Executions Create More Victims

There are many reasons for the abolition of  the death penalty. These include the immorality of capital punishment, its ineffectiveness as a deterrent, the possibility of executing an innocent person and the cost. Another important, but often overlooked reason is the effect that it has on the people who carry out and witness an execution. This is highlighted by the Equal Justice USA campaign.

Corrections officials, haunted by the experience of putting people to death have committed suicide, turned to alcohol or drugs or suffered mental and physical health problems.

Executions traumatise clergy, jurors and journalists, many of whom have had symptoms of anxiety, nausea and nightmares caused by the stress of witnessing executions or having to decide as a juror whether a person is guilty or not.

The families of the executed person, particularly if they witness the execution, also suffer tremendously and find it difficult to come to terms with their loss.

Supporters of the death penalty say that it brings closure to the victims family. This may be true in some cases, but as the campaign says:

The death penalty’s impact reaches far beyond the victim and the executed. All who cross its path shoulder the burden of participating in the death of a human being, while the system creates a whole new set of victims who are left to grieve in silence.

The article and references can be found on the EJUSA website:

http://ejusa.org/learn/secondary-trauma/

My last phone call with Shawna

Shawna, never fails to surprise me, astound me, leave me in laughter, or even in tears when we talk on the phone.  The tears are because by the end of the call reality sets in "they" want to kill this perfectly healthy, vital, vibrant woman with so much personality and so much to contribute to the world.   Now, she frequently catches me off guard, sometimes with humor, sometimes without it.  This time it was without.  Among complaints, some of which i will post later, Shawna managed to throw me for a loop when speaking fondly of the guards.  I have always imagined the guards to be hard, harsh, surly, even mean authoritarians.  Shawna assures me this is just not so.  Oh I am sure there's 1 or 2 that may be less than kind or courteous at times.  But Shawna speaks very highly of most all the guards.  She praises their hard work and professionalism and states they work very hard and it's a hot and tough job, dangerous too.    I wanted to get this posted as we "ding" at Perryville staff and rules, it's not the guards, they are merely doing their jobs.  And we salute you Perryville guards for treating the ladies fair and kind and like human beings. Kudos!   Your jobs are hard and dangerous and i'm sure you do not get enough pay, time off or credit for what you do.   Thank you all very much!!  Maybe your management can notice and pat you on the back and give you a raise.   

spoiler alert

What may be the largest JA update yet will be coming soon.  Also sometime after the first of next month Shawna will be detailing her experience with the Green River Killer.   Your not going to want to miss either of these.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/916974891681807/     You are welcome to join us in the Shawna Forde Room for discussions.  Please ask to join.  *please note this is not an angry JA hate group.  This is Shawna Forde's discussion group.  Talk of JA is permitted when updates are out but should be minimal.  Everyone is welcome and discussions will vary.  I will not tolerate trolls & troublemakers as we want this to be civil and drama free.  I have many distinguished people in the discussion room and i will not have them leaving due to insulting/hating and otherwise inappropriate behavior.  Included in the discussion room are former DR inmates that are now exonorated, lawyers, and even former inmates of Perryville Prison.  Multiple discussions may be going on at the same time and everyone is welcomed to contribute in a productive and friendly manner.  We are well aware that serious discussion can elitist strong emotional responses but keep in mind this is a very open minded, anti death penalty group and while we will listen to views that conflict with ours, we would like them to be well presented and respectful to all people regardless of race, ethnic background, religion, etc because our goal to strive for a better system and solutions to the problems, not adding to them.   Come and bring your experiences, views,  information, topics and let's take a hard look at the DP, prison system, DR, and other issues.

Please note this blog is under some construction and coming soon will be pages separate from the main blog, please be sure to check sidebars and scroll to the bottom of the blog for new additions.  Thanks!  

The long awaited next Forde updates on A yard and JA

Introducing Anthony

Hullo everybody

I would like to introduce myself. My name is Anthony, I am 77 years old and have five children and nine grandchildren. I am English, although I was born in India and I live in Wellingborough, a small town about 70 miles north of London. I was a Maths teacher, school counsellor and deputy principal in secondary schools before I left teaching to set up a business running exercise classes for adults and children. Now I am retired, but still teach French to other elderly people in the University of the Third Age. My great interest is in philosophy.

