Family visit to prison.

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A vigil for death row inmate Troy Davis in front of the White House on the eve of his execution. (photo credit: AP)

At 11:08 on September 21, 2011 Troy Davis was executed by the state of Georgia. Despite the retraction of testimony by multiple witnesses and the possibility of new evidence proving his innocence, the state took his life. The fragility of this case is made more apparent in the context of two other death row cases, that of David Crowe and Lawrence Brewer, and calls into question the very tradition of capital punishment.

At the the time of his death people took to the Internet, voicing dissent against the Supreme Court’s decision to not stay the execution and the Georgia court’s ruling to take a life:
 

Willis Arnold is a multimedia journalist, Brooklyn resident, and student at the CUNY School of Journalism.

UPDATE: Listen to the recorded program here.

Hour Friend In Deed, a program that connects mentors with children who have an incarcerated parent, is on the verge of losing its financial support.

For the past five years, the program has helped children with a parent (or both parents) in prison develop positive behavior and personal identities by pairing them with mentors. While these meaningful relationships helped the kids navigate through tough times and gave them some of the social skills and confidence, the program’s funding is a victim of the punishing economic downturn. Mentoring Children of Prisoners, a program run by the Federal Administration for Children and Families, will pull its support on September 29, 2011.

Join us live on Family Life Behind Bars Radio as we speak to 15-year-old Jeremy Hosey and his mentor of the past year Ted Sangalis about how the program has benefited both of them. We’ll also speak to Jeremy’s mother, 37-year-old Joedy Aliseo about how this mentoring relationship brought stability into her and her son’s life. We’ll ask 28-year-old Ted how he found the time to mentor while studying law at Fordham University.

Kellie Phelan, the program coordinator, will also join us to discuss the next step for the program as its funding runs dry.

Join us and share your experiences as a mentee or mentor.

• Show Date: August 4

• Time: 7:00-7:30 p.m. ET
  

• To listen Live: call (626) 414-3521

• Skype in: Click on Skype symbol next to the phone number on the show page.

• To ask a question, press #1 on your dial

• Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.

Suzette with her ex-husband

(Suzette Soltero wrote the following poem while visiting her ex-husband who is serving 28 years. He  has completed 18 so far):

The trip is dreadful, lots of trees pretty houses and women with children in a van going to visit loved ones that have been away in “confined quarters.”

Long roads with minimal lights & cars while still dark outside everyone trying to make themselves comfortable trying to sleep until their arrival and the driver calls out the facility’s name.

Writing information on a piece of paper, informing who you are.

Lockers holding belongings that aren’t permitted while you walk thru scanners hoping you don’t ring.

Florecent number stamping on the right hand slamming heavy doors bob-wires tall walls blue uniforms w/badges some w/hard faces others more relaxed greet you.

Escorted walks assigned seats & bells ringing while grown men in green come out the designated door giving a quick hello while they walk to check in.

Hugs, kisses, hand shakes, pounds, happy eyes, big smiles change for the vending machines singles for pics which capture the days visit five hours of conversation, memories, hopes & dreams children crying, playing happiness sadness – emotions, feelings all trapped in the visit room guarded by those blue uniforms w/badges as they look at every movement that is done.

The clock ticks & times flies & the moment to depart approaches like a thief in the night.

Emptiness fills the room as everyone prepares for that moment.  Children pull their daddy’s crying saying “let’s go” for they don’t understand.  Mothers, wives, girlfriends, significant others try to be strong as they say goodbye not to make the men in the green feel worse but emptiness fills the room.

A too familiar feeling as those heavy doors open & close behind you you feel as half your soul in left and entwined with the bob-wires handing the paper back getting your belongings & boarding the van again to see those long roads with minimal lights & a few more cars filling the highway.

All you remember is the smile try to rewind the moment you spend as you look at the picture breathing it all in until you feel it in your heart closing your eyes thinking, wondering what does the man in green feel right at that very moment.

Maybe one day your soul will be untwined & you will feel whole again but for now all you have to look forward too is “THE VISIT!”

Inspired by your experiences or by the poetry on this site? Interested in sharing it with others in your situation? Please fill out this form ]]> http://prison.livesinfocus.org/2010/02/22/poem-inspired-from-visiting-prison/feed/ 6