GuidelinesforCommunicatingwithaDeathRowPrisonerinGeorgiabyMaryCatherineJohnson,404-273-0621,[email protected]
Herearesomeguidelinesbasedprimarilyonmyexperiencescorrespondingwith,andvisiting,MarcusWellons,#91080onGeorgia’sdeathrow.MarcuswasexecutedonJune17,2014.• Firstandforemost,pleaseunderstandthatthisisacommitmentonyourpartto
establishandmaintainlong-termcontactwithaprisoner.Itcanbedevastatingforaprisonertobeginarelationshipwithsomeoneontheoutsideandthenhavethatrelationshipterminatedprematurelybecausethepersonontheoutsidehaslostinterestorgetstoobusytostayintouch.Pleasealsobepreparedfortheveryrealpossibilitythatyourpenpalwilleventuallybeexecuted.Shouldthathappenyouwillnotbealone–Iwillhelpyounavigatewhatevercomeswiththehelpofawonderfulandsupportivecommunityofdeathpenaltyabolitionistswhohavebeenthroughmanyexecutions.
• Alwaysincludetheprisoner’sDepartmentofCorrectionsID#intheprisonaddress:
Example:MarcusWellons,#91080POBox3877Jackson,GA30233
Alwaysincludeyourfullnameandreturnaddressontheenvelopeandintheletter.Theprisonhasbeenknowntorejectmailwithoutareturnaddress.
• Youcansendletters,cardsandbooksviamail.I’vealsosentcopiesofarticlesandphotographswithnoproblem.AfewtimesMarcusaskedmetomakecopiesofsomethingforhim,whichIdid.Youcannotsendstamps,cash,checks,foodoranypersonalitemslikeclothesorjewelry.Itriedtosendstampsonceandtheywerereturnedtomewithaformletter
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sayingthatwasprohibited.Booksmustbeorderedfromthepublisherandsentdirectlytotheprisonerfromthepublisher;ordersfromAmazonarefine.Itisveryimportanttocheckwiththeprisoner’sattorneybeforesendinganybooks.Usuallyitwillbefine,buttheprisonkeepsarecordofeverythingthatprisonersreceive,andsometimestheseitemscouldbeusedagainstthemincourt.Theprisonercanputyouintouchwithhislawyerifnecessary.
• Beawarethatyourletterswillbeopenedandpossiblyreadbytheprison.Iamcarefulnottosayanythingthatmightbringaboutnegativerepercussionsfortheprisoners
(suchasmakingdisparagingremarksabouttheprisonortheprisonstaff).Italkopenlyaboutmyadvocacyworktoabolishthedeathpenalty,andoftensendarticlesandupdatesontheabolitionmovement.Anythingwithnudity,violenceorsexualcontentwillbedestroyedorreturnedtoyou.IoncesentaprisonerapictureofthePietabyMichelangelo(pictured,left)andtheprisonrefusedtoallowtheprisonertohaveit,citing“nudity”asthereason!Overtlypoliticalcontentwillalsoberejected–onepenpalputaBlackLivesMatterstickerontheenvelopeanditwasreturned.Itshouldbefinetowritesomethinglike“IattendedaBlackLivesMatterprotest”ortomentionthe
newsorthefactthatyousupportorrejectaparticularcandidate,butjustdon’tincludeananti-Trumpstickerorapictureofsomethingviolentthatoccurred.Also,anythingthatmightpotentiallybeusedasaweaponwillnotbegiventotheprisoner–anexampleofthisissomethingthatislaminated,creatingathick,sharpplasticedge.Thingslikepaperclipsareusuallynotpermittedeither.Alotofthetimeitdependsonwhoisintheprisonmailroom–somethingmaygetthroughonedayandthengetrejectedthenexttime.Prisonrulesarenothingifnotinconsistentlyapplied.Therearenorulesaboutfrequencyofcommunicationorlengthofletters.ItypicallywroteMarcus1-2letterspermonth,andsenthimcardsforspecialoccasionslikehisbirthdayandholidays.InreturnIusuallyreceivedfromhimabouttwoletterspermonthofvaryinglengths.
• PrisonersnowhaveaccesstoemailthroughJPay.Notallprisonersuseemailbutmanydo.JPayemailsrequire“stamps”thatcostabout30centseach.Youcanalsoattachpicturestoemails–eachpicturerequiresanadditional“stamp.”Ilikesending
SelfPortraitbyDanielLucas,executedbytheStateofGeorgiaon
April27,2016.
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emailsbecauseit’seasyandconvenient,andcanbedonefrommycomputerorphonethroughtheJPayapp,butIalsowriteletterssinceIknowtheguyslovetoreceiveactualmail.Isuggestyoustartwithanactualletterandaskiftheprisonerwantstodoemail.
