SEPTEMBER 1, 1999

Today, yet another shakedown of my room and property was conducted. Prior to my involvement with the Tant family and our efforts on these web sites, a shakedown would occur perhaps every three weeks on the average. Beginning on August 7, 1999, one day after our efforts became fully known to ADC and Arkansas government officials shakedowns have become an almost daily, and sometimes twice daily affair. This is a typical method for harassing prisoners in order to "send a message" that the staff is displeased in some way about something for which they cannot take any other legal action. During the course of shakedowns they usually try to make the inmate angry enough to react in a manner that will give them an excuse to engage in violence or disciplinary sanctions against him. A favorite "prod" is for an officer to make some derogatory or suggestive remark about a loved one or about personal photographs in hopes of triggering a response that will permit them to take harsher measures against him. However, unless they want to speak suggestively about my sheets and mattress, a Bible, a toothbrush and a few other staples in my room they will continue to be disappointed.

I was also told today that "the warden" had inquired what kind of supervision I have in the Long Line Writer newsletter office where I work. Since the term "warden" is often used for any of the administrative staff, I am not sure who they were talking about.

When they have wanted to "neutralize" me in the past, officials have always contrived false disciplinary accusations regarding my alleged "unauthorized use of state property" for filing lawsuits - meaning a computer, typewriter, state paper or whatever. However, on each occasion they learned that their accusations would be shown to be false, because it was not improper for me to write to have a friend or girlfriend type everything for me, as Linda is doing for me now. However, this time even that excuse is made more difficult for them because the Long Line Writer computer is not state property. It is here as part of a legal settlement made with Director Norris and others over the conspiracy to falsely accuse and punish me this way in 1992. The supplies are essentially bought by the inmate Jaycees and are not state property, and as Editor of a newsletter it would be difficult to punish me for writing articles, which is my official job. I know that must aggravate some of them to no end. Again, I am at a loss as to how they will act against me this time, although the signs that it is coming to a head are beginning to materialize.

Also today, the newspapers contained the account that good ol' boy President bill clinton in fact did grant clemency to the 16 F.L.A.N. terrorists confined in prisons in Puerto Rico. Most of them were to be immediately released - but they did have to "promise" not to blow people up anymore, and not to associate with each other after they get out. I guess bill really wants good ol' gal hillary to get elected and the effort is designed to garner the minority Hispanic and Puerto Rican votes in New York. Even to us dumb prisoners it seems fairly obvious that hillary needs to get a foothold in the New York Legislature no matter the cost in mere human lives.

I must admit that this insanity stings a little bit, seeing that while governor, clinton denied hundreds of Arkansas men and women clemency for well over a decade, and in most cases those seeking clemency were incarcerated for offenses which were far less severe than the F.L.A.N. members. In Arkansas, if a prosecutor, official or victim protests the granting of clemency any ADC prisoner can forget it. Here, known terrorists were granted clemency despite protests not only by entire nations, but by state and federal officials at every level and even hillary. It is also interesting to me that they will be let out before the advent of Y2K. I can't help wondering how much their freedom cost and where the money went.....

SEPTEMBER 2, 1999

Today I met inmate Clifton Wallace who was recently transferred to Cummins from the Dermott unit. On August 22, at about 6:30 a.m. Clifton was getting off work from his job in the Kitchen where he was assigned the night shift. He wanted to get back to the barracks to take a shower and go to sleep. To get the officers' attention to open the door so he could get in he banged on it a couple of times as inmates usually do.

When Correctional Officer I. Edgerson opened the door to let Clifton return to his barracks, he smashed Wallace in the mouth with his fist and heavy keys, then proceeded to kick him in the head with his steel-toed boots when he fell. Clifton's head was severely lacerated. CO1 T. Robinson then also rushed over and twisted Cliftons's arm behind his back so hard that tendons and ligaments were torn, while Edgerson took another couple of shots at him with his fist as they dragged him across the concrete hall to handcuff him.

Wallace must now wear a special prosthesis to keep his entire upper body and shoulder immobile. Surgery will probably be necessary, although God alone knows when or if the people who are supposed to provide medical care, CMS will provide it. Even if provided the surgery in a timely and adequate manner, which is not likely to happen, the injury may leave him with permanent damage.

In an effort to cover up the incident Clifton was transferred to the Cummins Unit, and a phoney disciplinary report was issued against him. When officials here at Cummins found out about the truth of the matter and noted that there had simply been too many witnesses to the incident, the phoney disciplinary report was dismissed and Wallace and his family will pursue a lawsuit.

Nothing was done to punish either Edgerson, Robinson, Warden Gaylon Lay, or Major Whaley for their roles in what was First Degree Battery, a Class B felony under Arkansas law.

Today the local media finally disclosed some more information regarding the counterfeiting of U.S. Treasury checks which first surfaced on August 5. A handful of inmates involved in the ring have been confined to segregation and will likely be charged, but there's no word yet on any arrests of ADC personnel who were also involved in the ring. Apparently, more checks than first assumed were printed and some are still surfacing at banks in surrounding counties.

Late this evening we were also able to compile another list of 29 prisoners who were or are HIV/AIDS, hepatitis or tuberculosis infected, most of whom had donated plasma in the mid to late 1980s and until the program shut down; and most of whom did (until they died) or do engage in high risk activity for transmission of their diseases. It is another major list of evidence proving that the ADC's official denial that known infected inmates were allowed to donate and that a serious problem with these diseases existed or exists within the ADC is false.

