Saturday 1 November 2014

The evil that is Texas Death Row

We who write to prisoners on Texas Death Row (through Lifelines) have a wonderful co-ordinator, who works tirelssly to keep us all in touch with each other and what's going on. This morning, she sent us all this email:
 
 
Dear Everyone
 
Please keep Max Soffar #000685 in your thoughts/prayers. He has been on the row for 33 years and is now dying from an aggressive cancer. He has no LifeLines penfriend.


This is one of many who have been on the row for years, in solitary confinement, waiting and waiting....I do hope that this man is at least being cared for, with the appropriate medication. But somehow, I doubt it. (If you would like to know more about Max, details can be found here.https://www.aclu.org/secure/max-soffar/ )


 

 

16 comments:

  1. I have said many times before that I just can't understand such barbarism nor condone it.

    I will write to Dithery Dave and ask him if he has any thoughts on the matter. We should castigate America at every opportunity. I will start tomorrow.

    I won't be writing to Death Row Inmates as they have presumably been very naughty or are insane. I'm a bit naughty and considered eleven pennies to the shilling. I wouldn't know what to say.
    It's no excuse for a third world country like America to act as the inmates did or worse, thirty three years! Unbelievable it takes the dumb, bible bashing, cretins that long to carry out a death sentence.
    PS. Should sentence have one "E" and an "A" or two "Es"?
    Get at them lass.

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    1. Thank you, Adrian. But this prisoner is almost certainly innocent (if you look up the link). Even the ex-governor of Texas has suported his appeal to be allowed to die at home.

      You have spelt 'sentence' perfectly!

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  2. It does appear that almost every inmate throughout the world is 'innocent'. But they would say that, wouldn't they. Like you, I do hope he receives the medication he needs.

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    1. Most inmates in British prisons have held their hands up and just accept their time. It's reduced for a guilty plea.

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    2. They don't all claim to be inncent, Cro. But some of the convicted are undoubtedly innocent (this is frequently discovered too late). One womna saw her lawyer for just 20 minutes before her trial. What chance did she stand? For the poor and (often) the black, the odds are stacked against them.

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  3. 33 years? Whether or not people agree with the death penalty, I don't understand how keeping someone on death row for 33 years be in anyone's best interests.

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    1. Patsy, some have been on Death Row for up to 50 years. At least when we had the death penalty in this country (you're probably too young to remember), the sentence was carried out within a couple of weeks.

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    2. The last one was before I was born (I was surprised to see it wasn't that long before though)

      I think if it's to be done at all it should be done fairly quickly. If there's doubt over the person's guilt then further investigations should be carried out before passing sentence.

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  4. I am not, I admit, au fait with the workings of the barbaric system but, presumably, if he has been on death row for 33 years it's because there is some doubt. Or am I mistaken?

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    1. Graham, all the inmates seem to spend some years on the row while the slow and lengthy appeals take place. I don't thing it has much to do with doubt.

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  5. I can't comment other than to say I cannot understand why there should be such a delay and why is no one higher up doing anything about it. Beyond reason.

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    1. The governor can show mercy any time, Maggie. He just doesn't choose to.

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  6. So sad...Although I don't support the death sentence either...

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  7. It is completely inhumane to keep someone on Death Row for so long.

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