called, `Where Is My Beloved?`" she told WRAL-TV in Raleigh. "When he wrote back, he was so touched by it, and he said, `Nobody`s ever called me beloved before.`"

James Morgan, 52, was convicted of the November 1997 stabbing death of 34-year-old Patrina Lynette King of Asheville. His new wife says they talked about the crime and it was no longer a concern to her "once I found out all the details."

The state Department of Correction said Morgan is one of two people to get married at Central Prison in the past five years. He`s the only one on death row.

Prison officials allowed the couple to hold hands, hug and kiss during the wedding ceremony. But their visits will last about 1 1/2 hours a week with a glass partition.

sections: Society