SEPTEMBER 3, 1999

It has been a difficult day so far. Prisoners at Cummins learned that Alan Willett and Mark Gardner are scheduled for execution this coming Wednesday. Arkansas seems to really have gotten into "offing" two or more death row prisoners at a time. Single executions just don't seem to have media or public appeal any more.

A few weeks ago I wrote a layman's brief for the parents of condemned felons in general, and for lawyers in particular, making the proposition that capital murder trials in Arkansas are all unconstitutional. The three main elements to that contention are that "death penalty qualified" juries are "conviction prone," that limiting juror eligibility in Arkansas to voter registration aggravates the already state-favored bias of death qualified juries in Arkansas trials, and then both of these elements are rendered even more unconstitutional because of the fact that in Arkansas both the prosecutors and judges are elected to office by the voters, who in turn are seated as jurors, who in turn are death qualified by their own personally elected officials, and who in turn are asked to render a fair and impartial verdict or to make a fair judgment about guilt or innocence or a death sentence by the very people they elected to office. In my opinion, this unfairly loads the proverbial dice against any defendant in this state, particularly where Arkansas is basically rural and where most of the people involved in the trial are otherwise best friends, associates, and drinking buddies outside of the courtroom.

After the brief was written for posting onto the sites Linda e-mailed and snail mailed it to various civil and human rights organizations in the United States and around the world, including the Catholic Church, Amnesty International, the ACLU and to the National Lawyer's Guild.

Following the news of Mark Gardner's transfer to Cummins Unit (where all Arkansas executions are carried out, even though Death Row is at the Tucker Maximum Security Unit), it was also announced that the Pope interceded in both Alan Willett's and Gardner's behalf asking Governor Mike Huckabee to stop the executions. It was and is our hope that one of these organizations may in fact attempt to stop the executions based on the new legal theory, but there may not yet have been time for the issues in the brief to have been searched out at law by attorneys, or both of these cases are procedurally blocked for raising such a new issue at this late date.

As a result, I called Mr. Tant today to ask him to contact Linda to ask her to make a renewed effort to draw attention to the brief and the possible request for a stay that it may represent. Also, perhaps Willett's and Gardner's attorneys can be located in time to consider the matter and take some action on their clients' behalf. Governor Huckabee will also be sent a copy, since he has stated that he is open to input from all sources before making his final decision.

UPDATE FROM LINDA:

When Dad called me and told me of his phone call from Rolf I was unsure how best to proceed in so little time. This was Saturday and the executions were scheduled for Wednesday. I contacted a wonderful ally in Arkansas and asked her to stand by for my transmission of the document via e-mail. She agreed that as soon as she received it she would fax it to the governor and to the anti-death penalty coalition for forwarding to the attorneys for the condemned men.

Right in the middle of scanning the document, my computer's power source blew out! It was PANIC time. I grabbed my computer and sped it to the shop, where I explained the urgency of the situation. The guys got my computer fixed within half an hour and I rushed home. While frantically dashing around to get my computer set up again I dropped and broke my mouse. This might not be a problem for many, but I live 20 miles from anywhere to buy a computer mouse. I eventually got my computer back together and completed the transmission of the document by 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening and sent a message to the governor's Comments web site informing him that an important document relative to the planned executions was being faxed to him. I asked him to have someone watch for it and to delay the executions until he and his legal staff had an opportunity to read it.

Still fueled by adrenalin from the day's hectic pace and the need to stop the executions I went to all of the 21 mail lists I'm subscribed to and sent messages to them all, including the link to the governor and asking them to send messages and ask everyone they knew to send messages, also. I know for sure that this chain of e-mails reached as far as Norway and Switzerland, because I heard from people in those countries, informing me that they had done as I asked.

Tragically, on Wednesday, September 8, 1999 both men were executed as scheduled. Our hearts go out to their families, who will have to live with this horror for the rest of their lives. And we give thanks that we have never been ministered to by Governor Huckabee, a former Baptist minister, for we would be seriously concerned for the state of our salvation had we ever entrusted it to this merciless, bloodthirsty "man of God".

SEPTEMBER 4, 1999

Today it was reported on the news that good ol' boy and ex-Arkansas Attorney General Steve Clark, was trying to have his lawyer's license reinstated in Texas. Pulaski County Prosecutor, Larry Jegley, (who failed to find it appropriate to charge two correctional officers with any crime after they pepper sprayed an inmate to death, although the pepper spray was illegally used under the circumstances they used it, and despite the fact that the mandatory yearly certifications to use it at all were expired for both officers. See "The Murder of Eddie Bagby"), purportedly stated that he felt Clark should never again be allowed to practice law after having committed felony theft of taxpayer money and after violating his oaths both as an attorney and as a public servant when he did so. In my opinion, since so many of the Arkansas good ol' boys are actually from Texas in the first place, Clark has found himself a safe haven there and his license will likely be reinstated.

Arkansas Journal continued

Tell the Governor of Arkansas what you think
http://governor.arkansas.gov/contact/index.php

My Brother was a Blood Cow for the Arkansas Department of Correction
http://www.geocities.com/BloodCows

Read stories of everyday life at the Cummins Unit
http://www.maxpages.com/lifemeanslife

Prison Murder
http://www.geocities.com/PrisonMurder

These are the men and women currently residing on Arkansas' Death Row
http://www.arkansas.gov/doc/deathrow.html

Bloodbath in the Dark and Evil World of the ADC
http://www.geocities.com/prison_bloodbath

Arkansas Inmate.org
http://www.arkansasinmate.org

View text of Miscellaneous Lawsuits and Court Decisions
http://www.maxpages.com/arklaw

ARWAR - Arkansans Working to Achieve Revolution