More from Reggie Blanton

THE CHAOTIC DEPTHS OF MY SOLITUDE:Entry (14th January 2009) I have largely felt discouraged from doing a lot of journal writing, like what I use to do for the DRIVE site, because it started to feel like an unfulfilling endeavor. The struggle I wrote about IS my life, not was; but IS. Granted I may not have articulated my struggle in a heart wrenching manner—no, no, I don't need to say it that way. Perhaps the bottom line is I wasn't persuasive enough. I couldn't shake society's conscience enough for them to see these flames of mine that melt flesh right off the bone. Too strong a metaphor? My neck burns right now. Unfulfilling indeed. Why expose the death, the decay, the blood stains, the horror, the dried up tear stains, the mucus, mu naked abused body, my soul to a people who merely find it entertaining reading as they stare, transfixed at their computer screen, sucking the food off their finger tips, in their cozy homes; safe, secure, maybe. Maybe living. But who knows this? Any part of this? I almost said "Nevermind, because it's about me anyway" but it's not just about me; its about us. It has always been about us, only "us" haven't realized this much; with the exception of a few. A small few. Ha! They just brought me a food loaf to eat for the lunch I turned down because spoiled food was on the tray. I'll explain in a minute. I guess what I'm trying to say is, the overall response of the people (outside these ghastly tomb walls, as well as those banished a prisoner in this wilderness of death) to the DRIVE movement had "wounded" (see poem with same title) me deeply. Maybe one day I will feel encouraged to expound upon my wounds. Nevertheless the pain made me yank my hand back away from sharing myself, everything I am, away from my journal writing, and I questioned my wound. And it spoke to me. I fought it, it fought me. It cried, I cried, We smiled at each other. Yet all the while, unbeknownst to you, the peeper in my window, my struggle continued. And for the meantime I feel motivated to let you peer into The Chaotic Depths of my Solitude. Perhaps my actions today was the result of my refusal to accept my chains, a refusal to accept being forced into this preconceived role the system needs me to play, not only out of need for their prisoner (those enchained, whether they are aware of it or not, physically or psychologically; and in this case, I'm even speaking of the pursued prisoner-to-be) to perpetuate the ignorance of the system uses to justify keeping their Frankenstein of a system alive and putrid, but alive. But the prisoner is also the mirror that reinforces the systems sense of self, of itself, when it looks into that mirror, at what it has made. Only it doesn't see it this way. They see no other way of looking at life; or death. (Shrugging my shoulders) It really just depends on how complex you believe this philosophical question to be. I know I have been thrusted into a line to die,"Die!" They scream with a crack of the whip "you have no self! Toby! Die!" They cry "Your spirit, the humanity of it, I will not tolerate! It may help you remember; help you rebel. Die!" They spit, spasming as if trying to cast a hex upon my soul; as if the gurney will arise, bolts flying from the floor as it brings itself to me. You would think I'm merely being creative, but I heard that certain racist organizations and other groups that want us dead "lay hands" on us everyday. Whatever "lay hands" is suppose to mean. "I hear that whipCRACK!!!!!SmokeCame from the slice in your skinBurning bright redLike crack pipes…." --excerpt from my poem "Free Style,!" Yeah that whip stings all sorts of epithets upon my Afrikan soil, my flesh, but no matter how hard they try, though I may fall to one Knee, bowing to no one, but the ONE, and maybe my Queen, they will not uproot my soul. They can't make me believe I'm guilty; they can't make me believe I deserve to live like this, fighting against a slow psychological and spiritual death, they can't make me believe I have no rights, that I deserve to die. I can never BE 999395. I AM life! I AM life! And life moves; it breathes, even if through chemical agents. And so I refuse passage, upon the property of my Humanity, to any oppressive, suppressive or repressive force. Well I refuse as much as possible because I'm hard pressed on every side of my BEing, and it's hard to defend yourself against mass misconception, media propaganda, the complicity of the judicial persecution system, Texas Department of Corrections inc., a reaper of death sentence that lurks over me, drooling, these vamirish sensory – depriving conditions, the psychological warfare this administration teaches its staff to wield against us daily, the numerous policies they violate daily, the spoiled, inadequate and ill-prepared food, systematic indifference, the reactionary suicide and homicide of fellow prisoners, their complacency, the pain of not being able to show Mama the full extent of the righteous man I've become, the pain of not being able to touch, smell, taste my Queen…. Should I go on? Sometimes some of these things snake their way through the aura of divine energy, I cultivate around myself through meditation, Hatha yoga and the liberating affect of struggling. Like right now, I have an intense headache from prolong exposure to chemical agents they doused me with a few hours ago. It was all in my hair, its on my walls, my floor, cell door, its pretty much over everything. And believe me when I say everything. Hold up, let me tie a sock around my head over my nose. Today, the floor officer awoken me to my lunch tray: a porkchop, I haven't seen in a long time, 2 biscuits, a boiled potato with gravy, green beans and beans. I was a lil happy, to see the porkchop, sick of the ground mystery meat, gristle and bone included, mixed with soggy over boiled noodles. I was just sitting down with my tray when my brother Obie Weathers, whos a few cages down from me hollered to get the officers attention. I was thinking to myself that something almost smelt spoiled. Then I heard weathers say the vegetables were spoiled. I smelled the tray and pulled my head back, almost ready to puke. Either the white beans (which are almost never cooked) or the green beans (which a lot of the times have stems in them) was spoiled. I also hollered at the officer and told him there was spoiled food on my tray, it was probably 11.30am. We waited and waited and waited. 