Humanity for Prisoners

One more reason why I love prisoners

2012-02-11T15:37:00.002-05:00

When I correspond with some of my friends in prison, I share personal information.

It's no secret that Marcia has been experiencing some health issues. They are not life-threatening, but they certainly do affect everyday living. And so, knowing that Marcia would be going to the University of Michigan Health Center for a certain procedure a week ago, I asked some of my Christian friends behind bars to pray for us.

Today Marcia received a letter from a Michigan prison.

Marcia:

I hope this letter finds you whole. About 18 of us came together a few days back and prayed for you. Your spirit, wisdom, and struggle has been a blessing to HFP, which has been a true blessing to us prisoners.

Be blessed,

Robert

Thank you, Robert, and thank you, prayer team of 18, for thinking of others, when your own situations aren't all that great.

God be near you.

Getting out is just plain difficult

2012-02-08T14:32:00.003-05:00

One of the mysteries of this business is that it's so easy to get into prison, and so difficult to get out. I'm really upset today, because James deserves to be out. Never mind that he has served 28 years, probably longer than almost any other prisoner in the country on a conviction of assault with intent. Never mind that he has been a model prisoner, and helped the state on numerous occasions. Never mind that the state made promises to him in exchange for his cooperation. He's staying in prison, and that's that.

I'm convinced the Michigan Parole Board never even took at glance at the request for commutation of James' sentence. Because if board members had looked, they would have seen a three page letter from the prosecutor who put James away 28 years ago, RECOMMENDING HIS RELEASE. They would have seen letters from former FBI officials and Michigan State Police officials thanking him for helping to solve cases WHILE HE WAS IN PRISON. They would have seen praise from a prosecutor's office on the other side of the state for his testimony that helped to convict a known murderer. Two attorneys and our office spent months preparing this application, and it was impressive. Yet no one even took a look at it! Within days the PB refused to act on it, and simply sent it to the Governor for a rubber stamp rejection. And within days, the Governor did just that.

What a bunch of crap.

I work in the prisons, I deal with prisoners every day, and I'll be the first to admit that we have prisons for a reason. Many of the people behind bars deserve to be there. But when someone deserves to get out, what's so hard about admitting that, and doing something about it?

The sad thing is that no one with any muscle will get behind James to correct this injustice. Those who know anything about it will simply cluck their teeth and wish him better luck two years from now when he may file for a commutation again. As it turns out, the promises in exchange for testimony were pretty hollow. Why should the state care? They got their end of the deal.

It's my personal opinion that if he were a different color and of means, he might have a better chance.

But he's black and he's indigent.

He doesn't have a prayer.

Shameful.

May the words of my mouth...(Part Two)

2012-02-03T10:10:00.002-05:00

"I don't think a round of applause is enough for our guest speaker," said inmate Ramano Wednesday evening at the Thumb Correctional Facility. "I believe his work at Humanity for Prisoners deserves a standing ovation!" And with that prompt, 100 men dressed in prison garb stood and cheered. I had just finished my part of the HFP presentation in a special assembly, arranged by Chaplain Hart.

I reviewed impressive case after case where HFP made a difference. We helped a prisoner who was abandoned on her release date when her bus trip was cancelled. We arranged a birthday party in prison for the 8 year old daughter of a female inmate. We prodded the MDOC into giving cancer treatments to a terminal patient behind bars. We were up early in the morning to be at the side of an inmate who had no one to represent him at a Parole Board interview. We found a beautiful hospice facility at the request of prisoners in Jackson who wanted their friend, Old Bill, to die outside of prison. The state was willing to release him, but he had no place to go.

And then I challenged the prisoners, explaining that some of the nicest people I know live behind bars, and some of my best friends are in prison. People on the outside need improvement in their perception of prisoners. Together, the prisoners and HFP must do a better job of public relations, telling all of the good things prisoners are doing. I pledged to help if they would agree to help.

And then the chairman of the board of HFP, Dr. Dan Rooks, a clinical psychologist, gave an entirely different type of presentation. He challenged the inmates to take a good look at themselves. To own up to their situation. He told of the course he is running twice a month at another prison, helping prisoners to learn to forgive themselves, to learn to love themselves, and to openly consider the issues of restorative justice. This especially includes how the crime impacted not only the victim, but the community. He concluded with a powerful piece written by one of his friends in the course, who reflected on his crime and on his pathway of growth since then. It was beautiful, and it touched the hearts of these men.

In a question and answer session, both of us gave straight forward answers to excellent questions. Dan and I were right where we belonged...surrounded by prisoners.

The men lined up to shake our hands and to thank us for coming.

One of the guys who helped to put this program together called the next morning to say the men are already organizing a fund raiser for HFP. They want to do their part to keep us going.

HFP doing its thing. And the President and Board Chair loving every minute of it.

May the words of my mouth...

2012-01-29T17:23:00.002-05:00

Dan Rooks and I are scheduled to speak at the Thumb Correctional Facility this Wednesday. Dan is a clinical psychologist and is chairman of the HFP Board of Directors. He has a genuine passion for prisoners. He conducts regular group sessions in one of the state prisons. He and I will make a good team Wednesday. We both have a heart for these guys. We've spoken to prisoners before, and the rapport is great.

There's only one problem.

The state can't handle the number of prisoners who want to hear us. I'm told by one of the guys that we'll be able to speak to about 50 prisoners from the youth division, and about 125 of the old-timers. The session, being arranged by the chaplain, will be held in the gymnasium. Inmates were asked to sign up, the lists are full, and more prisoners still want to attend. I don't know if he was joking or not, but our friend James said that some of the guys are offering to buy a seat in the meeting.

This is getting serious, and now might be the time for me to start getting nervous. Nobody ever stood in line to listen to me speak before. I sometimes joke about the time my voice couldn't be heard, and I shouted out to the people in the back of the room, "Can you hear me?" "No," they replied. And some grumpy guy in the front said, "I'll trade you...I can hear him!"

I told Dan that now I'm starting to feel like Moses when God asked him to be a leader. What if I get tongue-tied? What if I stutter? I told Dan that he could be my Aaron, and I'll just let him be the mouthpiece for both of us. I don't think he'll agree to that.

The point is that prisoners know who their friends are, and Dan and I are honored by that. Pray that both of us say good things, meaningful things, helpful things, inspirational things.

After all, we're there in the name of the King.

I have a dream

2012-01-26T13:53:00.002-05:00

These famous words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., came from the mouth of Warden Mary Berghuis, as I sat in her office at the Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon, Michigan. She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a set of blueprints. As she spread them out on her desk, one could see that these were plans for a beautiful chapel, to be located right on her prison campus. Seems that she had shared her dream with a prominent Muskegon architect, who not only picked up on the idea but made his own contribution to the prison system by designing the entire facility at no charge.

Warden Berghuis explained that there was plenty of room for the chapel. In fact, she had chosen the perfect spot so that it would be easily accessible for prisoners there.

The subject came up as we discussed previous programs presented at the prison by HIS MEN, a male chorus that I founded in 1972 and directed for 21 years. HIS MEN is still involved in presenting programs in prisons. But there's no chapel in Muskegon, and the programs must be presented in rooms with poor acoustics and awkward seating. The proposed 200-seat chapel would be a wonderful addition to the prison facilities. The big problem is cost. The state is not going to pay for a project like this, so private funds must be raised. The warden reported that so far $8,000 has been raised. $1 million is the goal.

It sounds like so much, and yet we hear of huge sums being spent these days on political campaigns. Compared to those expenses, a million dollars is peanuts. And for such a good cause. I promised to help...personally, and through HFP. We have good friends, and they have good friends. I think this goal is reachable.

I'm hoping and praying that the Mary K. Berghuis Chapel will be converted from dream to reality.

What does it take?

2012-01-22T17:12:00.002-05:00

We're starting to wonder just what it takes to attract the attention of the Michigan Parole Board, after the board just blew off one of the strongest applications for commutation of sentence that we have seen.

James should be out of prison anyway. He has turned his life around, has been more than a model prisoner, and has served 28 years on a life sentence for assault with intent. Our sources say that's enough time for a prisoner who has not been a problem.

But there are other factors in this case.

This marks the first time I have ever seen the prosecutor who put the man away now lead the charge to free him. But that's what has happened. The Chief Trial Attorney for the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office in 1986 who obtained the conviction against James now wants him freed. And that's because James has not only become a model prisoner. James has decided, despite severe and continued threats, to help the state. And so, time after time, in case after case, he has provided invaluable testimony, with no promise of any gifts or favors. He just helped because he thought that's what good people do. So here we have the prosecutor writing a three-page letter to the Parole Board asking for serious consideration of this application. The app is also supported by various former FBI and State Police Personnel, as well as the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office. And yet it slid right past the Parole Board, on its way to the Governor where it is sure to be rejected. UNLESS...UNLESS, we can catch someone's attention in the guv's office to take a look at it. He could then send it back to the Parole Board for further review. And that's what we're hoping for. That's what we're praying for, and asking prayers for.

In an important murder case in the Flint area, James was promised an effort to get him released with credit for time served for his testimony. The testimony resulted in a conviction, but James never got his credit for time served.

Now it's time for justice behind bars. James deserves a fair shake. Your prayers and any other means of support will be very much appreciated.

Are women treated worse in prison?

2012-01-20T14:52:00.002-05:00

I can't prove it, but I think so.

Gail, a resident of the Michigan prison system, this week called our attention to three different situations where it appears that appropriate health care is NOT being provided. Said she: There are so many women who are suffering with health care problems here that are so inhumane it just tears at my heart. Incarcerated women live under very harsh, uncomfortable, humiliating and demeaning conditions with rules of NO TOUCHING.

She went on to tell me about Donna, who suffered a bowel obstruction due to inappropriate treatment of symptoms, that leaves her now with an ileoscopy bag not properly cared for, and so she has a continuing problem of bleeding around the opening. A request for corrective surgery is ignored.

She told about Rita, who is totally disabled due to hip deterioration.

And she told about Mary, who continues to have serious issues as a result of cancer and the removal of both breasts, but who is refused treatment for continued pain and swelling of her hands and arms.

Lack of treatment is one problem.

Lack of interest by the Parole Board is still another problem. Many women could be out and receiving private treatment.

A third problem is that the women's facility in Ypsilanti keeps getting expanded even though already overcrowded, and the ladies report that the utilities systems cannot keep up with the expansion...especially water and septic. Nice.

Said Gail to HFP: THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING SO MUCH OF YOURSELF TO HELP THOSE OF US WHO, UNDER THE D.O.C. MAKE IT NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO HELP OURSELVES, TRY AS WE MIGHT.

And we respond with a thanks to all of you who support us.

An internal investigation brings...RETALIATION

2012-01-17T10:05:00.002-05:00

It was down to the final hours of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

I spotted a piece of unopened mail.

I have been corresponding with 25 guys who had the courage to sign statements incriminating a prison guard who has been coming to work with liquor on his breath, and who has been mistreating inmates. These 25 men dared to sign their names to documents demanding that something be done about this officer. They approached HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS for assistance. I readily agreed to help, but stressed that we could not protect them from retaliation. In a situation like this, the guards get the last word. Always.

Well, we charged in and brought about an Internal Affairs investigation, and it wasn't pretty.

Word is that the officer didn't get fired, but he got transferred, and that was enough for the men in the unit. But it didn't come without a price.

One of the men told me that some in the group were denied their food. Some were denied health care kites (messages). Some were denied free time in the yard. In some cases, the food cards were changed on the guys' doors. Lies were told to nurses, we were informed, to keep them from looking in on the guys. Lies were told to affect misconduct reports. Lies were told resulting in at least one prisoner getting gassed (pepper spray). In one situation, it got so bad that a prisoner allegedly tried to kill himself because of the way he was treated while in segregation. It's all hearsay, of course. But what motive would these men have to lie to me? They were writing to thank us for bringing about the investigation and bringing about the transfer of an officer.

Said the ringleader of this group: A representative of Internal Affairs came and interviewed me yesterday. I can tell you that the MDOC has a lot of respect for you. I'm black-listed here, but thank you so much for helping us. You're a power house. Nothing would have been done without you. I was transferred to the prison across the street to punish me. When they took our phones it frightened a lot of the people (not being able to call home, especially during the holidays). I want to get a job. I fit the requirements for barber but was told the administration said they didn't want me. The administration is trying to cover it up. Thank you for your courage.

Your support of HFP makes all of this happen, and that is why we need your continued and consistent assistance. Each month. Every month. It's a new year and our donations are down.

Back to Dr. King. He would be so proud of this gang! We are, too.

READ THE JAN. 7 ENTRY AGAIN!

2012-01-15T16:36:00.002-05:00

It will give an added dimension to this story, because on Monday the 9th, I received a call from Dan Armijo's mother. I was in a bad cell, and could hardly understand the crackly and distorted message: My son has been granted a new trial!

Dan was convicted on a CSC charge in Macomb County and sentenced to 2-15 years on November 30, 2010. He came up for parole, but he refused to show remorse and admit that he had committed the crime, so no parole. The Parole Board insisted that he was in denial. And so he served one year beyond his minimum sentence before the state begrudgingly released him. He was still on a tether the last we heard.

But now, in answer to many prayers, Dan's conviction HAS BEEN SET ASIDE, AND A NEW TRIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED.

Proof positive that it does sometimes happen. Once in a while there is wrongful conviction. The Parole Board is going to have to get off this kick that EVERYONE must show remorse and admit guilt, because everyone is simply not guilty.

Our congratulations to Dan and his family, who support HFP and thank us for all of our support.

To quote MLK Jr. on his birthday: Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

I'll hammer it out: Shakespeare

2012-01-11T14:57:00.003-05:00

I have bin studying, how to compare
This Prison where I live, unto the World;
And for because the world is populous,
And heere is not a Creature, but my selfe,
I cannot do it: yet Ile hammer't out.
Shakespeare

I was listening to a riveting performance of this monologue from The Life and Death of Richard the Second. I was not in a major Shakespeare venue in Canada, nor in a small theatre off Broadway. I was in a classroom at Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon, Michigan. And the performer was not a kingpin in the thespian world, but may have been---for all I know---a kingpin in the world of crime at one time. I know him only by a prison nicknam, Latorius, and though not a professional critic of the theatre, I can tell you that this was no simple, amateur performer. He was good.

It's a product of a program called SHAKESPEARE BEHIND BARS, the brainchild of Curt Tofteland, of Holland, Michigan. A select group of prisoners participate, and after completing the course in a prescribed period of time they may invite a friend to join the next time around.

I was there as the guest of Warden Mary Berghuis, although I had received a standing invitation earlier from Mr. Tofteland.

The prisoners---9 of them---came to share, to discuss Shakespeare, to compare the writings of Shakespeare to their own lives, and to memorize and perform. The discussion was intimate, feelings were placed on the table, there was laughter, there were tears. It was a magical moment.

Bless those prisoners for allowing me to sit in.

Bless Curt Tofteland for bringing this amazing program behind bars.

Bless Warden Berghuis for allowing this to happen right there in her own facility.

The playwright would have been proud!

do you hear anything about the poor?

2012-01-08T07:40:00.002-05:00

As a reporter, although retired from day-t0-day journalism, I remain facinated by politics and continue to watch political skirmishes on the local, state and national levels. As we head toward another national election, I am puzzled by the lack of discussion on one particular topic: the poor.

Recent statistics show that more people are legally poor in the United States than ever before. Poverty is on the increase.

As Christians, we are constantly advised in scripture to be aware of thee poor. The book of Proverbs is full of zesty little nuggets about the poor. A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor. (22:9) The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. (29:7)

Even the Old Testament prophets warned the government about lack of concern for the poor. I will be quick to testify against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice....(Malachi 3:5)

All I am hearing in political debates is one shameful attack after another against the individuals who have chosen to run for public office. Millions of dollars are spent on this media sewage spill. Occasionally, as if almost by accident, an actual national issue is brought up for consideration, but I can guarantee that concern for the poor is not among the list of issues.

Perhaps it's because one must be so wealthy to consider running for office. Many rich people seem to have little concern for the poor. I find it interesting in the Bible story about the rich man and the poor man, that the author finds it important to mention the name of the poor man, but the rich man remains anonymous.

All of this to say, before you go to the polls in your elections---local, state and national---find out where your candidates stand on the important issue of justice and mercy for the poor.

on feelings of remorse

2012-01-07T15:55:00.003-05:00

A friend of HFP sent in a copy of an editorial that I had written three years ago. It deserves a reprint.

"We hear this all the time!" Assistant Michigan Attorney General Thomas Kulick, with a smirk on his face, in the spotlight at a public hearing this week. "Prisoners are always trying to convince us that they are feeling remorse."

Kulick was responding to the whispered words of a dying inmate, cringing in a wheelchair before him, seeking permission to spend his final days outside of prison . The inmate merely had stated that he was sorry about his earlier life, and he wished he could do it all over again.

Do you know why you hear those words all the time, Mr. Kulick? It's because the Parole Board from your own state makes that demand!

I speak from experience. If prisoners, especially those accused of a sex offense, ever hope to get a parole, they must confess to the crime, and they must show remorse. This comes from the mouths of Parole Board members.

And so, Mr. Kulick, you should be able to predict the results, but I'll explain them anyway.

1. People, falsely accused, sometimes violate all the principles they have been taught, and tell lies to the Parole Board, just because they cannot stand the prison environment anymore and will do anything to get out.

2. Meanwhile, the "con artists" in prison, persons who should not be out on the street, know how to work the system. They weep, they grovel, they say all the words the Parole Board members want to hear. They know what they must do to catch a parole.

3. Yet many people with integrity refuse to compromise. I can still hear the words of the late Maurice Carter, weeks before he died, sitting on a hospital gurney after he was told by former Parole Board Chair John Rubitschun that he could walk free right then if he would merely confess to the crime. He stared at Mr. Rubitschun through his ill-fitting prison-issue glasses, with all the dignity he could muster: I will never admit to a crime that I did not commit! He was in prison 29 years.

