What's Happening Texas Death Row Newsletter, Issue #11
Dublin Core
Title
What's Happening Texas Death Row Newsletter, Issue #11
Subject
Death row community
Death row inmates
Anti-death row movement
Prison literature
Prisoners as journalists
Death row inmates
Anti-death row movement
Prison literature
Prisoners as journalists
Description
This is the 11th issue of the newsletter. The coordinators of this issue are Joseph Nicholas-Bey and John K. Barefield. Article titles and a short synopsis of the articles found in this issue are listed below.
Active Execution Dates as of August 15, 1992
Eleven upcoming inmate executions are listed along with their execution dates. It also includes some information about death row population size and "state murders".
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA)
This article lists out the rules and requirements of Rule 302 "Discretionary Review in General" in the Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas Death Row Hunger Strike
This article discusses a hunger strike taking place within the prison. The hunger strike began on July 19th, 1992, and occurs in three-day increments. Cornelis Gross, the head of the Nonviolent Action Committee within the Endeavor Project spearheaded the hunger strike. At the time of publication, 51 death row community members participated in the hunger strike, and the article appeals for more to join.
Ad Placement by Lost Horizons Bookstore
Misconduct and Racial Discrimination
The following article includes a letter from inmate Ponchi "T-Bone" Wilkerson, describing his racist encounter with a correctional officer, where the CO uses unnecessary force on Wilkerson. At the time of publication, Wilkerson was placed in administrative segregation. When Wilkerson refused to leave his cell in order to get a haircut, CO Smith and CO Van Camp retaliated with "unprovoked use of force". The COs handcuffed Wilkerson, searched his room, called him racial slurs, and physically abused Wilkerson. Wilkerson claims two inmates witnessed the event.
The letter ends with an appeal by Wilkerson for inmates to stand up for one another and "put an end to the abuse". The newsletter Coordinators also include their support for Wilkerson. The Coordinators end the newsletter calling on inmates to speak up for what they believe in and to support one another against the abuse. "The responsibility rests with us to force change upon this antiquated system."
Active Execution Dates as of August 15, 1992
Eleven upcoming inmate executions are listed along with their execution dates. It also includes some information about death row population size and "state murders".
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA)
This article lists out the rules and requirements of Rule 302 "Discretionary Review in General" in the Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas Death Row Hunger Strike
This article discusses a hunger strike taking place within the prison. The hunger strike began on July 19th, 1992, and occurs in three-day increments. Cornelis Gross, the head of the Nonviolent Action Committee within the Endeavor Project spearheaded the hunger strike. At the time of publication, 51 death row community members participated in the hunger strike, and the article appeals for more to join.
Ad Placement by Lost Horizons Bookstore
Misconduct and Racial Discrimination
The following article includes a letter from inmate Ponchi "T-Bone" Wilkerson, describing his racist encounter with a correctional officer, where the CO uses unnecessary force on Wilkerson. At the time of publication, Wilkerson was placed in administrative segregation. When Wilkerson refused to leave his cell in order to get a haircut, CO Smith and CO Van Camp retaliated with "unprovoked use of force". The COs handcuffed Wilkerson, searched his room, called him racial slurs, and physically abused Wilkerson. Wilkerson claims two inmates witnessed the event.
The letter ends with an appeal by Wilkerson for inmates to stand up for one another and "put an end to the abuse". The newsletter Coordinators also include their support for Wilkerson. The Coordinators end the newsletter calling on inmates to speak up for what they believe in and to support one another against the abuse. "The responsibility rests with us to force change upon this antiquated system."
Creator
What's Happening newsletter staff
Source
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
Publisher
Endeavor Project
Date
August 1992
Contributor
Joseph Nichols-Bey
John K. Barefield
Cornelis Gross
Ponchi "T-Bone" Wilkerson
John K. Barefield
Cornelis Gross
Ponchi "T-Bone" Wilkerson
Rights
This material is made available for education and research purposes only. The creator of this exhibit does not own the rights for these items; it cannot grant or deny permission to use this material. Copyright law protects unpublished as well as published materials. It is your responsibility to determine the rights status and secure whatever permission may be needed for the use of any item. Due to the nature of archival collections, rights information may be incomplete or out of date. We welcome updates or corrections. Upon request, we'll remove material from public view while we address a rights issue.
Relation
Texas Death Row Collection - Endeavor Folder
Language
English
Type
Newsletter
Coverage
Ellis Correctional Unit, Huntsville, Texas
Still Image Item Type Metadata
Original Format
Paper newsletter
Citation
What's Happening newsletter staff, “What's Happening Texas Death Row Newsletter, Issue #11,” Hidden Histories UT-Austin, accessed November 21, 2024, https://hiddenhistoriesut.org/items/show/196.
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