Hello all, I'm new here. I'm an adament opposer of the death penalty and am about to sign up to correspond w/ a pen pal on death row. The website states that those with posted profiles have an execution date, but when I searched for scheduled executions in the US, I did not see any of the people listed on this website. Don't get me wrong, that's actually great- but I'm trying to prioritize somewhat, and choose someone who is in the most imminent danger, as I am interested in advocacy and even legal help, if I can. Also, my husband is having a fit about the address thing. Assuming you live in the same state, or driving distance from your pen pal, is there a real possibility of one's home address getting to other inmates and becoming a target? Thanks all- so glad I found this :-)
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I am corresponding with two DR inmates and I can tell you that I would be over the moon if they would show up at my doorstep. They've become the most amazing friends and I absolutely trust them not wanting to hurt me in any way, shape or form.
The majority of DR prisoners are there because they made a very bad decision in a very bad situation, mostly at quite a young age, with bad legal counsel. Contrary what the media says, there are very few cold blooded serial killers and child torturers on DR. And as it's mostly quite easy to look up the story of DR prisoners (just search for 'name-murder') you can exclude those exceptions easily too.
I really hope you can talk this through with your husband. It may be not the most glorious achievement in fighting the death penalty, but if you manage to educate someone as special to you as your husband that DR inmates are not animals, I would applaud you! I think it's so important to humanize DR prisoners. In my mind that is the first step to help abolish the death penalty.
Natashanogoodnick, I know you posted this a long time ago and I hope you're happily settled into a good penpallship with someone by now, but I wanted to find out (if you're still around on the forum) about where you read that the DR prisoners with profiles on WAP have execution dates. I"m sure that isn't the case, and the vast majority of the DR prisoners on this site do not yet have an execution date. I'm still trying to figure out when and by what process a governor in a state that carries out executions comes to make the decision to sign a prisoner's death warrant, but that's what "having an execution date" literally means. The average time on death row for someone before their execution date is set and their sentence carried out, appears to be about 16 years, depending on how many appeals they file and how long each of those take, and how anxious anyone is to carry out the sentence for whatever reason (sometimes it's a political thing). You can look to see if the penpal you want to write to has an execution date already, as VioletGrey showed how to do, and if they don't yet, chances are they won't for quite some time to go; but in the end your pen pal is the one who knows most about it.
I'm totally fine with a lengthy time commitment-in fact, I hope for one, as this would mean that my pen pal would have many days of life ahead! As for profession, well...I'm not sure how much help I would personally be (I'm an OBGYN, literally the opposite of death row if there is one!) but, I have a few med school classmates who were crazy/motivated enough to get an MD/JD. And, my dad and best friend are lawyers. It's hard to say if any of this would be helpful, but who knows. I'm going into it with the primary goal of offering friendship and compassion, but capital punishment really makes my blood boil- always has- and so I know I'll also be trying to find ways to fight.
Your husband can calm down. As I don't see ANY chance how a DR inmate might ever make you a target. They, as well as the LWOP inmates, will never get out (unless proven innocentby DNA stuff or anything like that).
Second: No, these guys on here usually do NOT have an execution date (yet). So, please, just do it if you're ready to be in for the long haul. If you want (can by profession) offer legal help, you'd just better pick anyone who stil has some appeals open.
Happy writing,
Kirsten
As for the address thing, there are many ways to not give out your home address. Rent a PO Box, use the service Jmail or choose someone that's no where near your State.
As you're interesting in Death Row inmates, there isn't any chance they will be able to turn up at your house, even if they manage to reduce their sentence to LWOP. As for other inmates getting your address off of someone and coming to get you, well they'd have to store it somewhere and wait to they get released, then have enough money to come to find your house, if it's not out of State and a violation of their parole. Plus DR inmates aren't out with the general population and usually housed by themselves so there's really a tiny tiny chance that someone would take your address and use it to target you.
Good luck
January
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20 - Tennessee - Nicholas Todd Sutton
March
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18 - Texas - John Hummel
25 - Texas - Tracy Lane Beatty
April
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16 - Ohio - Stanley T. Adams — REPRIEVED
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September
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October
14 - Ohio - Stanley Fitzpatrick
November
18 - Ohio - Anthony Sowell - STAYED
December
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