So do you see how the system works in reverse, Mr. Kulick?

The prisoners who should remain behind bars find a way to wreak havoc once again in society, while those who maintain their honor are punished by receiving a flop: that is, they are refused parole for another period of time. Sadly, they remain behind bars.

It's no surprise that you hear words of remorse, Mr. Kulick. That's what is expected.

Now it's about time that the citizens of Michigan hear words of remorse from you, your office and the Michigan Parole Board, for missing the whole point!

God don't make no junk

2012-01-01T13:34:00.004-05:00

I was first drawn to that slogan more than 40 years ago when I spotted the words on a poster, obviously designed by a child with crayons, on the wall of a social worker who specialized in helping mentally challenged children. I don't know where the saying began. Ethel Waters is among those credited with first making the statement. But, I woke in the middle of the night full of HFP ideas---as so often happens---just last week, and I thought of this statement. It's the message that HFP must confey to its supporters at the beginning of a new year. It's the message that HFP must convey to its friends behind bars. Many people on the outside believe that prisoners are somehow in a different category of humanity. But God don't make no junk. Many prisoners feel that because they've failed, time and again, there's no hope for them. But God don't make no junk.

I've been trying to figure out who can be a help to one of our prisoners in recent days. He's so sick. He needs an organ transplant to live, but prisoners may not have transplants. He's so lonely. He was an only child, his mother died, his father suffered a stroke, he has burned bridges with what little family is left and with friends. If he were to be released he has no place to go. He's so discouraged. He would like to turn his life around, and I really believe he's doing it. But it's so late. There's no one to turn it around for except himself...and I'm not minimizing that. It's just that, he has no place to turn, no one to turn to, and he's finally becoming aware of that fact.

But then, he's got to hear my message of today. God don't make no junk.

Since I started a Bible-reading program that covers the whole Bible in a year, I have discovered such rich verses in the old testament. And one goes right along with this junk statement. Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...

Thanks for being in our corner through thick and thin, dear HFP supporter...God don't make no junk.

Take heart, dear HFP prisoner/friend, there's hope...even for you. Because, you see, God don't make no junk! Never did. Never will.

Prison grief takes no holiday

2011-12-29T13:58:00.002-05:00

Mail to the HFP office doesn't let up during the holidays. It might even pick up tempo just a bit.

A prisoner wants us to get his story out to all state legislators, because he can't make it happen. A prisoner wants us to help him find a location to parole to, because he was an only child, has burned a few bridges, and now has no family and no friends, should he ever obtain a release. A prisoner needs help filing a commutation application, but thinks we should do most of the work. A prisoner needs copies of the application form. (That's easy...we can honor that request.) The mother of a prisoner needs help getting medical care for her son. He was on medication for migraine headaches. As we often hear, the state stopped the medicine. He's not able to function anymore. He was supposed to have followup care following a CT-scan 2 years ago and that never happened. Can we help?

And, if you can believe it...all requests in the above paragraph came in TODAY. Not this week. Today!

We'll start making our contacts, start doing what we can, gently explain what we can't do, and place everything before God in prayer.

I so very much appreciated the comment from Thad a few days ago, a wrongly convicted exoneree, who encouraged us to "Keep up the important and impressive work that you do. I know that they appreciate your love and support, as I did when I needed it."

And I say that to all of you in our corner. Thank you for your love and support, as we try to offer the same to "the least of these."

Enjoy your holiday season. It's not nice in prison this week.

trying to offer holiday cheer

2011-12-22T12:17:00.002-05:00

It's not always that easy, trying to cheer up prisoners in the first place. Then add to the situation a series of unpleasant circumstances, and one is hard pressed for words.

We're trying to help Mr. C to file for a medical commutation, because he has terminal cancer. He has less than 6 months to live, and would like to spend his remaining days with his family. Knowing how slow the system plods along, we're trying to make things happen, and meanwhile he struggles with imperfect and impersonal prison medical care.

Says Mr. C:

I'm supposed to have chemotherapy treatments every 21 days but the MDOC keeps interrupting my treatments, and not give me the bone marrow shots that I need. I am already two chemo sessions behind, and the doctor and nurse here are asking how long I'll be taking chemo. It sounds like the MDOC is tired of paying for my chemo session and paying for the two officers to take me to the hospital.

Nice, huh? And then I had the audacity to get on Mr. C's case a little bit because he was tardy in getting all of the documents that I wanted to help put together this application.

Sorry I haven't sent you the application and the letters. My family has been busy making funeral arrangements for my younger sister who died December 12th from lung cancer.

A slap on the hand to me! Patience, Douger, patience. Sheesh.

Thank you very much for your help.

Thanks to all of YOU for your help and support, as we stumble along trying to be a friend and a help to the least of these.

on the making of an unpleasant Christmas

2011-12-18T18:36:00.003-05:00

I'm thinking of my friend Teri a lot these days. I even have feelings of guilt. How come my Christmas can be so bright? How come hers haven't been bright for years?

What would make Christmas bad for you?

How about this scenario: Your husband is a teacher, and wrongly accused by some little girls and wrongly convicted?

How about this one? The nation's leading lie detector examiner proclaims your husband's innocence, beyond doubt, but the courts refuse to listen.

Or this? Because your husband is convicted of a sex crime, and one daughter is still listed as a minor, she may not visit her own father.

Or this? While in prison he contracts cancer. And it's life threatening.

Or this? Even while getting chemo therapy, he must be shackled and under guard, because he is a threat to society.

Or this? Now it's a death sentence. Cancer will claim his life before his innocence is proved.

Had enough?

Well, if you can believe this, Teri is grateful this Christmas. Larry is in a hospice facility, and this year, for the first Christmas in six years, all four members of the family will be together.

Hope you're not complaining about this holiday season any more.

Pray for Teri, and Larry, and two beautiful daughters.

Send them a hug.

'Tis the season

2011-12-16T20:32:00.001-05:00

Doug Coupland said, "Christmas makes everything twice as sad."

Each year at this time I hope for only warm and fuzzy stories to come to us from the prisoners.

Well, once again this year, it's not happening.

From one unit, 25 guys willing to put their names on the line in hopes of turning in a guard who is coming to work with alcohol on his breath, and whose behavior seems to indicate that he is working while under the influence. 25 men who are willing to risk retaliation and all sorts of unpleasantness just because they believe they deserve a sane and sober individual on duty in their facility. And yet, the complaint is rejected and retaliation begins almost immediately. I tread carefully, because I don't want to hurt these guys with any more crap than they are already experiencing. I must do something. In desperation, they've turned to us.

From one unit comes a request from prioners. Steve cannot get appropriate care for his cancer, Stage 4. They tell him it's incurable anyway.

It's the weekend. It's the holiday season. It's going to be difficult getting anyone's attention, let alone getting action.

In desperation, they've turned to us.

And that's why we're here.

Even at Christmas time.

Especially at Christmas time.

Takes one to know one

2011-12-09T12:15:00.002-05:00

I remember that as kids we threw that phrase back at someone who gave us a bad label. I'm reflecting on the phrase as I open the mail today, and I'm thinking there's some validity to it. I'm seeing incredible empathy for prisoners from those who are struggling with their own needs. Serious needs. Needs that might prevent you or me from functioning half-way normally. Needs that would definitely keep some people I know from even getting out of bed in the morning.

A beautiful supporter who is at an age where many would be sitting home in a rocker sipping tea instead placed an order for six prayer books to be placed into the hands of needy prisoners. She accompanied the order with a generous gift of support.

An African American supporter who has a son in prison and visits her best friend in prison got talking with another prison mom, and today they ordered five books for prisoners.

A supporter on total disability with more health problems than I could list in one article and no money, but with a blessed spirit that only Jesus could give, felt led to send us a check of support because she knows the pain of prisoners.

An elderly woman whose husband had to write the letter for her because she suffered a debilitating stroke, still felt the need to help others after reading of our ministry, and placed a check in the mail.

I am touched.

These aren't people caught up in the Christmas shopping frenzy. These are people who, despite their own set of problems, feel a kinship with men and women behind bars and want to demonstrate their love in a tangible way.

No one has to explain Matthew 25 to them. They get it.

The news isn't always good

2011-12-08T16:23:00.004-05:00

Our daughter-in-law received an early Christmas present this year. She learned this week that a dreaded lump was benign. All of us thanked God.

But the reality is that a number of other people received news that wasn't as good, on the same day.

I was reminded of that today. I was thinking of Missy's good news, as I was FAXing out medical reports to two of the fine physicians who work behind the scenes for HFP.

One prisoner is terribly ill, but death isn't threatening. Maybe somedays he wishes it would hurry, as he suffers with some very unpleasant symptoms. Among other things, he has Hep C and he's going to need a transplant if he's going to survive. And so we're getting the machine fired up. You see, he can't have a transplant while in prison. He's really in on a non-serious charge and he has been in longer than his early release date. Why the state insists on keeping prisoners like this boggles the mind. He's got a great behavior record, the charge did not involve violence, he's been in longer than the minimum sentence, and he's very sick, so he's costing us a lot of money. I forwarded his first documents to a doctor so that we can work on the next phase.

The second prisoner has has received his death sentence. In his case, we'll be trying to obtain a release from prison on medical grounds so that he can die at home surrounded by love and loved ones. He has terminal cancer.

We are blessed to have the finest medical practitioners I know serving at our side to help these prisoners. They get it. They understand completely the depth of the meaning of their oath.

Yet, in both of these situations, there is nothing to give us optimism that we will be successful. But, we must keep the spirits of these inmates up. After all, 'tis the season to be jolly. If only all of our very sick prisoners could receive the glad tidings that Missy did.

On who's boss

2011-12-07T15:12:00.002-05:00

There's one thing you gotta learn when you're in prison. You gotta learn who's boss. The system will keep pounding it in to you until you've got it straight. You're a nobody. Your opinion means nothing. You are simply a number.

It took good ol' Joe a little while to figure that out. Joe's parents are in their 80s and in bad health. They live in Lapeer, and there's a prison right there in the home town. So they thought it would be nice if Joe could be transferred from Ionia to Lapeer, in that Joe's dad has just suffered and heart attack and all. Certainly if Joe lived in the Thumb CF it would be easier for elderly parents to visit him.

Joe asked if we'd help. We wrote a letter to the warden, and we suggested that he contact his state legislators. His state senator was kind enough to contact the MDOC, and was told that Joe would probaby do best by just talking with his own housing unit personnel. He was informed that the state cannot really consider transfers just for convenience' sake, because transfers cost money and the state doesn't have any.

So Joe asked his housing unit people, but they didn't like that. And they didn't like it that I wrote to the warden and that Joe wrote to his state senator.

It was time for Joe to find out who's really the boss there.

So a transfer was arranged, all right. Joe was sent to the Upper Peninsula where, he says, he must stay now for two years. He doesn't think his parents will even live that long.

And while it made sense to Joe and his family to put him closer to his elderly parents, there wasn't unanimous agreement on that point. Sending him to the UP would teach him who's boss.

Well, Joe got the point.

He's simply a number. No name, no face.

The MDOC is the boss.

A boss with a heart.

That old-time religion

2011-12-04T16:47:00.003-05:00

I gave a copy of our new CD, SWEET FREEDOM, to my friend Beth at church this morning. In a way, she started this whole business of a benefit CD for HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. When her husband Don died, she asked that I play the piano for the funeral service. He had always enjoyed my keyboard musings. And, because he had a love for trains, he wanted an old railroad song sung at his funeral service: Life's Railway to Heaven. I asked fellow-musician John Mulder to join me for the funeral music. A fellow prison worker liked it so much he suggested a fund-raiser in his church. John and I added a few more musicians for the fund-raiser, and people liked that so much we decided on a CD. The rest is history.

Charley Honey, fine religion writer for the Grand Rapids Press, did a story about the CD yesterday, and called it a "delightful collection of old-time gospel chestnuts." In fact, when he listened to the CD, his first reaction was: Old-Time Religion. And I guess he's right. We chose titles that history has proven to be popular, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, The Old Rugged Cross.

I hope you will give a listen. You can download your own personal copy of the album on iTunes or Amazon...or better yet you can ask me to send you a hard copy, so you can play it in your car when you drive to work.

It's called SWEET FREEDOM, and the other musicians are Lee Ingersoll, Cal Olson, Roger MacNaughton and David Mulder. We suggest a donation of $15, and the money goes right into the operation of HFP.

Said Charley Honey: "Their fresh treatments of these sentimental favorites could warm a wintry soul."

Give it a try and let me know.

Mentally ill behind bars

2011-11-27T16:40:00.003-05:00

A Michigan sheriff recently stated a fact that a whole lot of families already knew: prisons and jails have become the new institutions for the mentally ill.

In a fine piece on the subject, Detroit Free Press writer Jeff Gerritt said that, according to a University of Michigan study, more than 20% of the state's prisoners had severe mental disabilities---and far more were mentally ill. The same study found that 65% of prisoners with several mental disabilities had received no treatment in the previous 12 months. An outrage.

The big question.

What are you going to do about it?

If our experience provides that answer, we'd have to say that John Q. Public will do very little.

HOWEVER, it's a different story for people who have a loved one in prison. I worked side-by-side with Mary Ann when her brother Arnie---who was mentally challenged---suffered abuse on a routine basis in prison. We didn't just work. We fought!

And we're still working side-by-side with Lois, who has a son in prison who has mental issues. She fights 24/7. She has to, or her son will receive shameful treatment.

The simple fact is that prison staffers don't have training to deal with the mentally ill, and fellow prisoners don't know how to handle the mentally ill. For the unstable prisoner, it's a double whammy. Prisoners beat the tar out of him because they don't understand him. Guards beat and punish him because he doesn't understand the rules, and therefore he violates them.

I hope you won't leave this up to those with mentally ill family members in prison.

You can make a huge difference by applying pressure to your elected state officials. Jails and prisons are no alternative for mental institutions, and jail and prison guards are no alternative for trained caretakers.

It's time for change.

even on Thanksgiving, stark reality

2011-11-24T10:49:00.003-05:00

I was reflecting on my blessings on this Thanksgiving Day. A year ago I had just survived a brutal attack by a staph infection that many thought would claim my life. I'm feeling so good this year that I almost feel guilty. My list of blessings is so long that I cannot document it all. I feel like the Psalmist. My heart was overflowing with gratitude when I spotted a letter on my desk that hadn't been opened.

I'm amazed that it ever got here. It was sent to the wrong address. It had insufficient postage. Instead of my name on the envelope, it simply said "Dear Sir." It had been sent from San Quentin.

Dear Sir: My name is Paul Wesley Baker. I've been on death row since 2009. I was arrested in 2003 in L.A., California. My attorney did absolutely nothing to help me in trial. I only saw my investigator once in 5 years. My trial was in 2008. The DNA was tampered with and some of their witnesses lied under oath. Some of this could have been proved if my attorney did a small part in my behalf.

We don't even try to handle cases outside the State of Michigan. But Paul is on my heart on this Thanksgiving Day. I can do little more than pray for him. I shall write him a letter of encouragement anyway. And I'll send him a copy of our new book of prayers.

After actually visiting a prisoner on death row, and actually witnessing an execution of a man whom I believed was wrongly convicted, I am especially sensitive to the plight of people on death row.

How about you? Will you pray for Paul today? I suggest that you also remember all the others on death row who find it very difficult to be thankful on this Thanksgiving Day.

A blessed holiday to you.

a meaningful Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T19:47:00.002-05:00

I was able to give my friend James the most incredible Thanksgiving message today.

James has been in prison almost 30 years. He was guilty of assault, but he turned his life around.

While in prison he has moved mountains for law enforcement.

Now he's seeking a commutation of his sentence, well deserved for a number of reasons. But here's the exciting news I was able to deliver.

The Prosecutor who put him away 28 years ago is now leading the fight to get him released!

I've never seen this before. I know many former and present prosecutors. They are really good friends, but I gotta tellya, these guys are prosecutors.

The man who put James away is so convinced that he deserves a new crack at life that he has written a three-page letter pleading with the Parole Board to give him a chance. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't read it.

Well, HFP is in the middle of this effort, and it makes me so proud.

I was the middle man today. I had the opportunity to tell this man in prison that the prosecutor who put him away will lead the effort next week to ask for a recommendation for commutation by the Michigan Parole Board. And I was able to tell him that this former prosecutor, now retired, is supported in his position by key people in the Michigan State Police and the FBI.

Thanksgiving Day is very special for James this year. And for good reason.

Mr. or Ms. Anon keeps giving

2011-11-22T14:06:00.003-05:00

Way back when Maurice Carter was alive, and we founded the organization INNOCENT, a very kind person on the other side of the state (based on the postmark) began sending anonymous contributions to our office in Grand Rapids. Once every month or two, I would receive a crumpled little envelope with squiggly writing on it. Inside I would find a sheet of lined paper folded up, and there a five dollar bill. No note, no message, no name, no address, no nothin.'

And it has never stopped.

Maurice has gone to heaven. INNOCENT is now HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. Our office is no longer in Grand Rapids. Neither is it in Muskegon anymore.

My former employer gets the envelopes now. I would like to thank the donor, and advise him/her that our address has changed. But we have no idea who it is.

I have a feeling that this is another example of the widow's mite. We treat the contributions the same as we would a major gift. Each time the gift gets recorded and deposited. And we take care to spend that 5 dollar bill just as carefully as we do all of our precious funds.

I wish I could thank this donor. Somehow, I believe that he/she feels our gratitude.

Meanwhile, the gifts keep coming.

And we keep going.

HFP is blessed to receive many small gifts. Small, but not insignificant.

For all of them we are thankful.

Big Ben Logic

2011-11-19T10:35:00.002-05:00

My friend Big Ben makes so much sense so much of the time.

He was talking with Michigan legislators about the state's abominable prison situation. And he was talking about his particular situation. He's among about 40 lifers in the system who didn't get covered by new legislation, and therefore cannot become eligible for parole.

