May 18, 2011

Dear Sis~
     Yesterday the warden and a posse of big wigs from Tallahassee, including representatives of the Attorney General's office, and possibly including Secretary Buss (I'm getting conflicting reports on whether he attended), spent the morning on Q-Wing conducting a mock execution, employing the new, refined execution protocol.  I caught a glimpse of them all as I left the wing on my way to the clinic for a medical call out (my "annual physical" which consited of a nurse weighing me, taking my blood pressure (118/72) and asking me 3 or 4 questions e.g., "do you have trouble sleeping at night or have night sweats?")  Not exactly the Mayo Clinic...
     Then last night there was a killing on K-Wing (not death row).  Two guys, Tazz and Crawfish (yes, that's their true nicknames; I don't know their real names) allegedly murdered another prisoner named Xavier Rodriquez (just 21 years old).  All 3 guys were runarounds; Tazz and Crawfish tied the guy up, stabbed him to death, then approached the Wing Officer and said "put the handcuffs on us; we just killed one."  I didn't know the victim, but I know both Tazz and Crawfish 'cuz they were runarounds here on the row a few months ago (they rotate runners every 6-8 weeks).  Both of these guys are morons; they give stupid a bad name.  Crawfish killed 5 people in Jacksonville (and no, he did not get any death sentences. So much for death row being reserved for the "worst of the worst") and has stabbed other prisoners in other joints (that's why he is here as FSP)  I don't know what the beef was, but knowing these two clowns, I'm sure it was something really foolish.  Both guys told me more than once that they "want to go to death row."  They'll probably get their wish now (here's a guy who has killed 6 people and is trying to get to death row - unsuccessfully so far - while I have not killed anyone and I'm fighting tooth and nail to get out from under this death sentence, yet I cannot get any relief whatsoever.  You see why I tell you that the imposition of capital punishment in America is as arbitrary and capricious as you can imagine?)  Murders here at FSP have become rare.  Back in the day, in the 70's and 80's, when I was in open population, this joint was red in tooth and claw, known as one of the most violent in America, where beatings, stabbings, rapes and shootings (the joint was awash in zip guns) were daily occurrences and murders were common.  But, since they locked the entire joint down (and actually began reducing the amount of weapons in circulation) the violence has significantly diminished.  Mostly it's real hard for someone to get a hold of someone else; everyone is bedind the doors.  The execption are the runarounds (4 per wing) and you how that just worked out...
     I'm reading a really good book, The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Fowlett ( well-known writer of action thrillers).  He switched genres to pen this historical novel (1076 pages in paperback) set in Medieval times.  It revolves around the building of a cathedral, which sounds boringly mundane, but it's a real page-turner.  Great book!  It's my recommendation of the month.
     Ok, Sis...give the doggies a tummy rub for me!
Love, Bill