A death row Christmas in Florida.

[Taltarzac725]

Death Row Roster (http://www.dc.state.fl.us/activeinmates/deathrowroster.asp)

At the dog park this morning I was talking to one of my favorite people there who seems to have a heart as big as Florida. She was telling me that she is travelling to Starke, Florida today to get into a round robin of Christmas card writing. A group of people go up to Starke to sign Christmas cards for the death row inmates. Not sure how many of these 403 or so death row inmates are Christians but since John 3:16 is a favorite passage of those on death row, I suppose that there have been many inmates who find Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha or whatever God or Gods that they need to get through each day.

My friend from the dog park has two pen pals at the prison both of whom I believe are on death row. She does not want to know their crimes nor their victims. Kind of bothers me as that would be the first thing I would want to know but I suppose we all have our hobbies. Strange that God would put me and her on the same path so to speak. I have never talked with her about my own work for survivors/victims of crimes as I go to the dog park for the dog and not for the people. It is the dog's paradise, not mine.

Many of you probably know that I had a teacher in high school Barbara Mitchell whose daughter Michelle Mitchell was murdered on my birthday of 2-24 in 1976 in Reno, Nevada. This was while I was in this teacher's remedial English class. This started me on my own journey of trying to improve access to practical materials for survivors of crimes in libraries which began in that late February of 1976. I got two BAs from the University of Nevada, Reno (Philosophy and History), a MA in Librarianship and Information Management from the University of Denver and a JD from the University of Minnesota to try to give myself some credibility in this struggle.

Not sure if I could write a Christmas card to say Michelle Mitchell's killers wherever they happen to be. Have not really kept tabs on the people from that time of my life. It has been more about actually doing something for people who might become survivors and/or victims of crimes in the future.

Curious about others feelings about people on death row and those good hearted people who want to help them out?

I did have a prison pen pal for a year or so who was from a Nevada prison in the period around 1977-1978. I just wanted to get a peak into how an inmate views the world. He did not want to talk about his victims all that much. I seem to remember that he was in for burglary or some other kind of property crime. He got very upset with me when I was trying to discuss the Philosophy of Religion with him and stopped writing. Too much David Hume reading on my part.

I had been involved with Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners while a law student mainly because it was a very practical program that taught law students how to draft filings, interact with clients, etc. You have to learn how to be very objective about things when in law school even if you happen to be passionate about something that clashes with other aspects of your life.

[Bogie Shooter]

Most stay on death row too long.

[billethkid]

Most stay on death row too long.
Which makes no sense at all unless one is a politician.
There are a lot more people in need to be taken care of long before those on death row. That is my personal view of it.

btk

[gomoho]

I find it ironic that your paths crossed in such a way - two ends of the spectrum meeting in the middle. Impressed how you both apparently respected each other's point of view. I am right now leaning towards support of the victims, but understand people do bad things for stupid reasons.

[rp001]

Which makes no sense at all unless one is a politician.
There are a lot more people in need to be taken care of long before those on death row. That is my personal view of it.

btk

On most issues we have been on opposite ends, but I do have to agree with you on this. Way too much attention paid to perps and not near enough compassion for the victims.Go figure....

[BobnBev]

They didn't get on death row by being nice people, now did they?

[PaPaLarry]

They didn't get on death row by being nice people, now did they?
I certainly agree with you on that!!!!!!

[Taltarzac725]

New Florida Death Sentence: Tina Brown | Punishable by Death (http://punishablebydeath.wordpress.com/2012/10/01/new-florida-death-sentence-tina-brown/)

My friend's pen pals backgrounds do not seem as nasty as the actions of Tina Brown. She had told me their names but also suggested that I keep their criminal backgrounds to myself as she did not want to know what actions of their's put them on Death Row. I was wondering about the women on Florida's death row like Tina Brown and looked up one of these. Of course, women can do great violence. The culprits in the murder of Michelle Mitchell on my birthday of 2-24 in Reno, Nevada in 1976 were a pair of female gay lovers and their male friend if I remember the facts correctly.

I could never do what my friend does though go up to Starke to help out with demonstrations against the death penalty and the like as well as trying to make Death Row prisoners' lives easier like with her signing of hundreds of Christmas cards.

[manaboutown]

Personally, I prefer to reach out to the families of the victims of those on death row.

[donb9006]

On most issues we have been on opposite ends, but I do have to agree with you on this. Way too much attention paid to perps and not near enough compassion for the victims.Go figure....

Don't want to violate their rights...oh no... They get better healthcare than working people, better food too...

Our whole system is screwed up. The victim or victims family in cases of death, should be the one to determine punishment. We'd have a whole lot less crime that way. Or, three strikes should mean three strikes and you're OUT...gone, to meet your maker...or the other guy.