I was convicted at 22. I am now 64, diabetic, hypertensive, and afflicted with a number of other ailments for which I take 8 different kinds of prescription medications.

On average it costs the state $33,000 to incarcerate one healthy individual for one year in the D.O.C.

I, on the other hand, cost the Michigan tax payer somewhere in the neighborhood of $45-50,000 a year in incarceration costs. If you multiply that by the remaining 40 or more Aaron Lifers in the prison system, you begin to understand how this affects the state's efforts to contain its deficits.

Regardless of whether these words come from behind or in front of prison bars, they make sense and should be considered by our elected officials.

Big Ben is a considerate, highly intelligent inmate who should someday be elected to represent others in public office.

More on birthday wishes

2011-11-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

The unwritten policy of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS is based on an old, anonymous slogan: You have never really lived until you've done something for somebody who can never repay you.

I guess that's why I'm so taken aback when expressions of kindness come to me from prisoners. Now I'm making it sound like these expressions are infrequent. Quite the opposite. They're coming all the time, and you'd think I would get used to it. But I don't.

A birthday comes, and I receive a home-made card, beautifully created by a woman in Michigan's women's facility. These people have no money for guards, but their artistic skills are amazing.

A letter comes from a dear friend in another facility. I should have expected it.

A series of telephone calls from prison. I can't even imagine how they remember my birthday.

And now, a $10.00 check in honor of my birthday, from a prisoner whose monthly wage is less than most hourly wages on the outside. I am just astounded.

I often say that some of the nicest people I have ever met are in prison, and some of my best friends are in prison.

No wonder Jesus was so intent on having us care about them.

There are beautiful people both inside and outside. I can prove it.

On birthday wishes

2011-11-13T08:00:00.002-05:00

One doesn't pay much attention to birthdays anymore at my age.

I must say that the celebration of my 75th was exceptionally pleasing. More than 50 guests showed up at a party featuring jazz greats John Shea and Tim Froncek. My family was more than gracious. Even grandkids from afar called to talk to their grandpa. In view of the fact that exactly one year ago I was on a feeding tube, a process that continued for six long months as I did my best to recover from a vicious attack by a staph infection, it was indeed a time for celebration. I greet each day this year with a feeling of exhilaration.

Son Matthew put out a notice on the HFP email network and my inbox was flooded with birthday greetings from around the world. I am blessed with so many beautiful friends.

My snailbox was filled with letters from prisoners who remembered my birthday, and some even called.

Perhaps the most meaningful greeting, though, came from a mentally challenged teenager in prison. You have done so much great work over the years and my mother and I really appreciate your work. I remember when you came to see me. Man, did we have a good time! I'm continuing to work on myself, to try to grow and better myself each day. I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you and praying for you. Thanks again for all your hard work. Have a great birthday!

A dose of that medicine is sure to fill one's heart to face the next year.

Thanks to all who were kind enough to remember. And a special thanks to my friend Kevin.

Prayers for prisoners

2011-11-08T10:53:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited. I'm holding in my hand a brand new book that actually had its origin right here in the HFP office.

It's called THE PRISONER'S PRAYER BOOK, and it was written by a dear friend of ours, Louise Reichert of Marquette, Michigan. Louise and I have worked together for the past several years, as she was advocating on behalf of a seriously ill prisoner. When I discovered that she was a gifted writer of prayers I began forwarding prisoner problems to her that we encountered in our work. Each time she skillfully penned a short, gritty prayer that could have been uttered by the prisoner. And should have been. And from that we started dreaming of a book.

Today, that book is a reality. It's a masterpiece. 100 meaningful prayers on issues faced by prisoners every day. I'm going to do my best to get the book into the hands of every Michigan prisoner who wants a copy. And I challenge prison programs in other states to do the same. Go to our website and find out how your $25 can purchase a copy for yourself and place a copy in a prison cell.

Get a copy right away. You'll be touched. You'll understand my enthusiasm.

The face of Jesus

2011-11-05T08:52:00.002-04:00

I was feeling good. I just given a very short address to more than 100 criminal defense attorneys at their annual Michigan conference. It went well. They bought some of my books. They had kind words. I got into my nice car, outside the posh Park Place Hotel, located in the heart of pricey Traverse City. And then I spotted the face of Jesus.

It was pasted on the front of a homeless woman---not an old lady, either. She pulled all of her belongings in a little coaster wagon, right in front of me in the parking lot. Her face reflected all the pain and agony and shame of being homeless. She was probably planning to poke through trash bins outside the hotel.

This was it! This was the person I was talking to the attorneys about! I wanted to go back in and take her with me. All she had to do was get arrested for some kind of offenses that we find for charging the homeless and the down-trodden...and she would need a court appointed attorney. Her attorney would be her only hope. That's what I tried to tell these wonderful lawyers. I wanted them to pause before telling a client they didn't believe the story, and they wouldn't check out witnesses. I wanted them to know that refusing to listen, refusing to check out a story, was a crushing blow to someone with very little hope.

Why did I say this was the face of Jesus? Simple. He's the one who told us that in Matthew 25. He said that when we show kindness to these people---sick, poor, homeless, prisoners---we show kindness to HIM.

Thank you for the reminder, Lord.

I'm praying that our simple little message in Traverse City hit home.

On chiding a prisoner

2011-11-01T16:39:00.004-04:00

I rather like the word chide, especially when I feel that I must try to realign a prisoner's thinking. It seems kinder than scold, or reprimand, or criticize.

I felt that I had to chide Mr. H. this week, and I don't do that quickly. Prisoners have enough problems and enough issues.

First I should say that I am blessed...I'll go farther than that and say I am actually humbled by the stellar character of a whole list of dear friends who are in prison. Their attitude toward others, their efforts on behalf of the needy, their disposition even in peak times of unpleasantness go far beyond the way I think and act and talk every day. They are amazing individuals and an example not only to me but to all who meet them, including those in charge over them in the prisons.

But then there is Mr. H.

He was wrongly charged, but he wasn't completely innocent. His past life was checkered, including a prior conviction and incarceration. Because he was over-charged and over-sentenced, he feels very wronged. He's angry at the system. He feels all who know him should be trying harder to find justice for him. And because of this, he's not happy. Church really isn't for him. He hasn't actively tried to pursue higher education. There are volunteer group sessions on subjects like self-esteem, but those kinds of programs are for prisoners beneath his level. And so he goes to work everyday, does his job, and mopes.

In a recent Parole Board interview, the board member caught this and also chided Mr. H. She encouraged him to do more. Thinking that this would get him out of prison, he said, "I'll do anything you want me to." And she stopped him right there. "I don't want you to do anything," said stated flatly. "I want YOU to want to do something!"

I'm one of the few friends who sticks with Mr. H, and I felt it my turn to give him a slight nudge.

I encouraged him to thank God for meeting up with that PB member, because he could use that interview as the basis for changing his life, here and now.

I encouraged him to contact me again, not to ask if I can be at his side with a moment's notice for a PB interview, but instead to ask what he can do for HFP.

I encouraged him to contact his family, not to make more demands, but instead to ask what he can do for the family.

I encouraged him to start going to church, but more than that, to ask the chaplain what he can do to make the services more meaningful to those who attend.

I encouraged him to reapply to the group session on self esteem, and this time to ask the group leader what he could do to make the session even better for the participants.

And I said that it was my prayer that, if he must appear before that same Parole Board member again in years to come, we could then tell her about the new life of the new Mr. H.

With a little divine intervention, who knows?

They're really not any different

2011-10-29T16:55:00.002-04:00

Prisoners really aren't different.

Sure there are some bad apples. That's what prison is for. It's a place where we put people who have committed crimes against society.

Having said that, I will tell you what I hear the most from volunteers who finally go into prison, from non-criminals who actually find themselves in prison, from my friends in a singing group that perform in prison: They're not any different than the rest of us.

The reason I bring this up is this. I just opened the mail today. HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS received a contribution from a gang of guys in the Ionia Correctional Facility. I've talked in the past about prisoners and finances. They work for wages unlike anything you're seen or heard. $15-20 a month, for example. Money is important to them, because they must purchase their own supplies from the state's own store. Because the food leaves a lot to be desired, they like to purchase snacks in the store, also. So they really watch their pennies. This means that when we receive a check for $100 from a group of prisoners, it is an incredible gift. A huge sacrifice. And making a contribution isn't simple or easy for them. The state makes it difficult. Finally, in frustration, the guys gave up trying to make individual contributions. Instead, they put all their money together, gave it to a spokesman for the group, and he withdrew the money from his account for a contribution to HFP.

They're a lot like you and me. In spite of the mess-ups in their own lives, they want to do good things. They appreciate friendships. They want to help others in trouble. They want to help others avoid trouble in their own lives.

It's no surprise to me that Jesus said if we show kindness to them, we're actually showing kindness to HIM.

A decent lot, this gang from Ionia. Nice guys trying to do nice things.

I love 'em.

Remembering Maurice Carter

2011-10-25T09:53:00.003-04:00

I could envision a beautiful building perhaps in the style of the Supreme Court structure, with letters carved in marble or granite: THE MAURICE HENRY CARTER INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE. Perhaps it would be located on the campus of my favorite college, Calvin in Grand Rapids. It would house Michigan's finest Innocence Project, handling cases with and without DNA evidence. Pre-law college students would fight on behalf of indigent prisoners claiming wrongful conviction. But the institute would go beyond that. It would help those who had fallen through the cracks, and had no family, no friends, to stand beside them in fighting for fair treatment, medical care, a halt to mental health abuse, etc., etc. It would fulfill every dream of Maurice Carter, who insisted that his negative had to be turned into a positive. It would be funded by foundations and trusts with never a financial worry. That's what I was dreaming exactly 7 years ago today.

I had already spent my final moments alone with Maurice in a Spectrum critical care unit. He was attached to every piece of equipment the hospital had that might be able to keep him alive for a few more minutes. But the staph infection was obviously winning. His frail, tired body finally gave up. Just past midnight, October 25, 2004.

I hadn't expected his death. I expected that he and I would work side by side to help prisoners. I did not expect to be carrying this torch alone. And so the organization, at that time named INNOCENT, continued its work. Later we changed the name to HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS to better reflect our mission. We incorporated as a Michigan non-profit agency. We obtained IRS approval for tax exemption. But the Carter dream didn't evolve into a major justice institute. Instead, we're a tiny agency with a huge heart, located in a single-room office, but carrying out the Carter dream with an amazing panel of professionals, a band of committed volunteers, and a loyal albeit limited crowd of supporters who faithfully see that the bills get paid.

But as I reflect on Maurice's life and his dream on this meaningful day, I believe he would be pleased. I feel him at my side.

An African American gospel singer whom I loved and who died far too early in life, Alma Perry, used to sing this song. It doesn't exactly apply, but this is the spirit in which we carry on from day to day.

If I can help somebody as I pass along,
If I can cheer somebody, with a word or song,
If I can show somebody, how they're traveling wrong,
Then my living shall not be in vain.

We're on the job, Maurice. Rest in peace.

It's gotta be prayer!

2011-10-24T17:34:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I just don't know what works.

A few years ago I made reference to a young lad who was sentenced to prison after being arrested on a minor sex charge (playing doctor with his cousin---his mom decided to teach him a lesson by calling the cops!), he was sentenced to the Michigan prison system. That, in itself, was an outrage...but I haven't told you the rest of the story. He's mentally ill. At that time, he had the mind of about a 6 year old.

I could see little or no help for this lad. His mother had her own emotional problems, and didn't have custody of the boy. That left only his grandmother, who resided in another state and who was in a wheelchair.

When I heard the story I went to see him in prison. I bought him soda pop and candy bars. We had a fine time. I've got grandkids, I know how to talk to kids, and I personally love kids.

But my heart was broken when he came walking in with shoes far too big. He had lost his own, and the staff found another pair for him, albeit the wrong size.

My heart was broken time again again as I kept up with his situation. The guards would tease him and scare him. Sometimes he could be seen in his cell just sitting on his bunk and crying.

He would get angry at the guards, so they'd throw him in the hole...a mentally ill little boy, sitting in the dark in seclusion! He'd get even more angry, so he'd urinate thru the meal slot in his cell door. Well, the guards retaliated by mopping up the puddle with his clothes. I guess they showed him who was boss.

Meanwhile, he has very few visitors, with almost no family and friends.

I tell you all of this to underscore why I couldn't muster up hope for this kid. His whole situation seemed hopeless to me.

Often, I asked people to pray for him.

I haven't heard from him in a long time. Then came word from his grandmother this week. He is doing good now, and has received his GED! I am so proud of him. I wish I could be there, so if you could go on his special day when he receives his certificate that would be greatly appreciated. He has worked so hard for this.

It's gotta be prayer.

Thank you, Lord.

A stitch in time

2011-10-23T14:42:00.002-04:00

Another shipment of yarn has just left western Michigan, heading for the Women's Unit at Huron Valley CF in Ypsilanti.

It all began as just a few women in prison wanting to do something creative with their fingers, wanting to do something meaningful with their time. They learned to knit, and they started knitting clothes, and the prison people saw to it that the clothing made its way to the homeless.

Word of the project got out to a woman here in our town who, as a part of HFP's Project Window started corresponding with a pen pal in Huron Valley. She asked if she could do more to help, and the prisoners said they could always use more yarn. That's all it took.

Bags and bags of yarn now make their way to Ypsi. Last week four large bags. More ready to go this week.

And some 100 female inmates are now participating in the program.

And the clothing keeps right on going to homeless people.

Little things mean a lot.

Your continued support of HFP helps to keep this ball rolling.

Another one freed!

2011-10-22T16:48:00.002-04:00

I received great news yesterday afternoon from the Innocence Project Team. Another wrongly convicted prisoner has been freed. Henry James walked out of the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola yesterday, a free man for the first time in three decades. DNA tests prove his innocence of a 1981 rape.

So today, this man can start over again, reconnecting with family and rebuilding his life, at age 50. It's not going to be easy. There's a good chance that it may not even work.

James was arrested charged with rape in 1981 after he victim mis-identified him as the attacker. And here's one more shameful little fact about this case: blood tests pointed to his innocence, but his defense attorney failed to share that with the jury.

Sometime I wish that everyone who reads our material and supports our project could go with us to a national Innocence Network Conference. The speeches and the workshops are wonderful, but the real meaningful experience comes when the exonerees are introduced. It's a reunion every year, as more and more people are freed after being found innocent. These people are like family. They welcome each other. They hug each other. They weep openly. And while I tell about these meaningful experiences, I must confess that there's another side to the coin. At the same time I get very angry. In a country that boasts justice for all, why does a man have to wait 30 years to be found innocent? Is it because he doesn't have money, or stature?

And how many more Henrys are there? Care to guess? If the system is right 99% of the time, care to figure out the total of 1% of 2.5 million? That's how many are in prison in the US of A.

Let's get angry together, and let's vow to do something about it.

No more Henrys.

One day with God

2011-10-19T10:11:00.003-04:00

Here at the office of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS, unpleasant messages from prisoners arrive on a regular basis. It can be very discouraging. Perhaps that is why, when a rare ray of sunshine beams into the office, one feels like cheering.

That's the way I felt yesterday after talking with Terry, program coordinator for a prison a mere ten miles away from here.

He introduced himself and told me about a project coming up next month at his facility called ONE DAY WITH GOD. Here's what happens.

He and his associates choose about 25 model prisoners, most of whom are fathers of small children, for a special weekend.

On Friday, there will be a day of prayer and preparation with those 25 prisoners. Preparation means packaging donated gifts for children, which they will be able to present to their kids when they come to visit the next day.

On Saturday, some 50 kids will meet at a local church, and will be bussed to a special prison gate where they can safely enter to see their fathers for ONE DAY WITH GOD. A day of special activities is planned, including the presentation of gifts. A tiny slice of heaven on earth. But it doesn't stop there.

The regular caregivers for those kids, who get a day off thanks to this event, are not forgotten. Activities are scheduled in a local church for that day to make it special for these unsung heroes as well.

Think about it. We have over 2-million people in prison. Terry's project is going to help 25 of them. Insignificant? Not in the least! It's a huge start. Now we need more Terrys. And more Days with God. Kudos to Terry. Prayers for many more program coordinators like him, and for more wardens like his boss who believe that prisoners are real people, created in the image of God.

The dreaded message

2011-10-12T09:23:00.002-04:00

Well, we finally got the message from the bookkeeper last week. HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS is flat broke. It took 10 months for it to happen, but we finally reached the bottom of the barrel.

This doesn't mean that HFP is going to fold up. No Way. A series of fund-raisers has been planned for the end of the year to provide many ways for our supporters to keep us going. But it's a wakeup call for our Board of Directors. Prayers are important for our survival. But so are dollars.

If you live in this area, we'd love to see you at our two music programs coming up. A sacred concert Sunday night the 16th at the Ferrysburg Community Church, featuring two outstanding groups, HIS MEN and JUBAL BRASS. And next month, on the 9th, we have a fun evening of the best piano jazz in the midwest in the Harbourfront Grand Hall in downtown Grand Haven.

If you live farther away, but would like to be a part of this ministry, we welcome your donations. We are a 501c3 organization and your gifts are tax exempt.

And if you're flat broke, like HFP, you can still support us. Prayers are such an important part of this week. We need them daily. We covet them.

Thank you for being there for us. We're here for prisoners.

The greatest gift

2011-10-11T15:09:00.002-04:00

As you drive north on scenic highway US 31 in Michigan's lower peninsula, you pass through a little town called Conway. There's not much in Conway except a Post Office. Not much, however, except a monastery that sets back off the highway. You'll miss it if you don't make a point of looking. For years I drove past it, wondering that was and what happened in there.

And then one day, in my second career, that of selling church organs, I learned that the nuns in this beautiful little facility needed a new organ for their chapel. The old one was emitting sparks and smoke. Doug to the rescue.