Shawna and I have been writing to each other for nearly two years. I was introduced to her through Lifelines, which is a UK based organisation that supports and befriends prisoners on death row in the USA. I very much enjoy our correspondence and I feel that she has become a true friend. She has supported and befriended me, just as much as I have her. Shawna is extremely intelligent, thoughtful and amusing and I really admire her for the courage and determination she shows in having to live in such appalling circumstances. She works tirelessly to try to improve the living conditions for herself and her fellow inmates.

I am proud to have Shawna as a friend and am honoured that she asked me to contribute to her blog. I look forward to writing some articles looking at the death penalty from a philosophical perspective, researching different aspects of it in the USA and bringing news from around the world. It is gratifying that another country, Mongolia, has just abolished the death penalty and I sincerely hope that I will live to see its abolition in the USA.

The 2 letters are to show what Shawna had said about naming other inmates in mail to her.  I also wanted to demonstrate the food at PV is not fajita's with caramelized onions  and fresh anything.   I had sent the pic of this very tray to Shawna from where i had posted it on her Free Shawna Forde facebook page.  That was her response to that tray. 

My own little disclaimer

As i sit on my comfortable overstuffed camel back sofa and type on my gaming ASUS deluxe laptop, sipping my ginger-ale and cranberry juice with a lemon and a lime wedge, snacking on Chile cheese corn-chips, and contemplating what to do next....i had a thought.  I want my readers to know this....i do not want violent dangerous prisoners freed from their cells!!  I do not want the public at risk from these folks.  That's not who i am or what i am all about.  I just want inmates taken care of the way they are supposed to be in a manner acceptable for a civilized, educated, modern, and free nation.  And the way our tax dollars say they should be.     Hence, my effort up there to illustrate my comfortable and well furnished home.  These prisoners are in misery.  AZ prisons just got the right for a/c and it's as hot as 130 degrees F. on the pavement outside their cells.  This is not just a luxury, it's a necessity.  The prison cant even hire enough guards to work in this cesspool because who would wish to work in AZ with no a/c and in dangerous conditions?   I sure would not!   That is what i do not like.  My Forgotten & Failed blog goes into some detail about me, what made me, what got me here where i am.  I am writing somewhere between 30-40 inmates, mostly on death-row for those whom do not know.  All women, 1 male.     Of those, i am convinced a few, as in 3, are innocent.   I don't really know about the rest.  Their guilt or innocence doesn't really matter to me because that's not what i do.  It just happens after writing for a long time, i became convinced these 3, Shawna being one, were innocent and agreed to try to help promote that.  
A few things about me:  If your really curious please go to my Forgotten & Failed blog and read the "welcome" and "the middle years".   I am not ashamed of who i am, i am not ashamed any longer about the things i have done because the Lord has forgiven them. I do not much care what people think or if they forgive me or not because they neither rule me nor judge my fate.   It's not that i think i am so important, here's my life story.  It's that i want to impress upon people the Lord has been very good to me and i hope u will give him a try and see where he leads u.  I want people to realize the Lord did not pick kings, queens, the rich, lawyers, doctors, popular or beautiful people to break bread with or follow him.   He chose people like me, you, and these people in prison.    
I do not want sympathy.  I do not want attention.  I do not want money.  I have everything i need.  My physical health is poor but i do not care because i will receive a glorious new pain free body in heaven.  I live a modest but very comfortable life.  My only sibling was murdered in 1985 and i have finally made peace with that.  Well, the Lord gave me peace after 30 years of misery.   And i mean misery.  Now, i am far from perfect, dont anyone misunderstand.  Some days, i feel awful and rip into anyone near me or agitating me.  But that is becoming less as the Lord helps me see the joy and beauty in life, that i somehow missed during those ugly, black, miserable 30 years.   
So what do i want?   Just to share the good news about the Lord Jesus to inmates and anyone else who will listen.  To brighten their day and give them a smile and hope.   Let them know I CARE. And i care because the Lord says to care, visit, and treat prisoners as if they were him.    Thanks for reading this. Please be kind to all living things and thank God dearly for your family and home and everything you own.   You never know when it could all be ripped out from under you or when your world could be turned upside down.  
(I am not in English class, so i choose to write the way that makes me comfortable.  Because i can and because if all folks take away from this is that i use terrible English and grammar.....well it's their loss, because i choose to smile and be happy).    Much love to all, Rae

Forgotten & Failed blog

http://wwwforgottenampfailedalookatwomenondeathrowandotherissues.org.forgottenampfailedalookatwomenondeathrowandotherissues.org/         If you like this blog, please see my other blog, mostly it deals with Darlie Routier whom is on TX DR and my own personal story of why i do what i do.