2pm came around and we still didn't get any relief, we wondered why were were the only two targeted and given spoiled food, or was everybody else accepting it? You'll be surprised at how many times I've seen dozens of prisoners accept these trays, without one thing to say; almost as if afraid to let another prisoner know they had accepted the lashing. The food situation has been an ongoing thing for years; and it has gotten worse; worse with the attitude of this administration. Take for example the day after Christmas, Weathers and I received dinner trays with Oh-my-gawd-make-me-wanta-puke spoiled vegetables on it. When we addressed it to the two floor officers passing out the trays, "Man, you mean to tell me you couldn't smell these spoiled trays?!!! They both said their sense of smell wasn't working. We requested to speak to the Sgt. Two sgts came to the pod, Sgt Williams and Sgt Turner. (coincidently, neither of their noses were working either! Can you believe that Sgt Turner said "you mean to tell me after all that good food we fed you yesterday, you're gonna complain?" However, Sgt Williams made sure Weathers and I was given a generous compensation for the spoiled meal. Here again was Weathers and I the only two out of 84 people that received spoiled vegetables, or did everybody else accept the crack of the whip, just being grateful in their sick mental state, not wanting to stir the Massa's anger? The absurd thing is that this food is even making its contaminated way out of the kitchen. Then when the pod officers get the chow cart (which keeps all the trays warm while they use "chow carriers" to carry the trays to the prisoners) they don't offer us a second line of defense by inspecting the food. What disturbs me is how officers, when I confront them about ill-prepared trays, sometimes say "hey I give y'all what they give us" or "Everybody got the same thing" If pod officers knew what we were suppose to get, what's suppose to be on those trays they bring to us from the kitchen, they wouldn't be able to use ignorance as a defense (which is probably why out of all the psychological warfare they teach these officers to use on us, they don't teach them what our trays are supposed to look like) when a prisoner complains about the adequacy of a tray. Further, it doesn't matter that everybody else accepted their tray or got the same thing. Im not going to accept an ill-prepared tray. And whether everybody got the same thing is irrelevant if the tray is missing some food. Part of the reason why I and a few others refuse to accept being treated like hogs being slopped is to take these lines of defenses away from the officers. Officers are not suppose to subtly encourage prisoners to accept the crack of the whip! Then when I'm the only one out of 14 prisoners that gets what we was only suppose to get in the first place, maybe my actions will act as a mirror showing them their true selves; maybe they'll also assert their humanity. Sadly, many react by lashing out at the mirror that reveals their sickness than to lash out at the system that tricked them into accepting being encouraged to accept slop! This is the mindstate I refer to as reactionary homicide. The next day, food from lunch was stuck in clumps underneath my dinner tray. What does this mean, besides that these trays weren't cleaned? A tray carrier holds 7 trays that slide in one above the other. The food stuck underneath my tray can easily fall onto the tray directly below it, contaminating it. Several days later the trays were missing either cornbread or bread. Again Weathers and I were the only ones, at least on our section, to address this issue. In doing so, we were compensated with an extra tray. But this was no Victory, 1) we shouldn't have had to address officers about trays missing food. The kitchen Sgt, Pope should be on top of his job. 2) Everybody wasn't compensated for what their trays were missing. And because we know that some prisoners just don't know what they are supposed to have, we are sure to discuss these matters over the run so everybody on the section can hear it. One particular prisoner below me that knows rules, policies, and procedure front and back had caught my attention with his silence, I hollered at him, asking him why he accepted an inadequate tray, He said he doesn't eat cornbread or bread. I thought it was a convenient response. So I waited till the next time cornbread was on the tray before calling his name, he ignored me at first, then when he answered I asked him if I could have his cornbread. I really didn't want it, I was just interested in what he would say. Surprisingly he told me "hell nah" because he was going to eat it. Maybe he was just hungry that day. The crack of the whip! I could go on and on all the way into the present, but I think you glimpse, so say the least, the complexity of this situation. Anyway 2 p.m rolls around and the floor officers were picking up trays. They like to call it "slopping trays" but I try to enlighten them by saying "you slop hogs, not human beings" That's what you do serve hogs slop, lest they feed their hogs corn. Be that as it may, other prisoners would have to say vigilant and persistently address these dehumanising comments if we hope for officers to break the habitual behavior. Im tempted to postulate that part of the reason we're having these problems with our food in particular, and with our treatment in general, is because of a perspective that many officers share that leads to such comments. When the floor officers came to my cage and I told them I was going to hold the tray and occupy the food slot (refusing to allow them to close it) because they already knew what the problem was and I was able to get them to see my spoiled tray in the same light they would see receiving spoiled food from a restaurant, not to mention sympathize with the fact Weathers and I hadn't eaten since breakfast, they didn't react harshly, spewing subtle threats. They understood and was happy to rest while we waited for the Sgt to arrive. Sgt Ludwig arrived, I immediately accepted the fact that I was going to end up gassed when it was all said and done. How he had even made Sgt in the first place--- well, I was going to make a mindless statement. Him making Sgt. Is not beyond my comprehension. You move up in rank by demonstrating you will patriotically stand to their "good old boy" system of complicity and play a lil dirty if you have to. Sgt. Ludwig has no communication skills. It doesn't matter what you have to say or how much logic there is to it, its always "hurry up" and some kind of indefinite resolution mixed with a direct order and a threat of being subjected to gas (chemical agents). He truly epitomizes the officer that would rather break a prisoner from standing up for himself