We sold them a beautiful little ALLEN organ (the best name in the business), and my dad joined me in driving it up there and hauling it into the chapel. What a time we had, as each of the sisters had a different idea as to where the organ should be placed. My dear friend Sister Rosemary finally uttered in exasperation, "Lord, help us all!"

Through all of this I learned more about the Augustine Center and the Sacramentine Monastery. I learned that the sisters in this little order of nuns were committed to a lifetime of prayer. That's all these beautiful little ladies do. They pray. They don't get out of that facility for any more than a few days a year. Their daily routine rarely changes. They believe that they've been called to pray, and they very much appreciate things to pray for. As our friendship deepened, I encouraged the male chorus that I directed at the time---HIS MEN---to rent the monastery for a weekend retreat. It was marvelous. We then sang for their Sunday morning mass as a token of thanks. The nuns were keenly interested in my third career, which took me into prisoner advocacy. How they prayed for Maurice Carter. And after he died, they continued to pray for HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS.

What a ministry!

How much we can learn from those who have devoted a life to the practice of prayer!

And as I received a check from these poor/wealthy ladies today in the amount of $10.00 for HFP, which comes from their skimpy funds, I again felt so much gratitude. For the financial gift, yes.

But especially for the greater gift: the gift of prayer. And it never stops.

on employing prisoners

2011-10-06T13:50:00.002-04:00

I would like to tell you about a genuine hero.

She certainly would not let us use her name, nor would she let us disclose the identity of her former employer.

We can tell you that she was employed in a supervisory position at a reputable company here in the western half of Michigan. Among the entry-level employees for whom she was responsible was a guy who voluntarily disclosed to her that he had served time in prison. She thanked him for the information but said it made no difference to her. He was a good employee, and did his job well without complaint. She stated her position, that he had served his time, and the past was the past. He thanked her, but said he just wanted her to know because all supervisors don't feel that way.

Well, sure enough, someone complained to the company that one of its employees was a former prisoner. And, the mid-level manager ordered the man's supervisor to fire him. She refused. Instead, she went to the top, explained the situation, said that the man had done nothing wrong and didn't deserve to be let go. Sadly, she didn't get support, even from the big boss. She was ordered to dismiss her employee. Again she refused, and instead resigned.

The man was still fired.

Two postscripts.

Number one, the top level manager who ordered the firing claimed to be a part-time fundamentalist pastor, but informed the supervisor that he, too, had to do some things that were against his principles. I guess his job was more important to him than principle.

And number two, as if to demonstrate that God approved of her decision to get out, our friend later was extremely successful in her next position of employment, in an occupation that took her to numerous foreign countries.

It's a sad state of affairs, but I must tell you that it is very difficult for former prisoners to find work, and once they find it, to keep their jobs here in Michigan. And it won't change unless we become as courageous as the hero of our story.

Two kinds of Christianity?

2011-10-05T11:35:00.002-04:00

I was meeting with board members of a fine, socially aware downtown church in a nearby town, hoping to persuade them to give HFP some free office space. But then I noticed one board member with an angry look on his face. It didn't take long for him to speak up, and express strong opposition to giving HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS anything. He didn't want his church affiliated with some do-gooder group that wanted to free vicious criminals and might put the church in a controversial position. No way.

Another retired reporter and I were talking about the anger in people these days. Even, and perhaps especially, among those claiming to be Christians. We think it's getting worse. What do you think?

We recalled the recent scene where gay military personnel who have been serving their country were booed. Where a presidential candidate who boasted about his death penalty position received applause. Where poor people in need of welfare were angrily advised to get a job, get a life. And much of this behavior is found in a group of people calling themselves Christians. Frankly, I'm not terribly surprised because, as an advocate for prisoners, I'm pretty used to it. Doesn't make any difference whether you go to church or not. If you never knew anyone in prison, and if your friends and family never had anyone in prison, chances are you don't like to hear about it. Because then you have to think about it. And Jesus said you darn well better do something about it.

Speaking of Jesus, maybe it's time to forget the rhetoric of people, and listen to the words of our master. We might start by once again reviewing the words to the Sermon on the Mount.

Is prison the best answer?

2011-09-28T14:43:00.002-04:00

Do you ever take the time to review prison sentences when they are listed in the newspaper? Some people do, just to see if they recognize any names. I do, just to see who goes to prison, for how long, and for what reason. I am astounded by the number of people in our Michigan prison system for crimes that are non-violent. There were a dozen state prison sentences in the local newspaper today, sentences starting at 3 and a half months, and extending up to a maximum of 40 years.

And the crimes? Drugs, drugs, drugs, probation violation, failure to pay child support, home invasion, fleeing police officers, larceny, bad checks, retail fraud. All bad stuff, especially when the crimes have been repeated time and again, as indicated by the notation of habitual offender.

Is this the best way to punish violators of crimes that do not even involve theft, such as probation violation, drugs and child support? As a society, can't we do better to prevent these people from reoffending and to help them get out of the situations that lead to these offenses?
By legalizing marijuana, how much prison space would we free up and how many underworld criminal drug operations would we put out of business?

I'm not giving answers, I'm asking questions. Rather than continue to lock people up where there is no hope of rehabilitation, or education, or life-improvement, I have to believe there are better ways. The cost of incarceration, alone, should prompt an immediate study of alternatives.

It's just part of the punishment

2011-09-25T16:40:00.002-04:00

I know that this is a broad generalization. I know my contention cannot be proved. I believe that prison systems---not just ours in Michigan, but prison systems in general---make things difficult for prisoners just to heighten the punishment of prisoners. The stories of prison visitors encountering problems are non-ending. One would think that if the prison system is making it difficult for certain people to visit certain visitors, these people must be trouble-makers, perhaps hoping to smuggle in contraband, perhaps looking at ways to violate rules. But the stories don't come from people like that. They come from elderly parents, from handcapped people, from children of prisoners, from people for whom a trip to the prisons is already difficult.

Just in the past couple of days in the HFP office we had a report from an irritated clergyman who has visited the same prisoner in the same facility time after time, never once having to produce his clergy card. But the last time he went, you guessed it---he had to produce his clergy card, and he couldn't find it. No visit.

The husband of a wife experiencing mental issues was refused permission to see his wife. The warden's office claimed there was a personal protection order issued against the husband because of past abuse. All paper work was produced proving that the PPO story was just a rumor, and there was no such thing. It changed nothing. No visit.

The wife of a prisoner who just learned that his cancer has returned has requested permission to be with him at the time of his surgery. Even though he will be in shackles while strapped to the gurney, her presence was deemed a threat. No visit.

The motto of the Michigan Department of Corrections is EXPECTING EXCELLENCE EVERY DAY.

One of our prison friends finishes the sentence: BUT NEVER FINDING IT.

On the execution of Troy Davis

2011-09-23T12:13:00.001-04:00

The execution of Troy Davis this week underscores the need for this civilized nation to abolish the death penalty. And even if you believe that scripture doesn't forbid the death penalty, I cannot find a single good reason to keep it. The simple fact is that only God knows whether a prisoner is guilty. And because the system is so flawed, we shouldn't be taking chances.

I happen to agree with Sydney Harris who says, "To execute a criminal is to simply accept his point of view."

I am particularly saddened when Christians, even in my own denomination, attempt to justify the death penalty and strongly support it. I am especially offended by those pro-lifers who cling to the sanctity of life position for those human beings at the start of life, but then apparently abandon that position for human beings at the end of life. Either all life is sacred, it seems to me, or none is.

A retired federal prison chaplain this week told me that according to the statistics he has on record, in the last 10-15 years the violent crime rate has gone down by more than 50% in our country, but the incarceration rate has not changed at all. In fact, it has gone up.

The President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, Lisa Wayne, issued a statement after the execution: "Politics killed Troy Davis just as surely as the lethal poison injected in his veins. Troy Davis went to the death chamber not for something he did, but for what he represents---a failed system driven more by emotion than facts. His death makes it clear to me that the only way to prevent the execution of an innocent person in Georgia, or anywhere, is to abolish the death penalty everywhere."

In closing, I would like to ask you to read the thoughts I wrote after viewing an execution of a wrongly convicted prisoner in Texas. I am troubled when I hear people say that they would be the first in line to pull the switch, or inject the poison. I offer these words in response.

(date of execution: March 20, 2007)

I saw someone die.

That’s not an unusual claim. Many have been at the bedside of loved ones who have died. Many have witnessed tragedies.

This is different, so let me revise my statement. I saw a friend in good health deliberately put to death by lethal injection.

The friend was Charles Anthony Nealy of Dallas, Texas, who would have been 43 years of age three days after the execution.

He was found guilty of murder by a Texas jury in 1998 in, what the Dallas Morning News, called the “fastest death penalty trial in the history of Texas.” Nealy swore he was in Oklahoma at the time of the armed robbery/shooting, but the state claimed that a grainy picture from a surveillance camera proved that he was the perpetrator. Never mind that the perp wore a gold chain (Nealy is allergic to gold and never wore jewelry) or that he was wearing a cap (Nealy’s hair was styled in corn rows, so he rejected headwear). Never mind that a prosecutor who had been suspended twice before for his pre-trial misbehavior threatened Nealy’s nephew with the death penalty if he refused to sign a statement identifying Anthony in the picture.

Our small organization makes no attempt to screen the innocent from the guilty. We leave that up to some 40 Innocence Projects, mostly anchored in university law schools around the country, which have incredibly accurate procedures. The fine Texas Innocence Network in Houston, led by Professor David Dow, provided the last-minute legal work for my friend Anthony. But it was too little, too late.

Our office was alerted to his plight in 2002 by a support group in England. While in Texas for an Innocence Conference in 2003, I made a side trip to visit this Charles Anthony Nealy on death row in Livingston. We became instant friends, and remained in contact over the years.

The jarring news that an execution date had been set arrived last September, and immediately following that came the request from Anthony that would change my life: “I am wondering if you would be willing to be my spiritual advisor?” The spiritual advisor of a condemned inmate visits him during his final two days, spends a 30-minute period alone with the prisoner in the “death house,” and then witnesses the execution.

Why me? Certainly there were other friends. “I know that you are a writer. Executions are so common they do not make the news in Texas. I want you to tell the story as you see it.”

I answered in the affirmative, as any friend would do, but a stay was granted before the November 16 execution date based on a claim of prosecutorial misconduct. From that point on, however, Nealy’s legal team struck out, and a new date for death was set: March 20, 2007.

I didn’t enjoy visiting the Polunsky Unit in Livingston, where death row is housed, in 2003. I enjoyed it even less in 2007: The dark cloud of death hovered overhead, and I could feel evil in the air.

Monday, March 19, and a most pleasant visit with Anthony at this hell-hole of a prison, where bloodhounds bray in a nearby barn, cowboy-looking guards circle the grounds in pickup trucks with shotguns, and women guards laugh and chatter as though the shadow of death was non-existent. We prayed together, and I relinquished the rest of the visiting hours for the day to family members, because only two people may visit an inmate at one time. All visits are non-contact, right to the very end…glass in-between, conversation by inefficient telephones.

Monday evening Marcia and I made the 60-mile drive from Houston back to Livingston so that I could make a brief appearance on KDOL, a low-power FM radio station that precisely aims all programming at the nearly 400 inmates on death row. On the evening prior to an execution, a two-hour SHOUT OUT program is scheduled from 7 to 9 specifically for the next unfortunate victim of the Texas death penalty. It was Anthony’s show, and dozens of email message were read to him from all around the world, inspirational music was dedicated to him, and I delivered a personal message to him and his comrades.

Lawyers were frantically working at the federal court level, but still no stay.

Tuesday morning, and an even shorter visit at Polunsky. Visiting hours ended at noon to allow time for the prisoner to be transported to the Walls Unit in Huntsville, some 45 miles away, where all the executions take place. Anthony was still in his upbeat mood, laughing and talking. It was time for me to depart, giving Anthony and his family members some final quality moments together. His sister Debra and I placed our hands on the glass, Anthony matched ours with his hand, and I offered a brief prayer. Tears were streaming down my cheeks as I walked to my car. Where was the stay? Why wasn’t this nightmare ending?

The last prison trip was to Huntsville, home of the infamous Walls Unit. On Tuesday afternoon I dropped off Marcia at the Hospitality House, a religious mission facility for families and friends of those to be executed. I was ushered to the death house for my final 30-minute private discussion with Anthony. Again, he talked and laughed, expressed optimism that he would receive a stay, but thoughtfully informed me that he had stayed up late to write three fund-raising letters for INNOCENT! If the execution took place as scheduled, Debra would receive his property and turn over the envelopes to me. The half hour expired in a heart-beat, and it was time for my final prayer, offered this time in the name of him who was wrongly convicted, handed the death sentence, and executed so that Anthony could have life eternal. Guards saw me to the door.

There’s no way to describe the atmosphere, the feeling in the air, the apparent indifference you encounter in this seemingly heartless environment. State Prison chaplains relate stories and jokes while family members suffer the dread of what is to come. Bored prison guards routinely search, frisk and use a magnetic wand on those planning to view the execution. A burly guard armed with a shotgun watches from a nearby roof. The inane chatter of a female reporter continues as she flirts with a guard. There is silence among the rest of us, appalled by the business-as-usual attitude.

When led into the viewing room during this Lenten season, my friend Anthony can be seen with arms stretched out not unlike the crucifixion. He’s on his back on a gurney, with tubes feeding into his arms. He can see us, and thanks to a microphone dangling over his mouth, we can hear him. He welcomes each of us by name. There are only four of us: Debra and her husband James, another friend, and the spiritual advisor. Others in the room represent the media and the prison system.

A state chaplain holds Anthony’s foot as a sign of human contact, we were told. An unemotional warden stands at the head of the gurney, looking straight ahead…refusing to lower his eyes to the prisoner. “Do you have a final statement, Mr. Nealy?”

He did, four minutes in length, thanking everyone, taking a lick at the prosecutor one more time, but expressing everything with an elegance and dignity that demonstrated to the state in no uncertain terms that he was not going down in defeat. “I’m sorry that you all had to go through this. Put it behind you now. I’m going to a better place.”

7 PM, and as he specifically directed his remarks to me, he said, “I love you.”

At the conclusion of the statement the warden gave the sign, and the first of three chemicals entered his body. “That tastes nasty!” The final words of Anthony Charles Nealy.

Chemical one puts the prisoner to sleep. Chemical two stops his breathing. Chemical three stops his heart. There was no thrashing, no gurgling…he could be taking a nap.

The silence in our room was deafening. Debra was quietly weeping in the arms of her husband. Why didn’t I say something? Where were the perfect words from scripture: “Death, where is your victory; death, where is your sting?” I was mute.

At 7:19, the warden gave a signal. A man dressed as a physician with white coat and stethoscope around his neck quickly checked for vital signs.

“7:20,” said the doctor.

“7:20,” said the warden.

A loud snap indicated that our room had been unlocked. We were led through the outer door. We were free to leave. As we walked into the fresh air an ungodly steam whistle shrieked a double blast. Every resident of Huntsville knew the signal: The execution was complete; the lockdown in the prison was over.

Life went on. For some.

I saw someone die.

Wish you could take it back?

2011-09-21T15:58:00.002-04:00

How often do you wish you could take back just one misdeed? Just one statement? It happens to all of us.

I could really identify with Evan this week. He's a guy in prison for life for a horrible crime. Here's what he wrote me.

I cried as I told my parents how ashamed I am of going to prison for a senseless crime I am quite guilty of committing. I destroyed so many beautiful people's lives, hurt so many people, and even after 34 years the pain, hurt or suffering has not subdued. Even at this late date the consequences have continued to affect so many. When I lay awake at night reflecting on my life, there is so much pain. I can recall the night I committed this senseless, horrendous crime...when I was leaving to go out my daughter kept sobbing as I tried to leave. The sad expression on my child's face has never left me, nor the face of the innocent victims.

What I have done so many years ago haunts me endlessly. So many letters of apology, so many prayers seeking forgiveness, yet this cloud of despair lingers. Those I love suffer. I cannot imagine what the victims have gone through, or may still suffer.

Now all I can do is keep working at and trying to be a much better person, contribute and make atonement to society for the wrongs I caused. Since accepting God in my life, these changes have taken place of their own accord.

Thank you for reaching out to assist me. Also for allowing me to share with you who I was, what I was, and who I now have become. I trust the Lord to do wonderful things in my life.

How I wish we could put Evan in a room with troubled teenagers today, and tell them to just listen to what this man says. How I would we could print his words and put them in the hands of every troubled youngster who is standing at a fork in the road, and considering the wrong route.

It's good for Evan to know that God is the only one who holds an eraser in his hand.

But as he points out, how much happier he would be if he had never written that chapter.

A lesson for all of us.

On when not to speak

2011-09-16T14:41:00.002-04:00

The author of Ecclesiastes insisted, in chapter 3, that there is a time for everything, including: "a time to be silent and a time to speak..." (vs 7). That was certainly true for a defendant in Texas.

I was contacted this week to see if HFP would be willing to help a Texas inmate who has already served 20 years on a charge of cattle rustling.

His cousin told me that the judge told the defendant that he had to be quiet during the trial. But, said my contact, he insisted on trying to explain that a veteran cattle rustler had masterminded this crime and he just played a minor role. The judge evidently didn't like his interruptions and stated that every time he spoke up she was going to give him another life sentence. Before the guy stopped talking she had given him 7 life sentences! And they stood.

Governor Perry speaks very highly of his Texas judicial system, and one can certainly empathize with a judge who has a short temper when it comes to court interruptions, but 7 life sentences. Does that seem like a bit much?

And lest we start pointing fingers at Texas, I can tell you that stories about judges in other states also funnel into the HFP office, including confirmed reports of a judge who used to keep dirty magazines on his lap WHILE WORKING ON THE BENCH. And this was in Michigan. I won't say where, except to give you this hint: It was in a county where you just might expect that sort of thing.

Robert Green Ingersoll said, "...by being made judges,...their intelligence is not increased."

