August 31, 2011

Dear Sis~
     Manny Valle, who was scheduled to die on August 2nd, received a 30-day stay of execution from the Florida Supreme Court; his new execution date, I am told, is Sept 2nd.  My understanding, and it's admittedly second-hand, is that he's challenging Florida's new execution drug, pentobarbitol (the pink, Pepto-Bismol looking stuff used to euthanize animals at shelters) and the new execution protocols that were secretly adopted in conjunction with the change to the new drug.  Whether this temporary stay morphs into a full stay will depend upon what facts are developed at Mannys' evidentiary hearing in Miami.  Manny is a quiet, soft-spoken, easy-going guy, always ready to help someone out.  I first met him around 1981 when he was on the row and I was in open population, working in the law library.  In that capacity, I came back to death row almost every day to help guys out with their legal issues.  Manny, who was celling next to Ted Bundy at the time, came to the row for shooting a Coral Gables cop during a traffic stop.  Little did I know back then, as I went from cell to cell, that one day I'd join those guys on the row...
     The motor on my little electric fan  burned out recently - couldn't have happened at a worse time - and I've been sweating like a dog in this sweltering heat ever since.  If I'm lucky, I'll get the new fan I bought from the canteen within the next 30 days.  They don't keep them in stock, so they've gotta be ordered.  Hell, I can't even get confirmation from the canteen that my order was received and is being processed...
     I was saddened to learn of Amy Winehouse's death although it was easily predictable, given her self-destructive history.  Another artistic talent gone far too soon.  I've gotta wonder if there was anyone close to her who really cared about her, or if she was just surrounded with enablers.  Experience teaches us that some people just can't be helped; they are resolutely determined to go down their chosen path and no amount of pleading can steer them off that road.  Still, these last few months, Amy seemed so sad and directionless and her actions and behavior cried out for help...
     I watched the first Harry Potter movie on TV last week.  When I was in Virginia they came on all the time.  (unlike here, we he had basic cable there), but I never bothered to catch any of them.  But, with some rare free time on my hands, and because the series is such a cultural phenomenon, I convinced myself to check it out.  I confess to being underwhelmed; I just didn't get what all the hoopla was about.  But, I also had to remind myself that this is for kids and I do understand how children can be transfixed by well-spun tales of magic and wonder.  Upon reflection I recalled how, as a child, I could be transported to other mysterious and wondrous realms by the magic of an exceptional movie, or book, in ways adults are unable to appreciate and quick to pooh-pooh.  So, I won't be a judgmental stick in the mud.  I'm glad kids can still find some magic.  Soon enough, as they "mature", the demands of this world will suck it out of their spirits until it will just fade into foggy, dim memories...
     That's the news from the boondocks of North Florida!
Love,
Bill.