and smile while doing it, than to resolve the situation in a way that purges the problem from the equation to avoid future problems. Should I tell you about the one time he told me he wanted to gas me in such a way that the "gas runs down your back and down the crack of your ass" I was only able to get him to divulge these desires to me by saying with a smile on my face "you like to gas people don't you? You wanted to gas me huh?" something like that. I handed Sgt Ludwig the tray to smell, hoping he wouldn't say his nose wasn't working. To my relief he agreed the food was spoiled. The he said he'll see about getting Weathers and I some extra food later in the evening at dinner. I asked why we couldn't get another porkchop tray. He said there was none. Once I brought up the officers dining room (ODR) which is the main kitchen he wasn't listening anymore. All the food that comes to Death Row which is located in 12 building of this unit, has to come from the main kitchen, ODR. This is where the food is cooked and stored. I told Sgt Ludwig there has to be something left in the refrigerator because Weathers and I was hungry and hadn't eaten since 3 in the morning. Before I could finish he said there was no refrigerator. Which is a lie. Before I couldn't finish saying he could get us some sandwiches (which they keep for those who missed their meal for some reason) Sgt. Ludwig said "Im just gonna gas ya!" as he walked off with a smile on his face. I wrapped my head in a sheet. It made me look like a ninja. I covered my eyes with some plastic, and waited, silently hoping some other officer with some sense would arrive. When Sgt. Ludwig came back with the camera woman, and a face mask with a can of gas in his hands, Cpt Lacox followed behind him. When I politely called Cpt Lacox over, he gave me an indifferent attitude and said what his Sgt says goes, denying me my right to access to my chain of command. Blind complicity. Sgt Ludwig started giving me 2 direct orders "to relinquish the food slot or chemical agents will be utilized" I turned my back to the food slot bracing myself. I head him position the canister at head level, I closed my eyes, held my head down some, and focused on my breathing. The Sgt Ludwig blasted the back of my head with a 5 second burst (though its supposed to be 3) of chemical agents. I could hear and feel the gas sizzle through the sheet and in my hair. I held my position contemplating how far I would allow it to go. When they called the 5 man riot team, decked out with helmets, elbow pads, knew pads, shin guards, and a point man with a shield, I let the Sgt have the slot back. Sgt. Ludwig closed my food slot, then said, "Offender Blanton, you've been subjected to a use of force. To decontaminate, use copious amounts of water…" Copious amounts of water? I was in my cage. All I had was a small sink. I had gas all over me, my walls, floor, etc. Decontaminate? Heres what the use of force plan, right off TDC's website, says about decontamination.Exposure to CS (type of gas used on me)a) Decontamination of individual: i. During the initial recovery period, the individual may be quite alarmed because he is unable to breathe normally. He should be encouraged to remain calm and reassured that once recovery starts, it will occur quickly.ii. Move the affected individual to uncontaminated air (preferably facing into the wind if necessaryiii. Individual should remove contact lenses and be cautioned not to rub his eyes; in cases of severe irritation, the victim should irrigate his eyes with water (i.e by cupping water and splashing it on the face) or a one percent solution of sodium bicarbonate;iv. If chemical agent residue is found on any individual's clothing, the clothing must be removed to obtain complete relief;v. Generally an individual exposed to cs may shower immediately. However if CS dust particles are on the skin, as evidenced by a slight burning or tingling sensation when moist, showered should be delayed for about six (6) hours. When these individuals do shower they should use soap and avoid harsh rubbing of the affected areas.vi. In cases of gross contamination of the skin, the affected areas (except around the eyes) should be flushed with ethylene glycol or five (5) percent solution of sodium bisulphate, rinsed with water, and a steroid or antihistamine ointment applied. (b) Decontamination of Area:i. Ventilate the contaminated area;ii. Affected surfaces are to be washed with a five (5) percent solution of sodium hydroxide in equal portions of ethanol and water, and then rinsed with clear water.. There's a reason for all these safety precautions, none of which were followed. These cages are sealed up with plexi-glass over the screens on the door. The circulation is so bad inside these cages that you can see the lint floating in the air throughout the cage. Some days worse than others. Either way I was left in the cage about the size of a walk in closet, with chemical agents all over the walls, door, floor and myself. Even when the nurse came to ask me if I was alright, and I said I couldn't breathe, I was left in this contaminated cage. Left to think about my burning neck. Left to think about my throbbing headache. Left to think twice about being bold enough to assert my human right to decent meals. Left to ponder the crack of the whip. Obie Weathers also occupied the food slot. He was also subjected to chemical agents in the same way, he was also left in his contaminated cage; left to ponder the crack of the whip. As for how I was compensated for the spoiled meal, I was given a cold food loaf, which is nothing more than sliced pieces of bologna and mixed vegetables cooked into some harsh cornbread. Do I need to say it was cold because it came from the main kitchens refridgerator. Nevermind it wasn't fresh, nor consisted of what was on the tray per policy, or that they were using food as a punishment. If any of you feel Obie Weathers and I have been mistreated in any way, please share our story with others and encourage them to make a complaint to the TDCJ ombudsman at:P.O Box 99HuntsvilleTexas 77342-0099Telephone number (936) 437 8035Fax number (936) 295 8712With everything I amReg "Omari" Blanton©2008 by S. Stafford & Reginald Blanton. All text, pictures and graphics are copyrighted. Text, Picture, and graphics, unless otherwise agreed upon, cannot be copied, transferred, produced or saved without prior written permission of the publisher.IF ANYONE WISHES TO USE THIS PEACE OF WRITING, PLEASE KEEP ALL THE WRITING AS IS WITHIN THIS MESSAGE, THANKYOUwww.myspace.com/freereggiebwww.myspace.com/we_r_not_giving_up