Three preachers, three churches

2011-09-13T14:57:00.004-04:00

Mark is amazing. A 48-year-old professional engineer from New York, he has experienced first-hand the ruthless injustice of Michigan's notorious Berrien County. But this hasn't stopped him. He could be sitting in prison doing nothing but moping, facing the possibility that if all legal challenges go south, he could perhaps spend the rest of his years behind bars. He's never been in prison before.

Nope, this guy's glass is half-full...perhaps even more than that. That negative stuff doesn't enter his mind.

He struggled with some of his religious beliefs before going into prison, but not any longer. In fact, he has enrolled in a reputable prison seminary program. He's going to be a trained, educated servant of and for God one way or another.

He has a fist-full of degrees, but this prison business has changed his career thoughts, also. He's asking our board of directors if we would consider taking him aboard as an understudy with the possibility that eventually he'll take over my position as CEO. We'll be giving that serious thought. I am, after all, getting into the golden years.

When HFP first learned about Mark's situation, we instantly befriended him. For one thing, with my background in the Maurice Carter case, we're well aware of what can happen in Berrien County. But there was another matter, here. Mark is from New York State, and that's where his friends and family are. This means no visitation. No communication.

As things turned out, two other guys representing HFP started visiting him, and both are preachers: Al and Nate. Actually, I'm ordained also, so that made three members of the clergy all visting Mark. One might think God was ganging up on him. But he didn't take it that way, and we didn't approach it that way. It was just a simple situation of very good friends enjoying the company of each other.

Over the weekend Mark called me from prison to suggest that I stop there and pick up a gift from him at the front desk. Three gifts, actually. One for Al, one for Nate, one for me.

You should see the gifts! Beautiful, dainty, hand-made little country churches with steeple on top, sign board in front, little trees and shrubs. Each church much the same as the other two, but each individually made with its own unique characteristics. I know not how he could have found the time and especially the materials to put these together. Didn't know he had gifts like this.

Well, there are no words to describe the gifts. But there are no words to describe the friendship, either. As my friend would say, it's a "God thing."

Dunno where all this business is gonna go with Mark, but gotta admit that it's fun.

SOLI DEO GLORIA.

The magic of music

2011-09-11T08:08:00.003-04:00

We're all old enough to realize that magic doesn't exist. And with our age has come the inevitable element of cynicism creeping into our thoughts, words and deeds. But I hope that we're also young enough to recognize that there are, indeed, magical moments. A small rag-tag group of musicians had that experience yesterday.

I am honored to have musicians John Mulder, Cal Olson, Lee Ingersoll and Dave Mulder surround me as I plunk away at the piano. And I must confess, some of the moments are magical.

We met yesterday in a church setting to record the instrumental track for what will be a classy CD of gospel favorites, done in a homespun, folksy way. John's guitar work is absolutely masterful. There's no other way to describe it. Then we blend in the bass work of Cal Olson, who, like the rest of us, never places a note of music on the stand in front of him. It just comes from the soul. Cal adds the haunting sounds of breathy whistles to the mix. As with all music, percussion is the spine, the back-bone, and that is provided by our son-in-law Lee Ingersoll, a true metronome. And finally, as every cake must have frosting, we have Dave Mulder, who pours his emotions into the lush notes of the cornet and flugelhorn. Is it any wonder that I enjoy playing the piano with this gang? I just go about filling in the cracks in the only way that I know how.

Well, that was the instrumental track. Now comes the vocal track. John serves as lead soloist, but often he will be joined by tenor Cal Olson and baritone Lee Intersoll with some of the sweetest three-part harmony you'll hear. More magic moments.

Cal's capable wife Vicki served as our recording engineer for phase one.

We're hoping all of this will be ready in time for Christmas. All of the musicians are donating time and energy and yes, even dollars, to make this happen as a fund-raising project for HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS.

The magic isn't over.

Those welcome phone calls

2011-09-08T16:35:00.002-04:00

Some telephone calls just make your day. Like the ones from your kids who live far away. Or from a distant relative who has been special in your life. Or from a long lost friend. Or, in our case, from a special prisoner.

I used to think it was important---well, I still do, for that matter---to have a few good news items up my sleeve for that time when a prisoner calls. Because so much of a prisoner's life is negative, it's important to pass along some positive vibes. But the more I'm in this business, the more I've learned that it's equally important for my peace of mind to hear positive things from prisoners.

It was that way today when Big Ben called. The minute I hear his name from the automated prison system, I get a smile on my face. He's one of those friends you just love to hear from.

And he has good news.

"Hey man, it's not much, but the guys got together and held a little fund-raiser for you. The check is in the mail."

I've talked about this before. Gifts from prisoners are so meaningful. These guys may be making $10-12 a month, and yet they scrape up dollars to give to HFP.

"The guys are going to be putting on a music show. It's kind of a talent show, with playing and singing. Maybe some of us will be reading poetry, too. Anyway, your name is going to be on the invitation list. We want you to be a special guest. We know that your wife is in a wheelchair, so we're going to try to make provisions so that she can be here, also."

Two neat pieces of information that make my day.

In closing, I make sure to tell him how much I appreciate his phone calls, and how much this short quarter-hour conversation means to me.

"Well you know, man, we gotta be there for each other in difficult times. That's why the Lord put us together."

Yes, it is, Big Ben.

Yes, it is.

One day at a time

2011-09-08T14:29:00.002-04:00

Sharon, our church secretary, commented yesterday on my walking ability. I had stepped sprightly up the church sidewalk. She talked about the contrast with my manner of walking just a few months ago, when I struggled to get out of the car, took a moment to get my bearings, and then slowly ambled up to the church door. Of course it's all relative. I hadn't resumed going to church until last Thanksgiving. A vicious multiple attack by a staph infection had nearly claimed my life more than once, kept me from church from Easter to Thanksgiving, and had me on a feeding tube for my only nourishment for six months straight.

And I agreed with her. It's just exhilarating for me to walk in the sunshine today, a glorious, sunny Michigan day with temps in the 70s.

But I must say that after a narrow brush with the grim reaper your mind works differently.

For example, a flu bug got the best of me a few weeks ago. I didn't panic, but I'd be a liar to say I didn't worry. How I dread the thought of having that infection return.

But, the flip side is that I give thanks to God for every great day like this...for every day that I feel so good. I'm not fully recovered from that ordeal and maybe that'll never happen. But I am indeed grateful for the gift of health every day. It's a shame that it took a scary experience to make me that way.

I encourage you to be thankful for every good day. It can all change in a heartbeat.

We'll celebrate together.

Michigan's Scarlet Letter

2011-09-03T14:12:00.002-04:00

One of the first prisoners ever to receive assistance from HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS, back in the days when the agency was still known as INNOCENT!, shamefully wears Michigan's Scarlet Letter. His name is on the sex offender registry.

Mr. J. sent me a curt message from his computer this week.

Yesterday, someone called my employer yet again...fourth time I lost a job in the last year because someone keeps calling my employers to tell them I am on the sex offender registry. Apparently the Scarlet Letter is alive and well.

Some steps have been taken to improve Michigan's poorly structured and poorly managed sex offender list. There are arguments for and against a state registry, but we have yet to see the perfect program.

There is no proof for this, but it seems like one could make a case that the state does everything it can to make it difficult for former prisoners to get a life in the real world upon their release. In fact, it seems to us that the state relishes the idea of getting prisoners to trip up. In a state where prison population is too high, and where budget is such a huge problem, you'd think that the state would do everything in its power to, one, adequately prepare prisoners who eventually will be released to make the re-entry successful; two, take all steps possible to make the re-entry smooth and barrier free; and three, prepare society in advance so that we know how to best help those freed prisoners in their difficult adjustment to a new life.

Continued steps to modify and improve Michigan's Scarlet Letter would be huge.

God bless those who are trying. There are too few of them, and their efforts are shamefully inadequate.

Well said, James

2011-09-02T07:06:00.003-04:00

I often talk about my friend James, the prisoner who has listened to his conscience and who lives in fear every day because of that.

He has testified in case after case where he saw wrongdoing.

His devastating testimony has toppled people in high positions, as well as lowly crooks. If they did wrong, and James was a witness to their wrong-doing, he dared to take a stand for what is right. Because of his damaging testimony, James' very life is in danger. Constantly.

This week prison officials decided his message was good enough to be repeated. And so the prison psychologist set up him to speak to a group of 26 teenagers in the youth unit at the Thumb Correctional Facility. I often worry about these kids, because many if not most of them have not been in prison before, and that's the perfect place to learn the wrong lesson.

So James spilled his guts to these guys.

"It's OK to blow the whistle when you see injustice," said James. "If you believe in your heart that it's the right thing to do, do it!"

James spoke for an hour and 21 minutes, and he said, "Those cats listened!"

Said the prison psychologist, "Well said, James."

We say the same.

Well said, James.

Absence does NOT make the heart grow fonder

2011-08-30T15:40:00.002-04:00

Some people I know in the prisoner advocacy business are trying to come up with hard data on just how important family visits are to prisoners. It is their belief that frequent visits by loved ones not only contribute to mental and physical well-being, but actually enhance the rehabilitation process. They're hoping to find data to prove all of this.

One of the reasons these people want this information is to strengthen their position when arguing with the state about where prisoners should be located. We can't prove this, but it seems that transfer is one form of punishment for prisoners who get in trouble. If they do something wrong, they get sent to some distant facility where it's very difficult for the prisoners' next of kin and closest friends to visit them. So the guy sits in a God-forsaken place alone, and lonely.

One of the sad spin-offs of this alleged punishment is that it often is a direct punishment to the parents or the fiancee' or the dear friend or sibling. We knew of a prisoner in one of the facilities in Ionia who did something to displease the state, and in a heartbeat he was transferred to the U.P. But the inmate's parents lived in Grand Rapids, so they really caught the brunt of this punishment. Ionia was a skip and a jump away. Now it takes them 4-5 hours just to get to the bridge.

I received a letter this week from a very nice inmate with a very clean record, liked by prisoners and staff alike, who is also living in one of the facilities in Ionia. But his parents, in their 80s and in bad health, live in Lapeer. In case you weren't aware of it, Michigan has a prison facility right in Lapeer. Joe's parents, although elderly and in bad health, insist on visiting him regularly. Think how much easier it would be for them to visit him if he resided in the Thumb Correctional Facility, right in Lapeer. And think how much more comfortable it would make him knowing that his elderly and ailing parents wouldn't have to take so much time and travel so far just to see him. Seems like a no brainer.

Maybe with a new administration in the state we'll see positive changes on common sense issues like this.

I wouldn't bet on it.

No such thing as a coincidence

2011-08-29T14:40:00.002-04:00

Do you believe the headline?

The older I get, the more I'm convinced that nothing that that happens is just an accident.

I have a beautiful example.

I'm getting more and more like Archie Bunker each day, in that I dislike answering the telephone. Each time it rings I grumble just like Archie used to. And this was the case one evening last month.

But this time, when I answered, a mostly friendly voice on the other end of the line said, "I can't believe that someone is actually answering the telephone this time." He went on to say how difficult it has been to find someone at home on our end of the line. Finally I interrupted him and asked him just who he thought he was talking to. When he responded I had to regretfully inform him that I wasn't the guy. He had a wrong number.

He was so friendly, however, that I kept the conversation going by saying that I ran a charitable organization and I wondered if he would like to make a contribution. Again, a friendly response instead of a hang-up. He wanted to know what I did, and so I told him.

And it turns out that he has a family member with prison issues. And it turns out that he is very interested in what we do.

So I told him that, as a gift, I would send him a copy of my book SWEET FREEDOM. It went out the next day.

I got a note the other day, thanking me for the book, which he had read shortly after its arrival.

Along with the note came a check to HFP for $50.00.

The note was signed, "Your new friend in Tampa."

Coincidence, indeed.

A cruel hoax

2011-08-23T15:16:00.002-04:00

The Michigan Department of Corrections has been playing a cruel trick on prisoners for years. It must be increasing lately, because the complaints are increasing...both from prisoners and from families and friends of prisoners.

The game goes like this. The state says a prisoner must participate in a particular program before he/she can be released. Sounds reasonable enough, if you can find the program. The prisoner agrees and tries to sign up for the classes, only to discover that that particular program is not available in his or her facility. Or, the prison finds out that there is a three-year waiting list, probably because there are not enough instructors. The prisoner complains to staff and writes to legislators, even sends messages to the Ombudsman's Office and the Parole Board. Not only does the prisoner not get satisfaction...he/she doesn't even get the courtesy of a reply.

And it doesn't stop there. When appearing before the Parole Board, the prisoner will be reprimanded for not taking said course. And it still doesn't stop. The PB then gives the prisoner demerits in ratings with the board for that time when a parole will be reconsidered.

One prisoner said in a letter to a newspaper editor: I've been told I need a class. I've been on a list for more than 10 months. Yet, I cannot even enroll in it, let alone complete it, because it doesn't exist. It's insane. I received a 12-month continuance for a class I've had zero chance to complete. I'm serving time for operating under the influence of liquor---a five year maximum.

Maddening.

Where are those people elected to office who make such big campaign promises?

And they wonder why the prison population can't be reduced? Gimme a break.

Holding a tin cup

2011-08-23T14:57:00.002-04:00

I'm begging today. Again.

It's a way of life here at HFP, because we always have needs. This one comes as regularly as the seasons. We need more copies of the book SWEET FREEDOM.

If you haven't read it, please pick up a copy. You'll then understand why it's so popular in prison. Prisoners love to read my stories about visits with my friend Maurice Carter when he was alive and in prison. They laugh when I talk about the vending machine food in the visiting room. The smell of the food made me sick. Yet Maurice loved the taste of it, because it was so much better than the prison meals. The book gets passed from one prisoner to another until the pages are frayed, and that makes me feel so good.

You've gotta remember that many of these people do not have much to read if anything at all, but they do have time. And if radio and TV are limited, and there isn't a lot of printed stuff to read, a book is precious, especially a book about the things they understand. And that's why we give away so many copies to prisoners, not only in Michigan, but all around the world.

It costs less than $300 to buy a carton of 52 books. I'll order another box just as soon as we get confirmation of a gift.

Meanwhile, don't wait for us to stock up. Go to Amazon, and even if you're broke you can buy a book from the used book division. You should be able to pick one up for a buck.

Get back to me after you read it. I would like to hear from you.

And if you're interested in funding this little project, let us hear from you right away.

Thank you.

The mentally ill cannot win in prison

2011-08-20T08:25:00.003-04:00

I had an opportunity to chat with Lois the other day. She has a teenaged son in prison who is mentally challenged and who, I fear, is in there for a long time. He shouldn't be in there at all.

She shared pictures with me that were heartbreaking. Her son was chained to the concrete floor, but the guards were kind about it...they placed a blanket in between him and the cement. The reason for the shackles was simple in the minds of the guards: He had been trying to injure himself, and for a while he was successful. So, to prevent him from hurting himself, chain him up, including legs and feet. No one suggested that he was trying to kick himself, but I guess if you're gonna do it, you'd better do it all the way.

Here's the problem, and it is a brutal, vicious cycle. This teenager and many mentally ill prisoners like him are not treated well by guards and fellow prisoners because their behavior is less than stellar. And so, their behavior get's worse. Then the guards take stronger action, and write tickets. The more they do this, the worse the behavior of the prisoner gets. And it goes on and on. And the worse this situation gets, the less likely the chances that a prisoner will be released early, or released at all.

In many cases, I think it's very fair to say that these people should not be in prison in the first place. Granted, there are some vicious and brutal crimes, and these must be considered in a separate discussion. But the prisoners I'm talking about are in for such things as home invasion or playing doctor with their little kid friends. No major violence, and no major sex crimes. And yet judges who aren't thinking clearly decide that the way to make society better for all of us is to lock up these mental cases. Where is the sense in all of this? Then the jailers go one step farther: They put these sick people in the hole. The nice term is protective segregation. In some cases the mentally ill prisoners are locked in seclusion in the dark! If a sane person was placed alone in a dark room for 22 hours a day with nothing to do, no radio or televion, no one to talk to and nothing to read, my guess is that person would come out mentally ill. Is this a way to treat our fellow human beings? I think it is absolutely shameful.

Lois would like to get her son out of there and into some kind of a private facility where his treatment would be guaranteed, where the medicine would always be correct and on time. She doesn't want her son injuring himself, but she's not convinced that the only way to stop that is to shackle his whole body with chains to the concrete.

Not until someone in authority with a conscience steps in will we see any improvement, or even any change.

Only you and I can make that happen, and that's by contacting elected officials. The one thing these people understand is getting re-elected.

Let's get started.

Little things mean a lot

2011-08-15T17:31:00.002-04:00

Our blog title is a song that dates back to the Hit Parade of the 1950s. I was reminded of that important premise when I opened the prisoner mail over the weekend. One letter came from a woman whom I have known for several years. I love her, believe her story and will do what I can to help her win release from prison. She doesn't belong there. I apologize to her once in a while, because I'm not making much progress with my help.

"I am often puzzled when you write, 'I haven't done much for you lately.' I cannot express the feelings of not having anyone to believe in you and support you. You renewed faith and humanity for the community that I had lost long ago. I simply thought that no one cares. What comes to mind that you have done for me opened me to hope. Ps. 146: I have joy in me that was oppressed by my situation. Thank you."

Please join us in showing kindness to prisoners. You have no idea how much little things mean. A lot!

Why writing letters is so important

2011-08-07T18:26:00.004-04:00

My friend Cindy heard the HFP pitch for Project Window, our pen pal program involving prisoners, and hesitantly agreed to give it a try. We provided the name of a female inmate who had indicated an interest in receiving a letter. Cindy was disappointed that, after she finally made up her mind to take this big step, she didn't receive a reply.

She stopped me in church this morning. "My lady finally wrote back to me," she said. She was so pleased, and said that she received a very nice letter.

Why had it taken to long?

The inmate confessed to Cindy that she was nervous about writing. While it took an amount of courage on Cindy's part to write a letter to a prisoner, turns out it also took an amount of courage on the prisoner's part to respond.

