Description

Book Synopsis

A powerful anthology documenting the thoughts and experiences of those waiting to die



Trade Review
"The madness of Death Row in the USA is described in graphic detail in this collection of testimonies, short stories, and poems. . . . Most do not question either their guilt or their fate, accepting their lot with resignation. Very few books have the power to change the world. This book is unlikely to be the exception. And for that we should all be very sorry indeed." Tribune
“Nobody who reads this book will put it down unaffected. . . . Mulvey-Roberts has drawn together an astonishing collection of writings and speeches which will shock, shake and warn. . . . A powerful tool to help contribute to the sentimentality against the punishment. She has displayed that the pen is mightier than the sword.”--Amicus Journal
"A refreshing emphasis on dignity and humanity in the face of terror and evil."--Rick Halperin, Amnesty International USA

Table of Contents
Foreword Jan Arriens XV
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction: Death Sentences by Marie Mulvey-Roberts 1
1. ESSAYS AND SPEECHES ON THE DEATH PENALTY
I Will Not Stand for It Governor George Ryan 17
America Does Not Need Capital Punishment Michael B. Ross 25
My Turn William Van Poyck 27
The Ring Decision and What It Means Richard Rossi 29
Is There Such a Thing as Closure? Richard Rossi 31
Not in My Name Celeste Dixon 34
The Electric Chair and the Chain Gang: Choices and Challenges for America's Future Stephen B. Bright 39
2. ACCOUNTS OF LIFE ON DEATH ROW
Working Against the Death Penalty Marie Deans 59
Daily Events Richard Rossi 63
Running In: Cell Extraction Hank Skinner 65
Conditions on Death Row, Terrell Unit, Texas Dr. Terry Kupers 69
California's Death Row Michael Wayne Hunter 78
It's Time for Me to Die: An Inside Look at Death Row Michael B. Ross 91
Dave Michael Wayne Hunter 103
A Visit from Mom Martin A. Draughton 106
Skirting the Rules Richard Rossi 112
Scars Jarvis Masters 113
Transcending Martin A. Draughton 118
3. EXECUTION
Changing the Protocol Richard Rossi 123
Capital Accountability Roger W. Murray II 126
Surviving an Execution Date Dominique Malon with Sam Hawkins 131
The Dog and Pony Show Richard Rossi 137
The Long Walk Don Hawkins 140
Inside the Death Chamber Stacy Abramson and David Isay 145
The Struggle for a Spirituality: Nicholas Ingram's Life, Final Days, and Execution Sister Ruth Evans 154
Witnessing an Execution Erika Trueman 163
4. POEMS
Recipe for Prison Pruno Jarvis Masters 177
So Many Times Mark Robertson 179
To Be Seen, To Be Done Benjamin Zephaniah 180
Death Row Lament James Heard 181
You Are In Karl Louis Guillen 181
Capital Existence James Heard 182
My God Karl Louis Guillen 182
Living Death Kevin Brian Dowling 183
Oblique Sojourn Leroy D. Cropper 184
The Dungeon Karl Louis Guillen 184
Red Man Shoz Dijiji 185
Come Back to Me Keith B. Taylor 186
Journey to Nowhere Ramon Rogers 187
Beyond the Ceiling Karl Louis Guillen 188
This Horror Karl Louis Guillen 189
A "Not So Bad" Man Karl Louis Guillen 189
Falling In Karl Louis Guillen 190
When It's at Your Door Mark Allen Robertson 191
I Drew a Chessboard on My Bed James Heard 194
Find Out What You Seek Tracy A. Hansen 195
A Mental Mirage Marion Wilson 195
A Special Friend Tracy A. Hansen 196
For You Joan Warren 197
I Think I'll Call It Morning James Heard 198
Look into the Darkness William (Bill) Clark 199
Trying to Describe Martin A. Draughton 200
Before I Forget Karl Louis Guillen 200
My Poem Karl Louis Guillen 201
Death Row Poets U. A. Fanthorpe 201
Executioner James Armando Card Sr. 202
The Wuornos Protocol - The Final Solution John Huggins 203
Nicky Sister Ruth Evans 204
Knowing the Day Rogelio Reyes Cannady 205
Our Disgrace... Karl Louis Guillen 206
You Hide Where You Can't Tracy A. Hansen 207
Words That I Hear Edwin Smith 207
My Final Prayer Ray "Running Bear" Allen 209
5. SHORT STORIES
A Day in the Life Michael Wayne Hunter 213
Cat J Michael Wayne Hunter 216
Fake Identity William Van Poyck 222
Burnt Almonds Steven King Ainsworth 233
6. INTERVIEWING PRISONERS
Interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal Allen Houghland 239
Prisoner Interviewing Prisoner Martin A. Draughton 244
7. CORRESPONDENCE, JOURNALS, AND A PRISON REPORT
From Convent to Prison: A Correspondence Sister RUth Evans 255
When and Where Will It End? William (Bill) Clark 258
Open Letter from Idaho's Only Female Death Row Prisoner Robin Lee Row 260
Journal from Death Row Mississippi Tracy A. Hansen 269
Prison Madness in Mississippi Dr. Terry Kupers 281
An American Chronicle Rogelio Reyes Cannady 288
Being Rushed to Death Richard Rossi 294
Scrappers: Giving In to Life Sister Helen Prejean 298
Organizations and Prison Writing Web Sites 301
Further Reading 305
Filmography 308
Reading for Their Lives Projects 310

Writing for Their Lives

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    A Paperback / softback by Marie Mulvey-Roberts

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      Publisher: University of Illinois Press
      Publication Date: 20/12/2006
      ISBN13: 9780252070990, 978-0252070990
      ISBN10: 0252070992
      Also in:
      Crime and criminology