1st Execution of 09 in Texas

1st US execution of 09 in Texas - Curtis Moore
(Execution tomorrwow...urgent action needed.)Posted by Terri Been on January 13, 2009 at 10:54am in No More Death Back to No More Death Discussions Despite the crime Curtis committed, he is a human and deserves the right to live. Saturday, my family and I had the priviledge of meeting Curtis' loved ones while we were visiting @ Polunsky. I understand the pain and distress they are going through being the "final" days of is life, and feeling powerless to prevent his murder.

My family and I will be outside of the captiol in Texas tomorrow @ 5:30pm to show support for Curtis. PLEASE use your voice and call the Board of Pardons and Paroles, and the Governor.
BPP: (512) 406-5852 Fax (512) 467-0945
Governor (512) 463-2000
You can also send a letter on behalf of Curtis directly to the governor via e-mail at this site:
http://www2.governor.state.tx.us/contact/
BELOW IS AN ARTICLE ON CURTIS.
Jan 13, 20091st US execution of 09 in Texas
HUNTSVILLE (Texas) - CURTIS Moore's first run-in with the criminaljustice system came at age 12 as a runaway and he kept getting intoworse trouble as he got older.His rap sheet showed convictions for theft, robbery and weapon anddrug possession that earned him prison terms. In an era ofovercrowded Texas prisons that abbreviated sentences, he repeatedlywas released, then returned to prison with parole violations.He finally ended up on death row, convicted of the slayings of threepeople during a pair of drug-ripoff robberies more than 13 years agoin Fort Worth.Moore, 40, was set to die Wednesday evening.He'd be the first condemned inmate executed this year in the US andamong six to die in Huntsville over 15 days in the nation's mostactive death penalty state. Two are set for injection next week.Moore's appeals were exhausted and lawyers cited his possible mentalretardation as reason the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles shouldcommute his sentence to life in prison.Moore already made one trip to the Huntsville death house. In 2002,less than three hours before he was to receive lethal injection, theUS Supreme Court stopped his scheduled execution so claims from hisattorneys that he was mentally retarded and ineligible for executioncould be reviewed. In October, the high court refused his appeal,clearing the way for Wednesday's execution date to be set.Moore was arrested for a pair of shootings Nov 30, 1995.Roderick Moore, 24, who was not related to him, and LaTanya Boone,21, were found shot to death in a roadside ditch across from a Texaselementary school. Their bodies were found by an off-duty policeofficer.The same night, Darrel Hoyle, 21, and Henry Truevillain Jr, 20, werefound shot and burned by firefighters summoned to put out a car fire.Truevillian was dead but Hoyle survived and helped lead police to thearrest of Moore and his nephew, Anthony Moore, then 17.The three men were abducted after agreeing to meet Curtis Moore andhis nephew at a stable where Roderick Moore boarded and trainedhorses. Then Boone was abducted from the apartment she shared withRoderick Moore, her boyfriend.Testimony at Curtis Moore's trial showed the shootings culminated adrug ripoff, that he doused Hoyle and Truevillain with gasoline andignited them as they were bound and in the trunk of a car parked in adeserted lot.Hoyle regained consciousness six days after he was attacked and gaveinformation that led authorities to Anthony Moore, known on thestreets as 'Kojak,' and that Curtis Moore drove a pink truck.Curtis Moore was arrested about two weeks later, his hands and armsstill showing burns suffered when authorities said he tried to keepHoyle from fleeing the flames.'Curtis was trying to push him back in the trunk,' said Joetta Keene,who prosecuted Moore.'Everybody got burned, including Curtis,' George Gallagher, who wasone of his trial attorneys, recalled. 'That was hard to get around.'At the punishment phase, prosecutors were able to show jurors Moore'sviolent past.'He had a huge criminal history,' Keene said. 'He kept giving us moreevidence. He stabbed a guy in jail.'Moore blamed his nephew for the slayings and said he tried to rescuethe victims from the burning car. But he acknowledged holding them atgunpoint, ordering them hog-tied and stuffed into the trunk of the car.Anthony Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of murder under a pleaagreement and is serving two life prison sentences. -- AP
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_325535.html