In her letter to Cindy the woman explained that she has no contact with the outside world any more.

We see that often. Many prisoners agree that after about ten years, contacts with family members and friends start to die off. For many prisoners, it drops off to nothing. No contacts. No word from family or friends. Can you imagine it? Think about your activities today. The people you talk to. Your communication in person, on the phone, on the computer...all of your conversation with people you know. What if it were to stop? Completely!

That's exactly why our Project Window is so very important. Cindy didn't realize it when she finally decided to take the plunge...she may be the only contact for this prisoner in the outside world. She may be the only friend of that inmate. What a privilege. What a responsibility.

God bless Cindy for daring to take this step.

God bless all who agree to befriend a prisoner, even if the effort isn't returned.

Jesus was pretty firm in his words. He wants us to do it.

We'll help to get you started.

On heroes and heroism

2011-08-06T18:12:00.002-04:00

We loosely throw around the word "hero." Genuine heroes, however, are few and far between.

I have a friend who is a real hero, genuine in every sense of the word.

This man has saved one of our telephone companies an estimated $5-million or more by breaking up a credit card fraud that resulted in several arrests.

He broke up an auto theft ring that resulted in huge savings for one of our major car insurers.

He worked with the FBI and played a central role in exposing a prison escape plot.

He heard a prisoner boasting about how he killed a woman, could not live with his conscience, and brought the criminal to justice. A Michigan prosecutor and a municipal police detective were elated with his testimony and they obtained a conviction that resulted in a life sentence.

He was instrumental in breaking up criminal activity at the staff level in one of our prisons.

The list goes on, if you can believe it. If successful in winning just one of these cases, I would say the man was worthy of being called a hero. But this guy has done a bunch of them.

Now here's the kicker.

Is the man holding some honored position, where he can be paid tribute by private business and government alike?

Nope.

You wanna know where he is? In prison. That's right. In prison. Our system, made up of all these wonderful people who benefited from his testimony, is sitting on its hands, taking its sweet time about repaying this hero who has been promised a chance at freedom.

Meanwhile, this man is constantly afraid, always watching behind his back because so many people want to get even with him.

If he's to be called a hero, what would you call all of those people who don't seem to get around to paving the way for his freedom?

I'm praying that this hero someday will get some of his reward here on earth.

We need a Prison Justice Day

2011-08-05T17:34:00.002-04:00

For 35 years now, prisoners in Canada have been observing a Prison Justice Day on August 10. I say that it's past time for a similar observance in the United States. I'd be in favor of holding it the first or second Sunday in August, rather than on a set date, and I'd love to have churches of all faiths involved.

The oservance began in the prisons. Prisoners set aside this day to fast and to refuse to work in a show of solidarity to remember prisoners who died unnecessarily---victims of murder, suicide and neglect.

And at the same time, organizations and individuals in the community were to hold demonstrations, vigils, worship services and other events in common resistance with prisoners.

I'm encouraging others to get this ball rolling, and let's throw the ball to churches...churches of all faiths...to observe this day on a Sunday. It's past time that we listened to what Jesus had to say about prisoners, and it's past time that the churches got on board. Get it started in your church. Let's make things happen.

Thinking would help

2011-08-03T13:42:00.003-04:00

I got a call this week from a guy who admits he broke the law. He's on the later side of middle-aged, and was growing some wacky tobacky in his back yard. I'm not sure why people think they can get away with this stuff, but that's another story. Anyway, he got arrested and convicted. But then he got sent to prison for a couple years. That, in itself, doesn't make a lot of sense. But now you gotta hear the rest.

The man had been injured several years earlier in a snowmobile accident, and is paralyzed from the waist down. This means that he cannot get around. It also means that he has problems with bowels and his urinary tract.

Now stop to think about it for a minute.

I know that this well-meaning judge wanted to get terrible criminals off the street. But guess how many problems it might cause not only for the new prisoner, but for the current occupants of the prison and for the prison staff, to suddenly admit this man. And when you get done thinking about that, stop to think about how much more this is going to cost the state than housing a healthy human being.

The results were completely predictable.

Prisoners couldn't stand having this guy around, with all of his personal hygiene issues, and they finally took things into their own hands and beat the guy to a pulp. That was their only solution to the problem. The man recites a litany of disasters that no one should have had to experience. His punishment turned out to be much worse than the actual crime.

There has to be a better way. This is sheer stupidity.

In a case like this, it's hard to believe that anyone was thinking.

Do you make up those stories?

2011-07-26T14:31:00.003-04:00

Marcia and I were enjoying a cup of coffee and a dish of ice cream with friends dating back to high school days, Timmy and Char. The question came from Tim, who knows the truth but has a hard time believing that all of this stuff goes on in the prisons day after day.

Actually, I couldn't tell him one that I'm dealing with right now, where prisoners have a contract out on a friend of ours who dared to tell the truth despite a threat of retaliation. Jimmy lives in constant fear, and his spirits are so low it's getting hard for me to prop him up. Last weekend some terrorists hit him in the face and mouth with human waste. Nothing is too low, too degrading. I couldn't tell this to Timmy because it would spoil his ice cream snack. One cannot imagine anything so horrible. Makes me gag to talk about it. It took him over an hour just to get rid of the smell and taste, gargling and using mouthwash. Nope, I'm sad to say, I don't make up these stories.

General Sherman is credited with being the first person to use the phrase "War is Hell," which he did in a graduation speech back in 1879.

I have paraphrased it just a mite, to say that PRISON IS HELL. Honest, it is. Relious experts have been debating Rob Bell's wonderful best seller, LOVE WINS, because he questions some of our old concepts of hell. I can tell you, here and now, that hell exists. Prison is hell.

That's why it's so important that we never flag in our mission. We may not falter or slow down. Every issue that comes to our desk is of utmost importance. Each prisoner who contacts us, no matter how unpleasant and no matter how ugly his/her crime, is a real human being created in the image of God. And he/she must be treated with care and respect, and his/her issue is, indeed, critical.

Thanks for being a partner with us.

I'm tired of this mess we're in

2011-07-25T13:32:00.003-04:00

I agree that she rambles, but maybe someone ought to listen to Jennifer, mother of a 17 year old kid in the Michigan prison system.

Who is our voice? This state cannot have it both ways. They can't keep whining about the budget and then disallow people who can help to do so. I visited my son in prison yesterday. He said "They're taking away the food tech program at some of the facilities, discontinuing the trades programs and stopping a lot more programs to help these guys when they get out. They are evening stopping the GED program!" What the hell is wrong here? I want to use my own money and labor to cook these guys a real dinner once with something that might resemble real meat. Hell, I'll go in and help these guys study for their GED and I know other people that will, too. It's not enough we lock 'em up like animals. Now, we can't even be sure there is any kind of incentive to improve their lives out in the world. Are we just going to sit back and do nothing? I have cabled my congressman's office. It's not so much what they say. They even listen in a very condescending way. Their attitudes are: they're just prisoners. Finding a way to bring in our own programs and food has to stop fitting under the guise of contraband. That's old and worn out. Aren't you sick of it? I want to give more money. I want to give more than money. Isn't there a way to find more people willing to be on committees to bring back good time? I know you've heard all of this before. I know it's frustrating. I read your book SWEET FREEDOM. It broke my heart. If keeping these guys in so long isn't wrong, than nothing is wrong.

Well-said by a frustrated mother of a prisoner.

What say ye?

This is SWEET FREEDOM DAY!

2011-07-24T08:39:00.002-04:00

July 24 is such a special day. It was on this day in the year 2004 that I walked out of the Duane Waters prison hospital in Jackson, Michigan, at the side of my dear friend Maurice Carter. He was a free man. I had met him 9 years earlier, and after some side-stepping and walking on tip-toes, we became best friends. Over the years I came to believe his claims of wrongful conviction, and did my best to mobilize forces to seek his freedom. Things didn't turn out the way we had hoped. He obtained his freedom because of illness, not innocence.

But, on this day in 2004, he stepped into the free world. The emotions of that day cannot be described. We sat him in a recliner in the front of a luxurious motor home as we drove away from the ugly prison setting to a beautiful neighorhood of friends waiting in a public reception. He chatted on a cell phone for the first time in his life, as he marveled at the beauty of nature on that glorius day.

We tried to pack a lifetime of experiences into the next 90 days. Exactly three months later his life came to an end, but not before he tasted SWEET FREEDOM. The legacy of Maurice Carter, on the other hand, will never die.

If you had not met him, if you didn't know him, you still must read about him. Let him touch your life, as he did mine. I encourage you to pick up a copy of the book SWEET FREEDOM.

May the memory of Maurice Carter stir us to new heights of compassion for those behind bars, and remind us that many people do not deserve to be there.

Here's why Peggy supports us

2011-07-20T14:21:00.002-04:00

I believe, as a society, we are acountable to our laws and to those we punish by those laws. I know that prisoners are the "lowest hanging fruit" and often become forgotten, neglected and sometimes abused by those whose role it is to guard them. It is easy to say, "Well, they deserve what they get for what they did." But as often as that might be true, it is too often more wrong than right. And without encouragement, hope and knowing that people on the outside do care, what motivation is there to otherwise change one's behavior? They have no rights and cannot protect themselves, so we MUST stay alert and attentive to what goes on behind the otherwise forgotten walls and fences. Thank God for people like you and HFP. Warmly, Peggy

What took so long?

2011-07-19T11:14:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you just hafta shake your head.

A happy message arrived in the HFP office this week:

GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE! I just received a phone call from Harry, in prison. He has received his orthotic arch supports. No more pain in his legs and feet, knees and lower back. Apparently the prison administration decided he can have them after all, and so now he does not have to file a civil lawsuit to get what he doctor had prescribed already long ago.

The amazing part of this little story is that it took months to get this good news. Grievances had to be filed, complaints had to be made, and because Harry is a Dutch citizen there was international communication and involvement. All over arch supports. All over something that was prescribed by a doctor long ago. All over something that was working in the past. All because someone obviously consumed with power to make controversial decisions decided that Harry no longer needed the inserts for his shoes. Shouldn't a prisoner be expected to suffer pain?

One wonders if we'll have get this train back on the tracks again.

appointed juries?

2011-07-17T16:14:00.002-04:00

Seems like we always find some goofy ideas under any old wet rock after a controversial jury decision like that of the Casey case.

One columnist wondered aloud whether we should consider professionally appointed juries. I spoke to this issue early on, giving the jury credit for a fair decision. The jurors acted on what they heard, and I think they acted responsibly. What a shame that people are in an uproar now simply because they didn't get the verdict they wanted. I remember when that happened in the OJ Simpson case. People were angry at Simpson because he got off, when they should have been angry with the Prosecutor for letting him get off. It all starts with good police work. Prosecutors then work with what they have. And the jury then responds with what it sees and hears.

Instead of suggesting that juries be professionally appointed, how about considering the appointment of prosecutors rather than having voters choose them. One state claims this has made a major difference. Let's face it, prosecutors run for office on the number of notches in their belts. Convictions are key.

An appointed Prosecutor may make a whole lot more sense than an appointed jury.

Why people don't support HFP

2011-07-12T10:21:00.002-04:00

My friend Roger thinks he knows why many people do not contribute to HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. He and his wife read through the long list of appeals for help that we recently published in a newsletter. Many of these pleas for assistance describe terrible conditions in prison. Roger said his wife concluded: "If these prisoners just thought about this ahead of time, maybe they never would have ended up in prison." And that's the type of thinking that we must counter all the time. There's no quick answer.

There are no hard data to quickly drop on people who make these statements. We cannot tell, for example, just how many people have been wrongly convicted. But let's be real about it. If our judicial system is accurate 90% of the time, the flip side is that 10% of the judgments were wrong. A wise man once said that if one innocent person is in prison, I am not free. Well then if 10% of the prison population is innocent, that is indeed an outrage. I have a friend who was freed by DNA testing after he served 9 years for a crime he did not commit. He insists that the number of wrongly convicted may be as high as 15%.

I deal with this on a daily basis and that's why it makes it so hard for me to bite my tongue when someone just assumes that people in prison belong in prison. In addition to the wrongly convicted, we also have no hard data on the number of mentally ill who have wrongly been incarcerated. Then think of the number of addicts who are in prison, because some prosecutors and judges decided that the way to treat alcoholism and drug addiction is incarceration. Now we're getting into high numbers of prisoners...hundreds of thousands of prisoners.

So it's not just making a simplistic statement about prisoners any more. Thousands upon thousands of prisoners have no business being there, and have no business being treated the way they are. As a fellow member of the human race, it's your job to remember your brothers and sisters behind bars. As the president of HFP, it's my job to daily focus attention on the needs of THE LEAST OF THESE.

We need you as a partner.

That's gotta be hard

2011-07-11T18:27:00.002-04:00

Those were Marcia's words when I hung up the telephone. I had been speaking with the mother of a prisoner and didn't realize my wife was overhearing my half of the conversation.

A wave of empathy goes out over the telephone line every time I speak with the parent of a prisoner. It never fails. And that's because you can ALWAYS hear and feel the pain in their voice. Always.

I have often thought that if criminals knew how much their bad decisions hurt their mothers, there would be a lot less crime. Don't you agree? Think about it. For the most part, people love their mothers. Granted, some kids have hated their moms much of their lives. While I have no statistics to back me up, I think the majority of people love their moms. How I loved my mother. And, my mother-in-law. How I miss both of them.

I can truthfully say that anything and everything I did that hurt my mom REALLY hurt me.

Well, back to the telephone conversation, the mother who spoke to me today was hurting. Her son has been in prison for some 15 years. He was in a group of unruly kids abusing substances and misbehaving until a fight broke out. The fight ended when one young man was killed. More bad decisions, including dragging the body into a nearby body of water.

When the dust settled, criminal charges. Unfortunately for this young man, everyone called him the ring leader and a zealous prosecutor decided he could get away with first degree murder for that one. I don't agree with that stuff. You and I both know how these fights get started after kids drink and smoke, but it's really a stretch to say that the death of a victim was the result of premeditation.

Today, his mom is hurting, and there's a good chance he'll never see freedom again. I encouraged them to try various legal angles to get a reduced sentence and/or to try to get a commutation of the sentence. There's every reason to believe this young man won't reoffend. But, these are long shots, and I would be a liar if I didn't level with the parents.

But, back to my claim, I'll bet money the kid is sick about how much pain he has caused his mom, let alone the mother of the victim of a senseless fight.

Empathy is the least I can offer.

HFP stands ready to help. And to listen.

We invite you to stand next to us.

Tain't always fun

2011-07-10T18:04:00.002-04:00

Ask anyone who works with prisoners. The good guys don't always win. The stories don't always have a happy ending. Twas never thus. Twon't ever be.

I'd have to go through the files once again to see how many years we worked for freedom for Ronnie. There were others who worked longer and harder than I did on this case, but I was in the middle of it.

I visited him in his lonely cell in the UP.

I was at his side for the Parole Board interview.

His buddy Mitch and I were at the prison gate when he stepped into freedom. It was the only case in the State of Michigan that I have ever heard of in which a prisoner was freed by the Parole Board even though he refused to admit wrongdoing and refused to show remorse. Until his last breath he maintained his innocence.

And it wasn't easy after he got out. There were uphill fights just getting him a place to live, getting him a driver's license, getting him a job, getting him a vehicle, trying to maintain a relationship, wanting nothing more than to be accepted, hoping for nothing more than a normal life.

But it was not to be.

Those who study the human mind can explain many more things than I can. I know that stuff wasn't going right for Ronnie. He knew right from wrong. He knew who his friends were. He was most grateful for love and assistance. And yet old demons persisted and refused to leave him alone.

I'm the last to know what really happened.

I know that a year ago I was very sick, and many thought I wouldn't make it.

And instead, he didn't make it. Ronnie couldn't cope with it any more, and took his own life.

Only God knows how many people were hurt by that decision, including a new bride and a new little son.

It was just a year ago. And God also knows that many of us are feeling bad these days. Even though we must admit that our lives are all the richer for having had Ronnie in the middle.

May his memory serve to give us even more compassion as we work with prisoners in the future.

Place the blame where it belongs

2011-07-07T09:40:00.002-04:00

One will be hard pressed to explain how a court case suddenly gets propelled into the national spotlight. A criminal defense attorney pointed out to me the other day that we have cases right here in Michigan that are much more compelling than the Kaylee case.

Whatever the reasons, the public suddenly was bombarded with details of this case day after day. And now that the public has been exposed to all of this information, people seem to feel that they probably know as much or more than the jury knew. Since the not guilty verdict was reached on the murder charge, people are outraged. How could the jury make such a serious error?

It reminds me of the OJ Simpson case. People were convinced that OJ had commmitted the crime. How come the jury didn't reach a guilty verdict?

Well, I'll tell you how come, in both of these trials. The prosecution screwed up.

It's time for you to quit placing the blame on high profile criminal defense attorneys. I'm tired of hearing that these attorneys will do anything to win. I'm sorry, but they're hired to win. That's what they do for a living. Here's the bigger issue: One of the main causes of wrongful convictions is PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT! Where is the screaming and shouting that Prosecutors will do anything to win? Let's face it. They win re-election by winning in the courtroom. Talk to any Prosecutor currently in office. He/She won't boast that justice has been reached during their reign. Instead, they'll boast that they never lost a case. Which is more important?

So here we have prosecutorial misconduct as a major cause for wrongful convictions, along with the fact that one may not sue a prosecutor.

Casey Anthony has been found not guilty, and as a result, I suspect we'll start seeing better-prepared cases from prosecutors around the country.

It's not the fault of an unethical defense attorney that Casey is free.

The blame must be placed squarely on the prosecutor who failed to even establish a motive and a cause of death, but still insisted that he/she could prove premeditation. The jury got it right. The jury abided by the law and by the instructions of the court.

I should be worrying about growing pains

2011-07-02T17:13:00.002-04:00

But instead, I'm worrying about survival.

