NCJ Number
118838
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
An inmate sentenced to death describes the physical and emotional aspects of his 9 years on death row.
Abstract
His days have been spent dealing with the guilt of having been convicted of taking the lives of two human beings; confronting the possibility of his own violent death; and coping with the anger, resentment, frustration, helplessness, and grief of having five friends executed. He has focused on trying to maintain his sanity, growing, and maintaining a sense of humanity in an environment he describes as being maintained specifically for the purpose of conveying a sense of hopelessness. Death row is isolated both from the outside world and also from the rest of the prison population. Contact with people other than death row inmates is limited. Visits with friends or family take place in an isolated cubicle the size of a telephone booth. He views these people and those making legal efforts on his behalf as continuing to acknowledge his humanity. He also describes his feelings when he expressed farewell to a friend about to be executed. He also expresses his awareness of the loss, anger, frustration, hatred, and despair of the family of his victims and says that he has learned that killing people is wrong. He expresses the yearning for touching and being with his loved ones and of his growing passion for life.