Please sign this petition

This death row inmate gauged out his eye and ate it, in his cell. Please sign this petition to save the life of this mentaly ill inmate.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/No-Executing-Mental-Patients

Reggie Blanton, Texas Death Row, New Year's

MESSAGE FROM REGINALD BLANTON

Received today 7th January 09

First of all Happy New Year to you all. Sending all my supporters that has been with me all along in the struggle with me, Love and best wishes for 2009. And I hope that you will continue to help me in my fight to save my life. To those of you that are New to my struggle, Thankyou, and I encourage you to read up on all my case information on my myspace page.I know that my Wife Sandie, has put out on the Yahoo group a message about MLK Jr Day, in which I am asking you if any of My supporters are going to attend any rallies for that Day, if so please could you download my new Flyer from my myspace page www.myspace. com/freereggieb the new flyer's link is in the about me section on the myspace page, and hand a few of those flyers out for me. I need to draw more and more people to my myspace page, to view all the information about my case. As my myspace is the only main source where my information will be inputted. And any new information Sandie will also send out in my Yahoo support group.If you understand Capital punishment law, or death penalty law rather, please offer us your service, I have done extensive research into my own case; I understand how the law applies. Everything any organization that may wish to lend us assistance can find just about everything they need to know about my case right here on my myspace page, Most of the information here is what my lawyers have filed in my briefs and writs. This my myspace page deals with facts, not fiction. These are the issues we have been raising in the courts.My baby Sandie, she is not American legal minded, but shes learning, her concern is to get my voice out there and to fight for my Life, and to network for me. She is in constant contact with me and with my Mama. Between my Baby, My Mama and myself we have a triangle of communication. Sandie understands everything Im trying to do strategically, because of all this she is the Sole woman that I have given the green light to make minute decisions without first consulting me. I trust her 110 percent. I say this to say any of you can accept what my baby may say in emails, blogs, etc as being my own words. Time is off the essence and this is the only way that we can ensure campaign matters flow smoothly.Sandie is also my Power of Attorney of my affairs shared with Mama, this has been notarised and signed. Also Sandie has sole copyright of all my writings, photos, media etc. Also notorised and signed. If anyone would like to use any of my writings please contact Sandie, as the copyright will have to be applied.**PLEASE NOTE**I am seeking more signatures on my petition, you can find my petition banner on my myspace page, and also a link on sandie's page please try to forward my petition to all that you know that may sign.The sample Clemency Letter which is in my blogs section on my myspace page. This sample letter was written by a lawyer, so please note it is a sample letter only and you can use your own words. From Now on please send the clemency letters either to reggieblanton@ hotmail.com or lawofparties@ hotmail.com clemency letters can still be sent to my Mama's email, however Mama's email and computer is always playing up, so please send to the emails above. Also send any clemency letters by snail mail to the P.O Box stated in the blog about my clemency letter on my myspace page. There is a reason why we do not want the letters dated, nor sent straight to the board, PLEASE DO NOT SEND STRAIGHT TO THE BOARD, as at a later date, other letters will need to be sent to the board, and for now the clemency letters are being collected in bulk at the above emails. It is important that the details on the clemency letter are followed. If at a later date this is changed, then Sandie will let you all know. To those that have posted the clemency letter on their websites or pages, please change it to the Original One that is on my blogs section where its headed Clemency letters Required, Please copy that blog, if you want to add it to your websites or myspace pages, and please keep my myspace link on there as well as sandies.We need to know where you all are, and what each other is doing in the campaign to help. Please also let Sandie know of anything that you intend on doing. If you are unsure of doing something, please contact Sandie on my myspace page. I need my support group to stay close, a circle so that we are not all spaced out not knowing what each other is doing for the campaign.A FEW PERSONAL SHOUT OUTS To