As we approach the birthday of the land of the free, the home of the brave, this is hard for me to imagine.

Are we the only ones who see the problem?

One of our nation's greatest heroes, if not the greatest, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made this profound statement that could be one of our business slogans: INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE.

Our Board of Directors will hold a quarterly meeting next week, and in preparation for that I have been reviewing some of our activity records for the first half of this year. We could use and should have a paid staff of several people tackling issues of major importance.

Instead, we're operating on a shoestring with a long list of committed professionals who ask nothing more than to remain anonymous.

If you can believe this, already this year, we have been involved in the rescue of a just-released prisoner stranded on the streets of Ann Arbor, and another stranded on the streets of Grand Rapids. We helped a released mom to get transportation, and then found the funds to cover expenses in making the vehicle road worthy.

And we're still working with teams of highly qualified professionals to find freedom for a prisoner who was promised credit for time served if he testified against a known criminal. He did, and now the state is dragging its heels. We're trying to find the right formula to get examinations and treatment for a prisoner who claims to be going blind, and we're trying to help another prisoner get on top of health problems that have him worried beyond belief..

We're putting together an amazing team that will try to help a kid who, at the age of 14, was wrongly accused of being a sexual predator and given 40-80 years in prison by a judge with no conscience, even though his mother isn't interested in getting any help for him.

Now tell me, doesn't this impress you when you read it? If you were a donor to our program wouldn't you be pleased with what your money is doing? Wouldn't you be excited about prospects of growth and expansion to handle all of these issues?

Why, then, are we struggling to raise a measly little $8,000 a month? Where are others who are excited about doing good, and who abhor injustice? Why aren't they lined up behind us?

We don't have the time to analyze all of this, as we have problems to solve.

Think about it, let us know, give us ideas, continue to pray for us, and please remain in partnership with us.

I'll say a prayer for you

2011-07-01T10:27:00.002-04:00

How often do you make that statement, when someone shares a need or a problem with you? It's often how Christians respond. It's kind and reassuring. It's what we do for each other. And then we go about praying for this person or this need in private.

I must tell you about an experience yesterday.

I was speaking with a Christian brother in prison, and we were talking about the status of my health. This has been a topic of concern for the past year, after a one-year battle with a staph infection. I nearly lost my life several times. I'm grateful now for every day of my new life. BUT, as I shared with my friend in prison, I get very nervous now when a minor health issue comes up. For example, I have been troubled with, what I believe, was just a bout with the flu this week. But I immediately worry that the staph infection may be returning. As I explained that to Mike, he interrupted me and immediately launched into a brief prayer for me! He didn't say "I'll be praying for you." He did it. And I was touched as I sat listening to him claim the promises of Jesus, praying for good health and calmness of spirit for me.

It's not really that hard to do, this business of living our Christianity right up front...we're just not used to doing it.

That's the way my friend in prison lives. His Christianity is more exemplary than mine.

I share the story because I see it time and again. There are beautiful Christians behind bars. May we never forget it.

There, but for the grace of God...

2011-06-29T09:34:00.003-04:00

I had a meeting with our county prosector the other day. I'm toying with the idea of writing a novel, not because I'm such a great writer, but because I see so many common, ordinary people ending up behind bars. People who are not criminals. Ron confirmed my thoughts.

The fact is that a huge number of people behind bars wish they could take back a few fateful seconds of their lives, seconds during which they made one rash, thoughtless move. They had never been in trouble before, had never been arrested, had never been in prison and were very much like you and me.

But for a great percentage of people, they made one stupid mistake, and they're spending the rest of their lives regretting it.

For another larger percentage than you might imagine, the wrong person was accused of a crime, and convicted, and sentenced.

Add up those two totals and you have a country with the largest percentage of people in prison in the world. And many of them who have no business being there.

My whole point is that it is very easy to ignore this subject. Many people refuse to support our organization,not because they don't like us, but because they don't see why they should help someone in prison. They have no idea how simple it is to get in there, and how difficult it is to get out.

I would not have known that if I hadn't plunged into the Maurice Carter case. I invite you to read the story in the book SWEET FREEDOM. It'll change your mind.

Believe me, it can happen to you. I'm going to show, in my new book, just how simple the procedure can be.

For now, we need your help and support, as we continue to befriend people just like you and me who, because of some unusual chapter in their lives, wound up behind bars.

There, but for the grace of God... .

Choices

2011-06-23T09:41:00.002-04:00

In the past day and a half I've had an amazing number of telephone calls from people wanting money. This in a time when money is tight, conditions are tough, and people can't pay their bills. I'm sure the society helping leukemia victims is worthy, certainly we must worry about homeless veterans, and I know that my alma mater Christian high school needs dollars to keep going. That leads me to my point: It cannot be easy for YOU to make an intelligent, informed decision when it comes to donations to charity.

There's a battery of fund raisers hammering on your door daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. It doesn't stop.

It's no wonder that HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS is struggling. We're a tiny organization with a budget of $100,000 a year. We don't hire out to get the envelopes stuffed and stamped. We do it ourselves. We don't pay lobbyists. We testify ourselves. We don't beg volunteers to visit our prisoners. We go ourselves. We don't hire professional publicity people to write our newsletters and email pitches. We write them ourselves. We don't make up syrupy stories about tragedy and hardship in the prisons. We tell the truth about things that are happening here everyday.

I am humbled by the fact that, with all of these people clamoring for a piece of your small line item in your personal budget for charities, you continue to help us. It means more than you know. Please continue to help us if you can. I promise you that we treat every penny given responsibly...we don't waste a cent. Your dollars touch lives, and are not spent on professional telephone solicitors. They follow us right into prison.

We're not making ends meet, so if you wouldn't mind telling others how you have chosen HFP to be included in your monthly contributions, please spread the word.

Thank you.

Thank you.

On starting the day

2011-06-22T09:14:00.002-04:00

I've always believed in getting a good start each day. Nutritionists claim that a good breakfast is important. Preachers claim that devotions are important. Body builders claim that exercise is important.

In a busy lifestyle it's easy to ignore any or all, but I think we can agree that it's good to try.

My friend Bee Bee, who has been in prison for 40 years, has a different take on it. He thinks the right frame of mind is absolutely essential.

Doug, I have this ritual I try to follow every morning when I get up, and every evening before I go to sleep.

I listen to this one gospel song by Waler Hawkins entitled LIVE IN ME JESUS.

Live in me Jesus, have your way in me
I'll be flesh for you Jesus
If you'll be spirit for me
So live in me Jesus and have your way in me.
I'll be your legs to walk,
I'll be your mouth to talk,
I'll say whatever you want me to say Lord
To show the world that you love.

With so much darkness and distraction in the prison environment, this ritual helps to keep me centered and focused on helping rather than ridiculing.

Tell you what, how's about you and me taking time to follow Bee Bee's pattern today. And then let's both agree to do more helping and less ridiculing.

Deal?

A new voting bloc?

2011-06-18T10:01:00.002-04:00

Throughout history politicians have targeted different groups in society to get voter support: women, African Americans, and Latinos come to mind.

A former prisoner from Michigan is promoting a new group: convicted felons.

Says John Witherow, We vote the tough-on-crime idiots out of office and replace them with people interested in helping people and providing jobs, education and health care to people being released back into the community.

One of the first challenges will be to make sure that they may even vote. It is the feeling of some politicians that convicted felons have forfeited their right to cast ballots in the U.S.

Witherow is asking for your feedback on americanfederationofregistrants.blogspot.com.

Ex-felons are barred from certain employment and must, instead, pursue more demanding and less paying jobs so that non-felons can have the white collar jobs. I don't know about you, but I am sick of this type of b.s. and would like to develop a large-scale 13th Amendment challenge and/or claim for compensation. Until then we appear peons.

Go for it!

on tearful situations

2011-06-15T14:48:00.002-04:00

The last time I saw Annie in person I had tears in my eyes.

She and I were talking with a member of the Michigan Parole Board. She was trying to explain to a not very sympathetic board member why she should be paroled. In my opinion she shouldn't have been convicted of this crime in the first place, but my opinion doesn't count. Anyway, her story is a sad one, because she got blamed for a death. It's true that someone killed her former husband, but she didn't. As she made her case, she finally just broke down and sobbed. And that's when I discovered that I was weeping, too.

It made no difference. The Parole Board wasn't convinced, and she's still in prison, where she has been for the past 21 years. That's when I feel so helpless. I was at her side to help her, but the two of us were not persuasive enough. I failed.

And yet this week I received a Father's Day card from Annie. God bless her. And in her note in the card, she said, "Forever, thank you."

Tears again.

On prison conditions

2011-06-10T09:39:00.002-04:00

Many people try to make the case with me that prison conditions in one state are far worse than those in another state. I don't buy it. Just as the old statement, WAR IS HELL, always holds true, so does this one: PRISONS ARE HELL.

I am always touched when decent, law abiding citizens who know nothing about the inside of a prison are suddenly faced with the reality of these hellish conditions when a loved one is imprisoned.

They think they are telling me something new when they relate these true stories:

-My son is trying to do something wrong so he can get a ticket. That's the only way he can get a different cell.
-He can no longer tolerate being in the same cell with a 300 lb. skinhead who spends the entire day yelling obscenities and racial slurs.
-He is diabetic and should not be in a top bunk because of the danger of falling, but his cellmate couldn't care less.
-Every time he snores the guy below him reaches up and punches his mattress as hard as he can. He's getting only a couple hours of sleep a night.
-His mind is completely idle. He has nothing to do: no classes, no job, no library visits.
-He believes he has a shoulder problem. He can raise his arm only halfway. He asked for an X-Ray. The prison doctor laughed at him, said it was probably stress, and told him to get back to his cell.

The parents ask good questions: Shouldn't even prisoners who are guilty be treated humanely? Can't we do something to help? If we write to or call the warden will it do any good? Aren't there medical rights for inmates?

These parents and this naive young man are merely getting a heavy-duty dose of reality. That's the way it is in prisons. All of them. And no matter how hard you try, you're not going to make much difference. That doesn't mean that one shouldn't try. We heartily applaud all prisoner rights groups and their efforts. Keep the pressure on. But don't expect miracles.

Prisons are hell.

Harry: never forgotten

2011-06-09T19:00:00.002-04:00

I ran across a neat story this week. It happens often when you're working with prisoners.

Back in the 1990s when I first got started trying to free a wrongly convicted prisoner, my day job was selling church organs, and my territory was not only the western half of lower Michigan, but the eastern tip of Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula.

In those days I made friends with the congregation of a delightful little church nestled in the Upper Peninsula woods at the northern tip of Lake Huron. If you're driving too fast on M-134 and if you're not watching for the tiny sign or the little building, you'll miss the DeTour Christian Church. I love this church and its members.

In making small conversation, I told two of the church leaders, Gladys and Frank Malette, about inmate Harry Bout. Harry is a citizen of the Netherlands and claims wrongful conviction. He also claims that his incarceration is a treaty violation between the US and the Netherlands.

That was more than 15 years ago. What I didn't know was that the church kept Harry's name and placed it on their prayer list.

My friend Frank Malette died some months ago, and Gladys and I have remained in constant contact. Gladys asked me the other day how Harry was doing. I was so touched that these wonderful people have been keeping this prisoner in their prayers.

I sent Harry a letter this week encouraging him to contact the church.

He's had a whole group of prayer partners that he knew nothing about! What a gift.

It's the kind of thing that happens in this business.

Harry Bout and DeTour Christian Church: divine partners.

Another one of those God things.

Heartbreak Hotel, Part Two

2011-06-08T10:21:00.002-04:00

Prisoner advocates routinely hear stories of heartbreak. I guess that's why it is such a thrill when we hear a good story.

My friend Big Ben shared such a story with me over the weekend.

He politely asked about my health and my condition first in his weekly telephone call. But then he allowed that he had some good news to pass along. I was all ears.

As a matter of background he explained that he was a renegade with little regard for the law as a kid, and it soon got him into trouble. At age 22 he was sent to prison for life, and his pending plans for marriage had to be abandoned.

He'll be 60 this summer, so that will give you an idea how long he has been in prison.

He fell in love as a young man, but lost track of his woman after he went to prison. The early years of his life had been spent on the east coast, and he is in prison here in Michigan.

Last week, he learned from the friend of a friend that his girl friend of yesteryear was not only alive, but was single again. She is 64 years of age.

He cautiously proceeded, asking his friends to ask if she might be interested in talking to him.

She was, and they did!

He said they talked and they talked. And here's the thing that excites Big Ben the most: After all these years, she's just as crazy about me as I am about her!

Concluded Big Ben: "God is good."

By then I had tears in my eyes, and I could only echo his sentiment.

You are absolutely right, Big Ben. God is good.

Heartbreak Hotel

2011-06-08T09:54:00.002-04:00

Prison is a haven for heartbreak.

Heartbreak is rampant. Families are breaking up, marriages are breaking up, romance disintigrates.

And there's so little that anyone can do.

Probably the best way you and I can help our incarcerated friends struggling with heartbreak is to listen. Do no more than that. Just listen. You have no idea how much that gift is appreciated by the heartbroken.

I can cite a couple examples of how God used HFP in heartbreak situations, and I quickly stress that God ALONE gets the glory.

The first occurred years ago when my friends from an Innocence Project called me in to help a guy who was wrongly convicted but could get no support from his immediate family. And the reason was simple. He had completely burned all bridges. He had left his wife of many years for a tramp. He had abandoned his kids. He had gone to a life of drinking. I felt like a U.S. Secretary of State doing my shuttle diplomacy in absentia, using a telephone. I called one of his adult children, and then another. My argument was always the same: I cannot defend the behavior of your father, BUT, that does not mean the state has the right to send an innocent person to prison. The long and short of it is that eventually we got much of this family back together again, and his kids were at his side when he walked free. Sadly, prison ruined the man's health, he had a stroke and eventually the physical issues ended his life. God answered prayer and, in my opinion, healed relationships that appeared to have no chance for repair.

And I saw God at work in another case that we were involved in.

This prisoner was also a scoundrel, and so it was no surprise that his siblings and his parents wanted nothing to do with him. They made no secret of it, just as he had made no secret of the terrible ways he had abused his family relationships in the past. But now he was dying. His sins caught up with him and he was in prison for life, and his abuse of his body caught up with him and he was dying. Again, in my pleadings with family members I could not defend his past behavior. I could only state that in his final days he was trying to get his house in order, he embraced Christianity, he showed genuine remorse, and all he asked was forgiveness from those closest to him. I refuted claims of foxhole Christianity, as I always do. I just will not hear of it. The Bible tells of a foxhole Christian on the cross next to our Lord, and he was welcomed by Jesus. And so we finally got grudging forgiveness. It wasn't perfect, but it was meaningful. And I helped to make up for the lack of family visits by personally visiting my friend in his last days. He died a happy man.

These are the things that HFP does best.

You deserve to know how your money works.

Berrien County justice

2011-06-06T15:08:00.002-04:00

If you're read my book SWEET FREEDOM, you are aware of the fact that some of us know who really shot Tom Schadler. Maurice Carter was accused of shooting him in what may have started out as an armed robbery. Schadler was an off-duty police officer who was shot and injured while shopping with his wife in a downtown Benton Harbor store.

Maurice Carter's only mistake was that he happened to be in Benton Harbor on the day of the shooting. He was a resident of Gary, Indiana, and so he didn't know Tom Schadler from any other guy on the street in Benton Harbor. That's why the Prosecutor could never show a motive.

The real shooter, on the other hand, was a drunken bully from the inner city who knew all the cops. And it turns out that many people from Benton Harbor know who really shot Tom Schadler. But, they're going to keep right on covering up for one of their own. As it turns out, Maurice Carter served 29 years for this crime. If you haven't read the book, please pick up a copy.

But now back to the shooter.

Even though Maurice Carter died in 2004, the case didn't die. We've tried to persuade the Berrien County Prosecutor's Office to reopen the case, to no avail. We have tapes made with a hidden microphone which pretty much point to the fact that Billy Lee not only shot Schadler, but also that he was very proud of the accomplishment. Word from our sources is that he still shows up at a drinking party now and then, boasting about how he "shot that white cop."

The reason the subject came up today is that one of our sources just gave us a tip that Billy Lee is back in town, after having moved to Ohio all these years. Word on the street is that he's thinking of moving back to Benton Harbor.

He might just as well.

The judicial system doesn't care.

The Prosecutor and the cops don't want to know anything about it. Why let facts get in the way of their opinions? This case is closed.

In Berrien County, the judicial system may sometimes be wrong, but it's never in doubt.

Where to perform

2011-06-03T13:20:00.002-04:00

All the world's a stage, according to Shakespeare.

Yet we can't find a venue for our play.

Here's the deal.

Two award-winning playwrights have written a delightful stage play based on the story of Maurice Carter and Doug Tjapkes. If you're not familiar with the story I invite you to read the book SWEET FREEDOM. It's not a best seller. You can probably go right to Amazon's used books department and find a copy for a few bucks. It's a love story, based on my nine-year attempt to free Maurice from prison. He served 29 years for a crime he did not commit.

Alicia Payne and Donald Molnar of Toronto learned of the story and obtained some grants to do a thorough research of the tale. They were so captivated that they wrote a most beautiful play that involves a small cast of characters and a small gospel choir. Marcia and I were guests of the playwrights at a performance in a historic church in downtown Toronto last summer. If we or they could persuade the right people to read the play and see all or a part of it performed the production would be off and running. But trying to get exposure is the problem. I invite you to read about the play by going to arbezdrama.com in your computer. And then I ask for your help.

One day it could be traveling the country for performance in churches for Christian groups, and in little theatres for secular drama groups. Hopefully, by then, it can be a major fund-raiser to keep HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS operating.

What can you do to help? Do you know someone? Do you know someone who knows someone?

Please contact the playwrights at the Arbez Drama website, or contact us on our website.

The story of MAURICE CARTER'S INNOCENCE deserves to be told, and needs to be heard by thousands.

Help!