      Description

      Book Synopsis

      A powerful anthology documenting the thoughts and experiences of those waiting to die



      Trade Review
      "The madness of Death Row in the USA is described in graphic detail in this collection of testimonies, short stories, and poems. . . . Most do not question either their guilt or their fate, accepting their lot with resignation. Very few books have the power to change the world. This book is unlikely to be the exception. And for that we should all be very sorry indeed." Tribune
      “Nobody who reads this book will put it down unaffected. . . . Mulvey-Roberts has drawn together an astonishing collection of writings and speeches which will shock, shake and warn. . . . A powerful tool to help contribute to the sentimentality against the punishment. She has displayed that the pen is mightier than the sword.”--Amicus Journal
      "A refreshing emphasis on dignity and humanity in the face of terror and evil."--Rick Halperin, Amnesty International USA

      Table of Contents
      Foreword Jan Arriens XV
      Acknowledgments xvii
      Introduction: Death Sentences by Marie Mulvey-Roberts 1
      1. ESSAYS AND SPEECHES ON THE DEATH PENALTY
      I Will Not Stand for It Governor George Ryan 17
      America Does Not Need Capital Punishment Michael B. Ross 25
      My Turn William Van Poyck 27
      The Ring Decision and What It Means Richard Rossi 29
      Is There Such a Thing as Closure? Richard Rossi 31
      Not in My Name Celeste Dixon 34
      The Electric Chair and the Chain Gang: Choices and Challenges for America's Future Stephen B. Bright 39
      2. ACCOUNTS OF LIFE ON DEATH ROW
      Working Against the Death Penalty Marie Deans 59
      Daily Events Richard Rossi 63
      Running In: Cell Extraction Hank Skinner 65
      Conditions on Death Row, Terrell Unit, Texas Dr. Terry Kupers 69
      California's Death Row Michael Wayne Hunter 78
      It's Time for Me to Die: An Inside Look at Death Row Michael B. Ross 91
      Dave Michael Wayne Hunter 103
      A Visit from Mom Martin A. Draughton 106
      Skirting the Rules Richard Rossi 112
      Scars Jarvis Masters 113
      Transcending Martin A. Draughton 118
      3. EXECUTION
      Changing the Protocol Richard Rossi 123
      Capital Accountability Roger W. Murray II 126
      Surviving an Execution Date Dominique Malon with Sam Hawkins 131
      The Dog and Pony Show Richard Rossi 137
      The Long Walk Don Hawkins 140
      Inside the Death Chamber Stacy Abramson and David Isay 145
      The Struggle for a Spirituality: Nicholas Ingram's Life, Final Days, and Execution Sister Ruth Evans 154
      Witnessing an Execution Erika Trueman 163
      4. POEMS
      Recipe for Prison Pruno Jarvis Masters 177
      So Many Times Mark Robertson 179
      To Be Seen, To Be Done Benjamin Zephaniah 180
      Death Row Lament James Heard 181
      You Are In Karl Louis Guillen 181
      Capital Existence James Heard 182
      My God Karl Louis Guillen 182
      Living Death Kevin Brian Dowling 183
      Oblique Sojourn Leroy D. Cropper 184
      The Dungeon Karl Louis Guillen 184
      Red Man Shoz Dijiji 185
      Come Back to Me Keith B. Taylor 186
      Journey to Nowhere Ramon Rogers 187
      Beyond the Ceiling Karl Louis Guillen 188
      This Horror Karl Louis Guillen 189
      A "Not So Bad" Man Karl Louis Guillen 189
      Falling In Karl Louis Guillen 190
      When It's at Your Door Mark Allen Robertson 191
      I Drew a Chessboard on My Bed James Heard 194
      Find Out What You Seek Tracy A. Hansen 195
      A Mental Mirage Marion Wilson 195
      A Special Friend Tracy A. Hansen 196
      For You Joan Warren 197
      I Think I'll Call It Morning James Heard 198
      Look into the Darkness William (Bill) Clark 199
      Trying to Describe Martin A. Draughton 200
      Before I Forget Karl Louis Guillen 200
      My Poem Karl Louis Guillen 201
      Death Row Poets U. A. Fanthorpe 201
      Executioner James Armando Card Sr. 202
      The Wuornos Protocol - The Final Solution John Huggins 203
      Nicky Sister Ruth Evans 204
      Knowing the Day Rogelio Reyes Cannady 205
      Our Disgrace... Karl Louis Guillen 206
      You Hide Where You Can't Tracy A. Hansen 207
      Words That I Hear Edwin Smith 207
      My Final Prayer Ray "Running Bear" Allen 209
      5. SHORT STORIES
      A Day in the Life Michael Wayne Hunter 213
      Cat J Michael Wayne Hunter 216
      Fake Identity William Van Poyck 222
      Burnt Almonds Steven King Ainsworth 233
      6. INTERVIEWING PRISONERS
      Interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal Allen Houghland 239
      Prisoner Interviewing Prisoner Martin A. Draughton 244
      7. CORRESPONDENCE, JOURNALS, AND A PRISON REPORT
      From Convent to Prison: A Correspondence Sister RUth Evans 255
      When and Where Will It End? William (Bill) Clark 258
      Open Letter from Idaho's Only Female Death Row Prisoner Robin Lee Row 260
      Journal from Death Row Mississippi Tracy A. Hansen 269
      Prison Madness in Mississippi Dr. Terry Kupers 281
      An American Chronicle Rogelio Reyes Cannady 288
      Being Rushed to Death Richard Rossi 294
      Scrappers: Giving In to Life Sister Helen Prejean 298
      Organizations and Prison Writing Web Sites 301
      Further Reading 305
      Filmography 308
      Reading for Their Lives Projects 310

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