Dee, Happy new Year to you, Thankyou for all that you do, I appreciated all the help that you have given.To Jason, Kathy, and all from the CEDP Denton Branch, Happy new year to you all, and I really do appreciate the help and what you all do.To Antwan (Governor of Crunk) Thanks again for doing the song for me, it was awesome, and great to hear you and your wife at Kdol beginning of 08, it was great to hear the shout out from you. Happy new year to You, to Monica and the kids. May you have great success in your music.TO THELMA, yes you Thelma ha Hey Sue, Glad to hear that things are getting back to normal for you. Good luck for 2009. Thankyou again for being a moderator on my yahoo group and helping Sandie out.To Toni 4 prison reform. Happy new year, thankyou for the info that you gave sandie to send to me, much appreciated, I haven't read it all through yet, but I will. Thanks also for being a moderator in my yahoo group. Happy New Year.GABRIEL AND CARO. Sending much love to you both, happy new year.To Rebecca ( Ducki) To my newest penpal, thanks for being a friend, and thankyou for helping Sandie out. I know she really does appreciate your help. Happy New Year.To SB. The other SB, Hi Manu Hey girl how ya doing. I know you and Sandie are close, but no you can not marry her, shes mine. (smile) Seriously though Im glad she has a good friend in you.MY Queen. Baby I am missing you so much, I cant wait to see those New years Eve Pics, now with you and my step daughter together, lawd have mercy. One day il see that for myself. Yous two together are badddddddd news (smile). It still leaves a smile on my face, when Mama telephoned you, Mama wrote to me and told me, Tasha had not long had baby liam home, it was quite late, and Liam must have woke up, and Tasha came running down the stairs and all Mama heard from my stepdaughter Tasha was "that just aint right" yes I sure like that saying. Baby I know its been a hard few years for you, I know this, With your health, the other, and all the criticisms you get by doing what you do, Yet you still keep going love, you still keep fighting the fight for me. Give Kye a kiss and hug from me. I love you my Queen. To MY Stepdaughter Tasha Ok Tasha, Please give my grandson a hug from me. I suppose a hug for you too madam (smile) Your Mum sent me the photos of the recent ones of Liam, he has come on so well Tasha, you are blessed to have that Child, Its so hard to believe that Liam was born 12 weeks early, and he is doing so well. It was a nice birthday present for me, I mean my birthday is the 3rd June, your baby was born4th june 08, my sisters baby girl was born 4th june 08 your moms birthday is 5th june, And your mom and my mama became nannas the same day, this is something we will celebrate every single year. I hope I get home to see little Liam grow up, Please always tell him that grandpops Reg thinks of him often.To all on my myspace page, and my yahoo support group, Happy New Year.Reg (omari)1981- ????

Rob Will, Texas Death Row

Livingston, TX
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
6:47 PM

I woke up earlier and did some nice yoga/ meditation, centering my mind and relaxing my body. I didn't do any writing yesterday. What I did I do?...

…Engage in a dreadful amount of sleep deprivation. I got up yesterday and found out that there was no hot water. So, I had to make myself stay awake in order to speak with a sergeant about the problem when he came around. Normally, we're woken up on a consistent basis, day and night. It's impossible to sleep for more than an hour without being pulled from your sleep by a variety of noises: count time(!), clean-up crew, chow-time(!), scream-talking(!) by other inmates, beating on doors, slamming gates, slamming doors, etc!, etc!, etc! But, I wanted to absolutely make sure I was awake so I didn't miss the sergeant, therefore I read and read till he came around. I find it hard to write when I'm in an extreme — meaning more than normal — sleep deprived state, so I didn't write at all yesterday.

I read Neil Gaiman's "Odd and the Frost Giants" which is an alright little book, it's basically a retelling of tales from Norse mythology. It's something I'd give my son and stepson to read. Then, I started on "American Goods" by Gaiman. I thought I'd be more impressed by it than I actually am. I'm ¾ into the book and I'm a bit disappointed… I think I'll go ahead and kick back and read some more of the book for a while…

Thursday
Christmas Day
4:52 am

An apple and an orange… We only get fresh fruit twice a year, on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I just got up about an hour or so ago for breakfast and ate my orange and apple. I finished Gaiman's "American Gods" and it was actually pretty good. It started raining so I had to pick up all my stuff off the floor because my cell leaks very bad. I had a stack of legal papers on my desk so I figured I'd just do some more reading. I picked up Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere" and finished it in one sitting. It's better than his "American Gods".