It's your turn

2011-06-02T15:53:00.004-04:00

One of the frustrating parts of this business of being an advocate for prisoners is the inability to help them all. HFP, for example, handles only cases in Michigan. We can't even handle that load, but there's no way we can consider expanding into all of the other states. But, each day we get letters from other states, and I just wonder where these people are going to turn. Who will even listen to them?

Here's a guy from Ohio getting frightfully abused.

"I was given another inmate's medication, and subsequently fell and busted my head 3 times. The medication wore off, but I didn't improve. I didn't get to see a doctor until I fell again 3 days later. I could not move and was taken to a hospital where I was denied treatment and released within an hour. As I regained the ability to move the pain did not let up. I was given Motrin which I did not receive until 5 days later. I continued to have pain, lose consciousness for no apparent reason and falling from time to time. Three weeks later I fell twice in one evening. After the second time was also maced by the CO who stated 'since I have to do paper work, take this.' He maced me directly in the face as I stood there bleeding from the fall. That's what they do here, continue hurting inmates, many of whom are shackled and maced, rendering them unable to see while they are being beaten."

The man is on a hunger strike to protest prison treatment in Ohio. There, as in many states, prisoners are given smaller portions of food due to budget cuts. His existence is meager, as he lives on $3-9 a month.

All he's asking for is someone to write to, someone who would get interested in prison problems in Ohio, someone to help support peaceful protests of inhumane treatment.

We cannot help them all.

And that's frustrating.

What about you? Can you help some in your state? How about your church or service club? Do you have a Bible study group?

You don't have to jump into the ocean, but you could just dip your big toe into the kiddie pool to start.

Your life will never be the same.

Something's gotta give

2011-06-01T09:14:00.002-04:00

I'm going to quote parts of a letter that I just received, altering it just enough to protect the identity of the writer. Actually, I could have written it before we received it, because it's almost identical to letters we have received over the past 15 years. Honestly, I could get by changing only names and places and minor details.

"I am requesting your assistance in getting my husband released from prison. He's a former police officer who loves and adores children and would help everyone who needed his assistance.

"He is innocent of the charges of sexual assault that were brought by the mother and daughter we took to church for 10 years, after they asked us for a large amount of money and we refused because we did not have it to give to them. In the past, we had paid many expenses for them when they needed it.

"After we turned them down, the daughter accused my husband of 'touching her boobies' almost every Sunday after church in the parking lot. The daughter's testimony was full of lies and inconsistencies, and the mother's testimony even proved she was lying.

"The prosecution then found a convicted meth dealer who stated my husband had inappropriately touched her when she was a child, but at the end of her testimony stated she was 18 years old when it happened.

"Another witness stated he saw my husband hit this woman on the butt in the parking lot. My husband did not even playfully hit me on the butt. This witness also refused to talk to the detective because he hated cops. Remember, my husband was a cop.

"The jury convicted him and gave him a 20 year sentence and a $10,000 fine for both charges. We appealed to the Supreme Court and lost.

"The justice system did not work in this case. There is no reason for an innocent man to be sitting in prison because of a lie that a minor child told, and a jury believed with no proof."

I'm sorry to tell you this, Ms. D, but the system is failing you and the public on this very issue EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

Only God knows how many lives have been ruined by this reckless type of accusation. Invariably the charges come from someone who wants to get even: an estranged wife or girl friend, or perhaps a family member who has lost favor. Prosecutors smell victory with stories like this, because juries invariably rule in favor of little kids. Decent, law-abiding citizens cannot stand to hear about adults molesting children. As a result, each day innocent people are going to prison because they did something that made accusers angry, and prompted mean accusations.

And I am not exaggerating about the frequency of this scene.

I have two very dear friends who were victims of this very charge. AND IN BOTH CASES, THESE MEN HAD TO LIE AND CONFESS TO A CRIME THEY DID NOT COMMIT AND SHOW REMORSE FOR SOMETHING THEY NEVER DID, IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF PRISON! Otherwise, the Parole Board wouldn't budge. So now you have beautiful people who are not criminals and who never violated any laws who cannot live with themselves. Their spirits have been broken, they are labeled as sex offenders, their names are ruined, and NOTHING can be done to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Nothing.

Here's what I think must happen.

I believe that it's time that police officers and prosecutors demand substantial proof of these charges. I believe that law enforcement and the judicial system must hold the feet of these accusers to the fire. If it is discovered that the accusers lied, and the accused is actually innocent, the accusers MUST BE ARRESTED. THEY MUST BE CHARGED, TRIED AND CONVICTED. It won't help to restore the life of a ruined person, but it may slow down the frequency of these wrongful convictions.

Prosecutors MUST stop thinking about victory and convictions, and instead think about justice.

Give me your thoughts.

I'll bet that many of you know about cases like this.

If it happened to a relative or a friend, could YOU have done something about it?

It may be you or someone in your family next time.

It's gotta stop.

Something's gotta give.

Prisoners caring for prisoners

2011-05-28T16:37:00.002-04:00

Prisoners can't really afford to contribute to charity. Monthly wages of most prisoners, if they have jobs, total about the same as pocket change for you and me. That's why it's all that much more meaningful when a group of prisoners contacts HFP to report a fund-raising drive for our charitable organization. The last time the guys did that at Ionia Max they raised well over a hundred bucks. This comes from money that is terribly important to prisoners. It's money they use for spending at the state store. It's money they use for cards and gifts for family and friends, as well as for their own personal needs, and it's in short supply.

All of this came to mind when I went to the post office this morning and found only one envelope. I was hoping to find more, because contributions haven't met our expenses for the month of May.

It was a letter from behind bars. David said, "I know your needs are great, especially as gas prices continue to wreak havoc on everyone in the real world." The envelope contained a check for $25 from his prison fund, accompanied by these words: "Please use this money however you see fit to further God's kingdom through the work of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS."

No gift of any size, no words of any length, could have meant more.

God bless David.

In absentia

2011-05-27T10:16:00.002-04:00

They'll be holding a funeral service for Lee's mom near Detroit today. He won't be there. He's serving a life sentence in prison.

Never mind that he's handicapped and in a wheelchair. Policies are policies, and lifers aren't granted permission to attend funeral services, even those of immediate family members.

I have established friendships with many prisoners over the past 15 years, and I can tell you that one of the saddest experiences for the incarcerated is losing a loved one. And that sad experience is made even worse when inmates are forbidden to attend the last rites.

Remember Lee today. And remember his friends and his family. And remember all prisoners going through similar experiences.

May Lee feel God's presence and God's peace today.

He'll be alone. Behind bars.

A somber reminder

2011-05-24T10:00:00.002-04:00

We began this week with a dose of reality. The first name was posted in Ferrysburg Community Church's new Memorial Garden Sunday: Ronald W. Ross. Ronnie was a poster boy for HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. We were able to obtain his freedom despite his refusal to confess to a crime he did not commit and his refusal to show remorse. It was a long, hard fight, but we won! Our buddy Mitch and I were at the gate to welcome him when he stepped into freedom. It seemed to us that he had a whole new life ahead of him, but some old demons wouldn't let up on him, and last July Ron gave up and took his own life. The heartbreak touched all of us at HFP, his many friends and supporters, his widow and a little boy, and even his pet.

My heart breaks for Dawn and Dakota all over again, but we must go on. We must continue to remember prisoners as if we are in prison with them, per the advice in the book of Hebrews. Ron would have it no other way.

Remember the survivors in your prayers, and please remember the efforts of prisoner advocates. Pain and heartbreak are always in the shadows.

His demons finally pursue Ron no more.

May God comfort all survivors of prison tragedy.

May God's peace touch ALL prisoners today.

May God bless every person who touches the lives of prisoners.

Music makes you feel better

2011-05-22T12:52:00.002-04:00

I was thinking about Saul, Israel's first king this morning. For those who didn't know it, I've been sick for the past year. For months a staph infection did its best to take my life. And then for months after that, I did my best to survive. As a church musician I wasn't sure that I would ever be well enough to play the organ or piano for worship again. I missed it so much. But thank God, I'm back on the organ bench and piano bench again. This morning it was particularly pleasing to me because guest trumpeter Ross Hoksbergen took part in the service. It was exciting making music with him, and I confess that while I wasn't feeling all that great, the music made me feel so much better.

And that reminded me of Saul, who was troubled with mental illness. When reading about his ailment in First Samuel, I found the part where David the harpist would be called in. "David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better..." I missed music so much while recovering in a hospital room last year I made arrangements to have a digital piano delivered to my hospital room. The piano not only improved my situation, but touched other patients as well as staff members in the hospital.

When I think about how music improved Saul's condition, and when I consider the amazing healing quality of music in my life, I wonder what we could do to bring more music to prisoners.

Proponents of music therapy insist that the results are not just speculation. Improvement can actually be documented.

If that is the case, and if we have such a problem with mental illness among prisoners, and if we cannot figure out that the condition of these prisoners could actually improve in a better setting, maybe we could at least work on a plan to bring music to the prisons to offer some relief.

Whatcha think?

Mentally ill, but not crazy

2011-05-21T17:36:00.002-04:00

Because of the nature of our work, we are often in contact with people who have mentally challenged family members in prison. It's the worst place in the world for them. Prison staffers aren't trained to handle the mentally ill, and prison facilities are not appropriate for those who can't watch out for themselves.

A mother was just telling me this week that her son's behavior has gone awry because of a change in medications. He was apparently doing all right on a certain medicine, but she said the change was made strictly for saving money and with no regard for patient care. I have no way to challenge her assertion. She said her son also keeps asking to meet with his psychologist, to no avail. He explains the side effects that he is experiencing from this new medicine, but that gets him no where.

Mental illness leads to confrontation issues with guards, and so this past week, one of the officers came to her son. They had just dealt with a matter of misbehavior, and the guard said to the prisoner, "You are crazy. I've been dealing with your kind for 13 years." And then he started laughing at him. This made her son mad, soon he and the guard were in each other's faces. But the guard, who should know better, then says, "I want to beat your ass. Let's take this away from the cameras." Meaning the video cams that are on around the clock. Fortunately, another prisoner had the cooler head and persuaded her son to go back to his cell. You see, in his altered state of mind, this lad just doesn't realize that he cannot win. The guards always win. He was ready to fight.

It's a way of life in the prison system with the mentally ill. It goes on every day, and if the account of the dialog is accurate, one wonders if the term crazy better describes the other participant.

Think what the release of mentally ill prisoners would do for our prison budgets, let alone for the health and welfare of challenged inmates.

It's gotta change!

They're no different

2011-05-20T13:03:00.002-04:00

For some time I've been trying to give our friends and supporters a glimpse of day-to-day life behind prison bars. I received a note from a friend this week who is struggling to keep his emotional bobber afloat despite a series of distressing circumstances. He was just a kid when he was placed in prison for life because of a terrible crime. But that was almost 40 years ago, and he has done an amazing job of making the best of a bad situation. He's an upstanding citizen now in every way, terribly sorry for his rash behavior as a youngster but determined to make up for it. He's a hard worker, he's doing things for others, and he now has his emotional and spiritual lives in order. That does not change the crime or the results however, and a judge and a Prosecutor and the families of victims will not hear of talks of a possible release. It's an uphill battle for him. With that hanging over his head, listen to what has happened within the period of a month: a close member of the family died and of course he could not be there; another close member of the family suddenly has become quiet and there's no way he can find out why; and tragedy resulted in serious injury to someone else very close to him. Is it any wonder that he's feeling down these days? You see, you and I have each other, in addition to our God, in times like this. He doesn't have the friendship factor.

And so I use this brief message to remind you, once again, that every individual in prison is more than a statistic. Behind that ID# is a name, a face, a person created in the image of God whose body and soul house the same hurts, feelings, emotions, dreams and heartbreaks that you and I encounter in our lives. Remember prisoners in your prayers. Remember those of us who interact with prisoners both with your prayers and your continued contributions.

Thank you.

We gotta do it together

2011-05-19T14:43:00.002-04:00

My body's trying to get used to a new situation today. For the first time in a year, no fresh dosage of antibiotics is being administered. I'm all finished, at least for now. The physician is hoping that the staph infection has been eliminated. After a one-year-long battle, I'm skeptical, but as my parents always said, "We'll see."

Many have interpreted by new lease on life as a message from God saying that there's still more for me to do.

And I'm interpreting that to mean there's more prisoner advocacy that must be done. I'm in agreement, and I'm already taking on the task. So if there's more to be done,

But you and I are in this together. In fact, I can't do it without your help. We gotta do it together.

Let's roll.

on Michigan's prison system: a trainwreck

2011-05-18T18:32:00.002-04:00

I'm wondering what it's going to take to bring about changes---real changes---in the Michigan prison system. I was hoping that something as simple as a change of state administrations would make the difference. So far, what we're seeing is very disappointing.

A few weeks ago a friend of mine was raped in his cell by his cell-mate, a convicted sex offender. Instead of owning up to the problem and doing something about it, staff members tried to get him to admit the act was consensual, promising a prison transfer if he cooperated. The offender was given a ticket and was found guilty. Big deal. That helps my friend a lot.

Last week a teenager in prison asked his mom to contact me about a fellow prisoner, a 25-year old mentally challenged inmate who doesn't know how to behave properly. But as a result, guards seem to think that brutal punishment will improve his mental status. The teenager claims that officers tried choking him and assaulting him to bring about proper behavior, and then wouldn't feed him for an entire day shift. No word that the corrective action helped.

A few days ago a beautiful Christian man in prison whom I trust implicitly begged me to get involved. A fellow prisoner, age 48, is in pain because of a disc problem (if you haven't had back pain, you have no idea how rotten this can be). The doctor, he says, discontinued the prisoner's medication. Worse than that is an undiagnosed problem that results in pain in the prisoner's abdomen and groin areas. He has complained of issues with his heart,too, but was not given an ekg or any other type of tests. I don't know how serious all of this is, but I know the story teller, and he's not making things up. Isn't this why we have doctors in prison?

I tell you all of this because one of the major concerns of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS is appropriate medical care. We're the first to admit that prisoners are not entitled to exotic, cosmetic surgery. We'll also admit that prisoners can be a real pain, and without question give doctors headaches. But we don't approve of torture in this country, and that includes refusal to provide adequate medical care in prison.

We'll keep on picking up the legitimate battles of untreated prisoners with your continued help and support, but that's doing nothing about the bigger problem. If you live in Michigan and are a registered voter, you CAN do something about it. Shame on you if you don't.

Our daily bread

2011-05-17T13:45:00.002-04:00

The Lord's Prayer was used and heard far more often when I was a kid, I think. We learned it in the private school I attended, we recited it in Sunday School and catechism classes in church. Worshipers often recited the prayer in unison. And my dad often would have me offer the prayer before our evening meal.

I was thinking about the petition asking for our daily bread this morning. I visited the physician who arguably saved my life last October by surgically implanting a feeding tube in my body. For the next six months carefully prepared formula replaced bread in my diet, but it was never late. God still cared for me daily. The truck delivering the cans of liquid nutrition was always on time. And since then my health has been improving. My doctor was encouraged by the progress brought on by the feeding tube, and that particular form of my daily bread.

All of this to say that I hope we never lose the importance of the prayer that Jesus taught us, and I encourage its use more frequently.

And that should prompt a prayer of thanksgiving.

"Thank you for my daily bread.

And for the health and strength it provides."

musings on a HIS MEN concert

2011-05-16T09:16:00.002-04:00

One can only imagine Jesus looking down on the sanctuary of Second Christian Reformed Church in Grand Haven, Michigan, last night. The male chorus HIS MEN was presenting a benefit concert on behalf of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS.

He would obviously be pleased with the beautiful harmonies floating heavenward.

I expect he would nod in appreciation as several of the singers explained to the audience how their lives have been changed by taking their music behind bars, singing songs of Jesus to prisoners.

I know he would recognize the stories told by Doug Tjapkes, the man who started HIS MEN on the path of prison ministry who now advocates for prisoners on a daily basis with HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS.

I think he whispered to all participants, when the program was finished, "Now you know what I was talking about."

A prayer for prisoners

2011-05-14T09:22:00.002-04:00

Ms. T has good advice to those of us who have a passion for prisoners: Watch for reminders to pray for prisoners.

Said she: "I was driving to work today, and saw that inmates were out on the highway picking up trash. Those are the lucky ones; at least they get outside and see something besides those walls. I said a prayer for them and for you."

I use her brief message to remind you to remember those who are incarcerated today. And please remember all who are working on their behalf.

It helps a lot of people

2011-05-14T09:14:00.002-04:00

HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS helped Mary Ann in obtaining freedom for her mentally challenged brother who was in prison, and she never forgot it.

Seeing that HFP had an online auction this past week to help us meet budget, she sent me a note. "I figured it would be just as good to send you a straight-out check."

"I remember one time after our parents passed, my brother Arn showed me $800 he had found among their belongings. I told him to keep it because he had so little and he could use it. He left the house and returned an hour later. I said, 'Where were you?' The local volunteer rescue needed donations to buy a piece of equipment for their ambulance. He had gone to give them the money! At first I was annoyed, and said 'That money could have helped you.' He replied, 'this way it can help a lot of people.'

Mary Ann sent a check for $500 to HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS.

We can all learn from Arn's reasoning: THIS WAY IT CAN HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I was in prison and you visited me

2011-05-13T14:13:00.002-04:00

My buddy Don Boyink died late last month. He was 72, far too young to go home. I played the piano for his funeral service exactly two weeks ago today.

I didn't see Don often. Chances are, if I did, it would be in prison. I would be in prison making calls on behalf of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. Don was a volunteer who served on a local prison ministry team.

He'll be remembered by many, many prisoners. He logged thousands of Michigan miles each year vising prisons.

One of the persons who delivered a eulogy at his service was a recently released prisoner.

A fellow-worker said that Don faithfully prepared and mailed a newsletter to over 40 people in prison each month.

I suspect that among the first words he heard was that familiar saying of Jesus: I was in prison and you visited me.