• Peopleoftenaskmeforsuggestionsofwhattoincludeintheirletters.Ijustwriteaboutwhateverishappeninginmylife,andusuallyaskafewquestionsaboutwhathislifeislike.InmyfirstlettertoMarcusIincludedlotsofdetailsaboutwhereIamfrom,myjob,myfamily,etc.WhentherewasapendingexecutionIalwaysaskedMarcusifheknewtheperson,andcheckedinwithhimabouthowhewashandlingitemotionally.InthebeginningItypedmylettersandoftenincludedpictureswithinthebodyoftheletter,butlaterIhand-wrotemylettersandenclosedphotographs.
• ManypeoplehaveaskedmeifMarcusandIdiscussedhiscaseandhiscrimes.Iwaited
forhimtobringthesethingsup,whichhappenedafterwehadbeenwritingforafewmonths,whenhefelthecouldtrustmewiththedetails.Itvariesamongtheprisonershowmuchtheywanttodiscusstheircases–sometalkaboutitallthetime,butIhaveonepenpalwhoneverwantstotalkabouthiscasebecauseit’stoopainful.Marcustoldmeoncethataclergymembervisitedhimforthefirsttimeandimmediatelybeganaskingabouthiscrimes,whichhurtandoffendedhim.Forhim(andnodoubtformanyotherprisoners),thedayofhiscrimeswastheworstdayofhislife,andithauntedhimeveryday–itwasnotsomethinghefeltcomfortablediscussingwithstrangers.Duringoneofourvisits,hetoldmethewholestoryofhiscrimesingreatdetail,butittookmanymonthsoftrust-buildingbeforehecoulddiscussthecrimeswithme.Iprimarily
seemyroleasthatofanon-judgmentallistenerwhenitcomestodiscussingcasesandcrimeswiththeprisoners,andIalwayslettheprisonerssetthetoneandagendaforsuchdiscussions.Iamnottheretosaveanyone,ortoforceaprocessofaccountability,forgivenessoratonement,butrathertocreatealovingspacewherethesethingscanarisenaturallyifandwhenthetimeisright.Marcusneveraskedmetohelphimwithhislegalcaseotherthantogivemehislawyer’semailintheeventsheneeded
metoprovidetestimonyabouthischaracterorifIneededtocontacther,butmanyprisonersdoaskforhelpwiththeircasesinavarietyofways.Ofcoursetheextenttowhichyouhelpisuptoyou,butalwayscheckwithhislawyerfirst.Also,theextenttowhichyoufamiliarizeyourselfwiththecrimedetailsonyourownisuptoyou.IresistedknowingaboutMarcus’scrimesinthebeginning,tellingmyselfthatitdidnotmatterwhathehaddone,butawisefriendsuggestedtomethathiscrimeswerepartofwhohewas,andintegraltomyacceptingfullywhohewas,soIlookedhimuponline.Butyoumayfeeldifferently,sopleaseproceedaccordingtoyourowncomfortlevel.Ifyouchooseto
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look,theinternetcontainsmanyresourcesforcrimedetails,includingarticlespublishedbynewsoutlets,trialtranscriptsandbrieffilings.Bewareofsensationalnewsarticlesandangrybloggers,andtakewhattheysaywithagrainofsalt–theyoftengetthingsterriblywrong,ortakefactsoutofcontext.IsetupaGooglealerttoreceivenotificationwhenarticlesaboutMarcuswereposted,soIcouldstayup-to-dateabouthisappeals.
• Theprisonermayaskyouformoneyortopurchaseclothingorfoodpackagesforthem,
andIsuggestsettingaboundaryimmediatelywithregardtoyourpreferences.AfteraboutsixmonthsIbegansendingMarcusamodestamounteverymonthtooffsetsomeofhisexpenses;IusedanonlineservicecalledJpay(http://www.jpay.com/)butyoucanalsosendamoneyorderbymail(nocashorchecks).Themoneyordersgothroughacentralprocessingcenterandshouldnotbesentdirectlytotheprisoner.Asof2016,youmustbeontheprisoner’s“approvedsenderslist”tosendhimmoney;theprisonercantellyouhowtodothis.Prisonersmustbuytheirownstamps,paper,pens,etc.,aswellasitemslikesnacksandextrablankets–anythingbeyondthebarenecessities.Theymustalsopayfordoctoranddentistvisits,andthereisafeetofilejustaboutanysortofpaperwork,whetheritisacomplaintorarequest.InnowayamIsuggestingthatyoudoordonotsendmoney,althoughIdonotrecommendsendingmoneyinthefirstfewmonths.
• Youmayexperienceromanticadvancesfromyourpenpal.Asyoucanimagine,mostof
themenondeathrowarestarvedforhumancontactandaffection,soashowofkindnessfromyoucouldeasilybeinterpretedasromanticinnature.Aswiththerequestsformoney,Isuggestthatyousetaclearboundaryatthefirstsignofanyadvances,respondinginafirmyetcompassionateway,andthatusuallytakescareoftheissueandthetwoofyoucanmoveonwithyourfriendship.Pleasedonotstartoutexpectingthatthiswillhappen,ratherIjustmentionitsincemanypeople,womenespecially,wonderaboutit.Icanhelpyourespondifthisscenarioarises.
