Writing for Their Lives: Death Row USA

Marie Mulvey-Roberts is a Reader in Literary Studies in the School of English and Drama at the University of the West of England, Bristol. She has taught in a number of prisons in the United Kingdom. Jan Arriens is the founder of LifeLines, an international organization of correspondents who exchange letters with death row prisoners.

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

Foreword Jan Arriens XV Acknowledgments xvii Introduction: Death Sentences by Marie Mulvey-Roberts 11. 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 392. 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 1183. 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 1634. 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 2095. 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 2336. INTERVIEWING PRISONERS Interview with Mumia Abu-Jamal Allen Houghland 239 Prisoner Interviewing Prisoner Martin A. Draughton 2447. 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