So, I finished reading "Neverwhere", washed some clothes, cleaned up a bit and got some rest. Last time I wrote, I was thinking of writing about what I'd like to be doing if I was out there right now, along with writing about what I am doing in here. However, I think it's important to talk about what's been going on around here lately…

Things have been bad. Things have been very, very bad. I'm quite sure everyone in the industrialized world has heard about the wretched antics of Richard Tabler, the Texas Death Row inmate who called Texas state senator John Whitmire from a cell phone and threatened him. That was around early October. We went on lockdown shortly after that and the gates of hell were opened…

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter"
Years ago, I saw some illustrations of Dante's Inferno, perhaps, by Gustave Dore, but I can't exactly remember. If Dante were alive today and had intimate knowledge of the happenings here over the last two months, I'm sure he would include descriptions of Texas Death Row in his depiction of Hell. And, Dore would draw the images when he did the illustrations (or whoever did the illustrations I saw).

And what would these images look like? How would these images be described with words? ... The human animal learns through study, observation and experience. I've found it hard to properly describe this environment with only words. However, people on the outside can't actually experience this environment so, by describing my experiences I hope to allow people a window of study and observation. I actually had a calendar with many specific events marked down but it was (quite conveniently) thrown away during a shakedown…

Yes, shakedowns. Usually, we have a major lockdown/shakedown once a year. We have regular cell searches and shakedowns all the time though. The main difference between a major shakedown and a regular shakedown is that during a major shakedown the entire unit is on lockdown and we're only allowed showers three times a week and we're given Johnny Sacks instead of trays.

Since the Tabler Incident shakedowns have been straight up out of control. They've put the entire unit on lockdown three separate times and they've searched — meaning examined thoroughly and ravaged — our property a seemingly countless number of times. Staff have been arbitrarily destroying people's property with sadistic glee and confiscating property for no warranted reason. They've been giving people unwarranted disciplinary cases which have been resulting in excessive amounts of restrictions. Hold up, cold Christmas tray time…

Twice a year we get decent meals, on Christmas and Thanksgiving. First, they'll bring a cold tray — which consists of desert items, pickles, etc. — and then a hot tray with a little Turkey and some stuffing, "hot" items. The cold tray they served us today was the absolute worst ever. They usually will give us some pickles, olives, celery, and onions on our Christmas cold tray. Not this time. It's really almost comical how they keep finding ways to fuck with us, all of us, in retaliation for the Tabler situation. I can just imagine whoever was in charge of deciding what would be on the Christmas tray this year saying: "They don't deserve any goddamn pickles, celery or olives and onions this year!! They should all suffer for the stupid shit Tabler pulled!!"

Later, I think I'll detail certain instances of more-than-normal oppression but for now I think I'll do some reading and wait for this hot tray to come around. I've been on a fiction spree and I think I'll continue it with Gaiman's "Stardust". Christianity borrowed the birthday of the Persian — and later — Roman God Mithras for the birthday of Jesus, so I'll sign off by saying Happy Birthday to Jesus and Mithras!

Death to Complacency
Life to Free Thought

Rob


*I haven't abandoned all hope, but it seems like a lot of people here have…-- www.freerobwill.orghttp://www.myspace.com/freerobwillwww.drivemovement.org

Save Jeff Wood

Jeff Still faces Execution...urgent action still needed!