Unfortunately, punishment has become a for profit business. Prison are becoming private, owned by corporations. With occupancy GUARANTEES. Think about that... Now think about it some more if you're not outraged. The government is bound by contract to guarantee a certain number being incarcerated at any given time. I read somewhere, the average person commits 3 felonies a day. Thing you didn't know were illegal and shouldn't be...but are.

Like I said, the whole system is screwed up.

[BS Beef]

I'm going to reluctantly dip my toe in this thread. About 6 months ago I began to visit a death row inmate. It's a long story but it was set up through my church. I do not go to try to convert him or save him, I visit him just to talk about what ever he would like to discuss. They call it the ministry of presence. It was something I felt was the right thing to do. It's about an hour away. I try to go once a month. I am not against the death penalty and agree with an early post that time is too long while waiting. Going into the prison has been eye opening to say the least. The conditions aren't anywhere near as good as I've heard described. The inmates do get medical care and food. They do have to pay for any medical care they get including medicine. The food is certainly nothing to write home about. Everything else they have to pay for….food, toiletries, books…anything. It is 17 cents per email for me to email him(there is a community computer in the recreation area (they visit once a week). Please don't take this that I believe this is unfair, I'm just pointing out some of the misconceptions I had prior to visiting. I'm not sharing this in an attempt to gain sympathy for death row inmates. There are certainly very bad men on death row. I can tell you sitting across the table from the man I visit I have not once felt uncomfortable or concerned in any way for my safety. I can say unequivocally he is a different man than the man that went on death row. I will say I'd have him live in my home without reservation. However what's done is done and we (nor he) can undo the past. He chose his path, I just find it much more difficult to judge when it is so personal.

I will let this end at this point, I'm finding this much more difficult to describe now that I'm actually putting pen to paper. I'll leave it that this has been very difficult but something glad I got involved in.

[judynlee]

I'm going to reluctantly dip my toe in this thread. About 6 months ago I began to visit a death row inmate. It's a long story but it was set up through my church. I do not go to try to convert him or save him, I visit him just to talk about what ever he would like to discuss. They call it the ministry of presence. It was something I felt was the right thing to do. It's about an hour away. I try to go once a month. I am not against the death penalty and agree with an early post that time is too long while waiting. Going into the prison has been eye opening to say the least. The conditions aren't anywhere near as good as I've heard described. The inmates do get medical care and food. They do have to pay for any medical care they get including medicine. The food is certainly nothing to write home about. Everything else they have to pay for….food, toiletries, books…anything. It is 17 cents per email for me to email him(there is a community computer in the recreation area (they visit once a week). Please don't take this that I believe this is unfair, I'm just pointing out some of the misconceptions I had prior to visiting. I'm not sharing this in an attempt to gain sympathy for death row inmates. There are certainly very bad men on death row. I can tell you sitting across the table from the man I visit I have not once felt uncomfortable or concerned in any way for my safety. I can say unequivocally he is a different man than the man that went on death row. I will say I'd have him live in my home without reservation. However what's done is done and we (nor he) can undo the past. He chose his path, I just find it much more difficult to judge when it is so personal.

I will let this end at this point, I'm finding this much more difficult to describe now that I'm actually putting pen to paper. I'll leave it that this has been very difficult but something glad I got involved in.
Now this is an open mind; we should all be as nonjudgmental. Life is seldom black and white but often much messier than that.

[zcaveman]

My only comment is that as soon as the dead victim can say hello to their loved ones in person then this person can be pitied.

Z

[justjim]

There are certainly some very bad guilty men on death row. However, It is also a fact there are some innocent men on death row. There have been innocent men put to death.

In Illinois there were so many men on death row where DNA proved them innocent that the death penalty was indefinitely suspended. I'm not defending guilty horrible people---but I'm saying there are holes in our justice system especially for those who cannot afford the best defense lawyers.

Just a few months ago my first cousin was brutally murdered in a small town in Southern Illinois. Her car was stolen and just a few dollars in cash taken. My Aunt and my cousin's 90 year old mother, sister and two brothers are still in shock. Nobody living in the town can remember another murder---just doesn't happen. Just in a few hours police pulled over the car and the alleged killer is in custody.

There are some very bad people who commit brutal crimes that deserve nothing less than the death penalty. In Illinois there is no death penalty. Frankly, since it takes many years (sometimes 20'or more) following conviction, to carry out The death penalty, maybe it is best not to have it. I'm ok with that.

[Villages PL]

What is it that causes this subject to be facinating for some people? I prefer not to think about it. They will get what they deserve and no one should try to make them more comfortable.

[ugotme]

My only comment is that as soon as the dead victim can say hello to their loved ones in person then this person can be pitied.

Z

What is it that causes this subject to be facinating for some people? I prefer not to think about it. They will get what they deserve and no one should try to make them more comfortable.


AMEN to both of you! I couldn't agree more.

[pauld315]

As a very astute man used to say "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time...don't do it " I would spend my time being friends with the family of the victim.