• Theprisonermayaskyoutovisithim,oryoumaywishtoaskhimifhewouldlikeforyoutovisit.Ifthat’ssomethingyouwouldliketodo,hewillsendyouaformtocompleteandhavenotarized,authorizingabackgroundcheck.Onceyouareapprovedfortheprisoner’svisitorlist(whichtakesseveralweeks),youcanvisitanySaturday,Sunday,orstateholidaybetween9am-3pm.Prisonersareonlyallowedtomakechangestotheirvisitorliststwiceeachyear,inthespringandfall.Aspecial,one-timevisitcanalsobearrangedforaspecificdate.Currentlymostvisitsarenon-contact,meaningtherewillbeapieceofglassbetweenthetwoofyou,andyouwillcommunicateviaaphone.Prisonerswithoutanydisciplinaryactionsagainstthemqualifyforupto6contactvisitsperyear,wherebytheycansitacrossfromyou,shakeyourhand,hugyou,etc.Datesforcontactvisitsarepre-assignedbythewarden,
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andtheprisonerwillletyouknowwhenthoseare.WhenyouvisityoucanonlybringinyourphotoID,yourcarkeys,and$20worthofquartersinaclearplasticbag,tospendinthevendingmachines,whichcontainfoodanddrinksthatyoucanpurchaseforyourselfandtheprisoner.DeathrowislocatedattheGeorgiaDiagnosticandClassificationPrisoninJackson,Georgia,aboutanhoursouthofAtlanta,offofI-75.Thereisadresscodefortheprison,whichisstrictlyenforced–Ihaveseenvisitorsbeaskedtoleavefornotcomplyingwiththecode.Justtobesafe,IalwayshaveextraclothesandshoesinmycarincaseIamturnedaway.Whatisconsideredappropriateclothingisatthediscretionoftheguardsatthesecurityentrance,andtheirjudgmentvariessignificantly;somethingthatwasfineoneweekcouldgetyouturnedawaythenextweek.Justdresssimplyandconservatively,andyoushouldbefine.Youwillfindallvisitationpolicieshere:http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/InmateInfo/Visitation
• AfteraboutayearofwritingtoMarcusIwasaddedtohisphonecalllist,andhebegan
callingmeatleastonceperweek.Thismaybesomethingyou’dliketopursuewithyourpenpal,butagain,it’suptoyouandnotsomethingI’dsuggestwithinthefirstfewmonths.OnepenpalI’veworkedwithhasasettimeonceeachmonththattheprisonercallshim,whileotherspreferonlytowriteletters.ThecallsarecollectandhandledthroughacompanycalledSecurus,anewvendorasofJanuary2017,replacingGlobalTelLink:http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/InmateInfo/GlobalTelManyprisonershaveaccesstoillegalcellphonesandmaytryto
contactyoubyusingthosephones.Istronglyurgeyounottocommunicatewithyourpenpalonillegalcellphones,asthiscouldjeopardizeyourabilitytocall,writetoand/orvisittheprisoner.Possessionofillegalcellphonesisamajoroffense,andtheconsequencesareseriousiftheprisoneriscaught.It’snotworthitforeitherofyou!
• Ifyoususpectthatyourpenpalisavictim
ofabuseorunfairtacticsonthepartoftheprison,pleaseletmeknowandwecandiscusshowtoaddressit.
• Rulesandpolicieschangeallthetimeattheprison.TheGADepartmentofCorrectionswebsiteisonesourceforupdatesandcurrentpolicies:http://www.dcor.state.ga.us/
• Pleasedon’thesitatetocontactmeifIcanhelpyouwithanyissuesthatarise.Youareembarkingonarelationshipthatwillnodoubtcontainequalpartsjoyandsadness–mayGodblessyouandyournewfriendship.Thankyouforundertakingthisimportantjourney.
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Recommendedresourcesandreading:
DeathPenaltyInformationCenter:http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org
JourneyofHope…FromViolencetoHealing:https://www.journeyofhope.orgADeathBeforeDying:SolitaryConfinementonDeathRow:https://www.aclu.org/files/assets/deathbeforedying-report.pdfIfyouonlyhavetimetoreadonebook…JustMercy:AStoryofJusticeandRedemptionbyBryanStevenson
Otherbooks:DeadManWalkingandTheDeathofInnocentsbySisterHelenPrejeanTheNewJimCrow:MassIncarcerationintheAgeofColorblindnessbyMichelleAlexanderMovies/Documentaries:DeadManWalkingIntotheAbyssLastDayofFreedom(Oscar-nominatedshortfilm;availableonNetflix):http://www.lastdayoffreedom.net