By Terri Bean

Jeff Wood is a man who is currently awaiting execution, in Texas, for a murder he did NOT commit!Jeff was convicted under a law called the Texas Law of Parties even though he was NOT the shooter in the crime, and even though he was not even present when the murder took place. Further, Jeff had NO knowledge that a murder would even take place.The actual shooter in this crime, Daniel Reneau, has already been executed for this crime by the state of Texas back in 2002.
The UNDISPUTED FACT is Jeff did NOT kill anyone, but he came hours away from his scheduled execution back on August 21st, 2008 before federal judge, Orlando Garcia, granted a request to DELAY his execution.Judge Garcia granted the stay request submitted by Wood's attorneys to delay the execution so they could hire a mental health expert to pursue their arguments that he is incompetent to be executed.Federal judge Orlando Garcia stayed the execution, finding that Texas violated Wood's constitutional rights by refusing to provide Wood with a lawyer to help him argue that he is too mentally incompetent to be executed.SADLY, Jeff STILL faces his execution, and the media still refers to him as “condemned inmate Jeffrey Wood.”
Currently, Jeff’s competency is being evaluated by professionals hired by his lawyers. The results from the evaluation and a petition for Jeff will be filed by his lawyers on January 20th, 2009. Once this happens, a competency hearing will be scheduled.Kenneth Foster was in a similar situation last year, and his sentence was commuted to life after 17,000 people used their voices to express their concern over the INjustice known as the Law of Parties. The 17,000 people petitioned, called, faxed, and wrote to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles as well as Governor Perry and members of the Texas Legislature.
We can save Jeff from death too, but right now less than 1,500 people have signed his online petition, and we need NUMBERS!You CAN make a positive difference by signing the petition and writing to the governor, the legislature, and the board of paroles.Your help is DESPERATELY NEEDED!!! NOT A RESIDENT OF TEXAS???? That doesn’t matter; you can still help prevent this man's execution. It has worked before and it can work again, but we all have to work together. So use your power (your voice) to make a difference! Write, sign, call and Spread the word! Tell everyone you know!You can sign Jeff’s petition here:http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/save-jeff-wood-from-the-executionerYou can write the governor, legislature, and board of paroles here:http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/223/t/7156/campaign.jsp?campai...PLEASE send a copy of your letter to the Governor and the Board of Pardons and Parole to Jeff’s sister, Terri, at the following e-mail address: mystrus@hotmail.comBOTH of these steps are of the utmost importance!!!!Below is another useful link to the Texas Moratorium Network. At this site you can learn more about Jeff’s case, Kenneth Foster’s case and other cases as well:http://www.texasmoratorium.org/Case Summary:Full name: Jeffrey Lee WoodDate of birth: 8/ 19 /74Convicted: Killing a convenience store clerk during a January 1996 robbery in Kerrville, TXConvicted under: The law of parties.Previous record: NoneCo-defendant: Daniel Earl Reneau (executed on 06/13/2002)Short case summary: At approximately 6:00 a.m. on Jan. 2, 1996, while Wood waited outside, Reneau entered the gas station with a gun and pointed it at Kris Keeran, the clerk standing behind the counter. Reneau ordered him to a back room. When he did not move quickly enough, Reneau fired one shot with a 22 caliber handgun that struck Keeran between the eyes. Death was almost instantaneous. Proceeding with the robbery, Reneau went into the back office and took a safe. When hearing the shot, Wood got out of the car to see what was going on. He walked by the door and looked through the glass. Then he went inside, and he looked over the counter and ran to the back, where Reneau was. Wood was then ordered, at gun point by Reneau, to get the surveillance video and to drive the getaway-car.Outstanding facts:• Wood suffers from mental and learing disorders. He was abused and beat severely and repeatedly as a child. He is submissive to dominant behavior because of such.• At arrest Wood was forced into interrogation by the police and did not have council present. Wood was kept awake the entire time. He was refused sleep. He eventually confessed saying it was a planned robbery. He later revoked this statement.• Wood was found not mentally fit to stand trial. He was admitted into a mental hospital and a couple of weeks later was found 'trial ready'• At trial, Wood was not satisfied with his representation. Wood asked to represent himself, but wasn't allowed to do so. The judge found him not capable of doing this. The judge however, did not argue Wood when Wood said he would then order his attorney's not to do anything. Result: Jeff had no witnesses during the punishment phase of his trial on his behalf.• The victims father is against the death penalty and actually campaigned to keep the actual gunman Reneau alive.There are many additional facts that might be of importance, Jeff's mental state being the most important factor. There are mental health records that date back all the way to his childhood.For additional RELEVANT FACTS please visit: http://www.freewebs.com/savejeffwood

A Plea to save death row inmates life Reggie Perkins

Greetings friends and activists
You all feel Reggie shouldn't be facing a death sentence, but we are in Texas.The procedure for killing by lethal injection has in multiple executions been extremely painful; such that the US Supreme Court had to argue the case Baze v. Rees last year, but it cowardly decided to allow lethal injections to proceed.In this final appeal for clemency, I ask all of you to do the following:-

If you’re in the USA, contact Rick Perry (Gov. of TX) using the form at http://governor. state.tx. us/contact/-If you’re outside the USA, email publicrecords@ governor. sta-Fax the Office of the Governor at (+1)-(512)-463- 1849-Phone the Office of the Governor on (800)-252-9600 if you’re in TX, or (+1)-(512)-463- 1782 if outside of TX/outside of USA-Phone the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles on (+1)-(512)-406- 5852-Fax the TX Parole Board on (+1)-(512)-467- 0945-Email the TX Parole Board at bpp-pio@tdcj. state.tx. usIf you are not sure what to say when phoning, keep it short and simple,------------ --------- ------

I am calling to voice my concern about the upcoming executions of Reginald W. Perkins (TDCJ's inmate number #999407)I would list his very low IQ which is the sign of a diminished intelligence, which I understand means that a death sentence should not, under Texan law, have been handed down and also important mitigating factors that seem to make it only reasonable to grant clemency : abusive mother, horrible childhood that contributed to a very poor start in life for Reggie.I urge you to grant a commutation of Mr. Perkins death sentence"].I am grateful for your consideration of this matter.------------ --------- ----Please forward this widely
Together in struggle
Thank you for your neverending support,
Myriam StubbeCFTJ chairwoman