Death row diary offers a rare glimpse into a morbid world

[mia]

My elderly father is mentally alert but has recently lost an interest in reading, even after getting him some stronger reading glasses. The words below could have been written by him - as he becomes more confined by an aging body.

Another inmate helped to clarify my Dad's recent behavior for me. I hope that the large print books that I bought Dad for Father's Day will lift his spirits.

I've already thrown or given away 95% of my personal property, the stuff that for years seemed so important. All those great books I'll never get to read; reams and reams of legal work I've been dragging around, and studying, for two decades and which has suddenly lost its relevance.

My magazines and newspapers stack up unread; I have little appetite to waste valuable, irreplaceable hours reading up on current events. Does it really matter to me now what's happening in the Middle East, or on Wall Street, or how my Miami Dolphins are looking for the upcoming new season? What's the point? Ditto the TV; I'm uninterested in wasting time watching programs that now mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.

The other day I caught myself reaching for my daily vitamin. Really?, I wondered, as the absurdity hit me. Likewise, after 40 years of working out religiously, that's out the window now. Again, what's the point? Now, every decision about how to spend the next hour reminds me of Elaine in that "Seinfeld" episode where she had to constantly evaluate whether her boyfriends were really "sponge worthy."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/14/us/florida-death-row-diary/index.html

[Flashmann]

1. glimpse into a morbid world

Yep...Morbid,creepy,poignant...Reinforces my deep and long held opinion that the death penalty only provides an escape from a dismal existence,locked away with no hope of ever being free again,in a feeble attempt to satisfy the blood lust of,mostly people unconnected,personally,to the preceding tragic events.People,who in large numbers,while identifying as "pro life", salivate at the prospect of an execution,almost to the point of sexual arousal.Who would pay to witness someone being drawn and quartered,(I've actually had a "pro-life" guy tell me that).
I know people like this and I'm sickened that I'm acquainted with them.People who stand on their precious "pro-life"soap-boxes and proclaim the DP should be applied in cases,mundane in comparison,such as burglary.In too many instances,these guys are the ones who shriek the loudest about out of control Gov. spending,ignoring the fact that it costs much more to house and execute a condemned inmate,than to keep him in a "Super Max".

Pardon the rant,but this subject touches a raw nerve with me,having had a friend be wrongly convicted of a murder he was innocent of,sentenced to die,(Joe Burrows,Illinois),then,thankfully,later cleared and released...He was one of the early cases later cited by Gov.George Ryan,in instituting Illinois moratorium on the DP.

[mia]

2. Thankfully, your friend was cleared and released.

William Van Poyck also maintained that he was wrongly convicted
http://deathrowdiary.blogspot.com/

[Flashmann]

4. maintained that he was wrongly convicted

I tried to read through the blog at the link you provided,but found it too depressing to finish.Not being privy to circumstances or having knowledge of Mr.Van Poyck's case,as I did with Joe's,I can neither agree with nor dispute his claim of a wrongful conviction.
Somewhere,in what I read,that Mr.Van Poyck didn't do the actual deed,with the inference to me being,that he was present and party to whatever event led up to the tragic finale.It SEEMS,at face value,that Mr.Van Poyck was deserving of conviction of SOME crime,though,to my mind,not capitol murder.

Mr.Burrows,on the other hand,it was later indisputably established,was not present at nor party to the crimes he was convicted,and later exonerated of and pardoned from.

I hate to split hairs,and honestly hope I'm not being callous or cruel,in pointing out that difference.

Peace!

[mia]

6. Thanks for your reply.

The first time I heard of William Van Poyck was this morning. He had a gift for writing and gave me insight into the mind of someone who knows about what it is like to be facing death.

After reading your earlier post, I came across this article about your friend:

The Framing of Joe Burrows : The Story That Sent Him to Death Row for Murder Changed Many Times From the Day It Was Told By His Accuser, a Woman Known for Her Convincing Lies. But the Justic System Had Decided He Was Guilty, and It Took a Lawyer's Bond With a Sociopath to Set Him Free.

http://articles.latimes.com/1994-12-18/magazine/tm-10434_1_gayle-potter-ralph-frye-death-row

It reads like a novel!

[Flashmann]

7. It reads like a novel

It does...I just finished it myself...Brings back lots of memories and filled in some gaps.

I first knew Joe back in the early 70s as late teens or early 20 somethings,when over the course of 2 summers,I,along with a few other friends would spend weekends camping/fishing at Homer Lake or sometimes on the banks of the Salt Fork River.The fishing was incidental to the partying.Around late night bon fires,we'd guzzle beer,tequila and whiskey,pass joints and share "magic shrooms".I met and knew Joe in those settings.
I moved to Colorado,the first time in '73 til '84,and never saw Joe again til after his ordeal and release.And only then,twice at a kegger/pig roast welcome home bash and then another later kegger/benefit and ran into him a few times in bars.

It isn't as if we were each others best man or anything like that.While I called him friend,I'm not sure he ever knew my last name and I don't think I knew his til he was first in the news.I didn't know,or had forgotten,about his other legal troubles.He seemed like a decent enough guy,in that he was easy to be around in those types of settings,never tried to scam me or steal from me,or anyone else I know,that I recall hearing about...Just thought I needed to clarify that,though don't ask me why...

The only other principal involved in the whole sordid mess,I knew personally,is Rick Gillespie.Knew him all through school,from kindergarten on, and he was married for a time to my brothers first wifes sister,who left him for continued heavy( heroin) drug use.One memory brought back,by the story you linked,is that as kids,his Mom forbade him to be around me,as she considered me to be a bad influence.Ironically funny,now, in a warped way. I'd also forgotten about his involvement,hiding the gun and all...

I apologize for drifting so far from the topic of the OP...This all brought back a flood of memories and I couldn't help myself...

[KT2000]

3. no matter what else he did

I respect Gov. Ryan's decision to institute the moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois. He gave a terrific speech when he announced that decision. I wished at the time that every governor was listening and took to heart what he said.
How awful about your friend.

[Flashmann]

5. no matter what else he did

Last edited Sat Jun 15, 2013, 01:22 PM - Edit history (1)

That moratorium is the single positive and good thing Ryan ever did as Governor...

And yes it was awful for Joe.Though he never spoke much of his experience,what little he did say illustrated that it was horrible,surreal and nightmarish.It ruined him.Because of the taint of his conviction,while discounting his exoneration,nobody would hire him.Nobody wanted their sisters or daughters dating him.Nobody wanted him visting them in their homes.Nobody,especially many of those who blather on about second chances and the like,would actually give him a second chance.

He died a few years back,of natural causes as I recall,probably sped up by the drugs and alcohol he'd turned to,broken and lonely,and wasn't mourned or missed by any but his brothers and a very few friends.It's one of the saddest and most heart breaking set of circumstances I've ever been personally exposed to.