Tag: Death Row

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VIRUS SOARS AFTER PRISON EXECUTIONS

A few months ago, we felt fairly safe in this city along America’s Death Row. Cases of Covid-19 were low compared to big cities like Indianapolis.  And then, late this summer,  that began to change.  Executions at the federal prison resumed on July 13.  Up to that point, there had been no executions for 17 years, and there were no cases of Covid 19 at the prison.  On Aug 28, Keith Nelson became the 5th person to be executed.  Now, the virus soars after  prison executions.  

The federal prison  complex has two facilities.  Before that last execution ,  they had 12 cases in the U.S. Penitentiary (maximum security), and 10 cases in the Federal Correctional institution (medium,minimum securities).  As of September 1,  the USP reported 70 cases, and the FCI reported 48 cases, for a total of 118 cases at the complex. With about 1400 inmates and 700 employees, that’s  a pretty high positive rate.  

 Is it any wonder?  Numerous outsiders were seated together in the death chamber during each of the executions.  This included eight journalists, and various family members of the crime victims and perpetrators.  There were lawyers, and spiritual counselors.  The exact number of people allowed to witness an execution has not been made public, but we know there were a lot of them. 

After executions at the federal prison brought in protestors and strangers, our covid cases soared.
Witnesses and protesters brought many strangers to our town. The virus soars after prison executions.

Then, there were the protesters who came from outside the city, starting with the first execution in July..  Hundreds gathered to protest against the death penalty. As a result, these people stayed in hotels and ate in restaurants. I don’t know who wore masks, or did or did not carry the virus.  I just know that cases in Vigo County skyrocketed after that.  Our positive rate is more than double that of Indianapolis. 

 Coincidentally, Indiana State University opened it’s doors to on campus learning last week. . To their credit, they are being transparent about their number of reported Covid-19 cases which now stand at about 94, including staff and students.  Compared to the University of Alabama, with 540 cases, that’s not too bad.  Hopefully, these young people will enjoy a speedy recovery.  

Back to the prison executions. I’m not opposed to the death penalty. But it   seems to me they could have waited until things settled down before bringing all these strangers to town in the midst of a pandemic. 

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LIFE NEAR AMERICA’S DEATH ROW

Next week,  three federal death row inmates will be executed in  my city. There haven’t been any executions since 2003, so this is apt to bring a lot of reporters and protesters here.  Because of covid-19, we’d just as soon they wouldn’t invade our town.  It’s come as kind of a shock.  Most of us weren’t aware that these notorious criminals had been living nearby for so many years.  Do you wonder about life near America’s death row?  What is it like to live so close to America’s only  federal execution facility?

First and foremost, the United States Federal Prison Complex has been seen as a great source of stable employment in a town that’s weathered many economic ups and downs.  It opened here in 1940, when we were just coming out of the great depression.  They had an open house, and our family went through the facility.   The father of one of my grade school playmates came here as a guard. They were Irish, with a family of eight children, and came from New York City.   One of the sons later became a Hollywood screenwriter.   The prison employs about 700  people from every educational background.  If you’ve lived here a long time, you probably knew at least one or two people who worked at the prison.

Working for the feds has a lot of perks, including great benefits and pensions.  They also have a beautiful venue that employees may use for special occasions.  Over the years, I’ve probably been to parties at the prison at least ten times.  Weddings. Graduations.  Baby  Showers. Birthday parties.  And yet, as far as I know,  I never saw an  inmate.

I once knew a dietitian who worked there as a part time consultant.  Her pay was outstanding. I think she made about triple the going rate for dietitians in the area.  But after awhile, she had to quit.  She never discussed her  work days or any of  her patients(prisoners). Obviously, privacy laws were in place.  All she said was this: ” I got so I couldn’t stand those gates closing behind me,  one after another, as I went into work.  It was giving me nightmares. “

The three men who will die next week in the United States Penitentiary by lethal injection are all white:

Wesley Ira Purkey, who raped and murdered a 16 year old girl in Kansas and killed an 80 year old woman.

Dustin Lee Honken of Iowa, who killed five people, including 2 children.

Danny Lee of Arkansas, convicted of killing a family of three.

Scheduled to be executed in August:

Keith Dywane Nelson, who kidnapped a 10 year old girl in front her Kansas home, raped and strangled her in a forest.

Life around America's Death Row. living near the boston bomber and Charleston church killer
Life Around America’s Death Row:  Left: Dzhokhar Tsarenaev; Right, Dylann Roof

Other death row prisoners at this  men’s prison  include:  Dzhokbar Tasaraev, convicted for his part in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.   Dylann Roof, who shot and killed nine parishioners at a church in Charleston, SC. In 2015. They’ve been there for several years, now.  You wonder what they talk about.

60% of Americans are in favor of the death penalty.  Others, like the Sisters of Providence oppose it, and will stage a protest.  I guess I’d be against something like a beheading, hanging, or crucifixion.  But lethal injection sounds tolerable.  And if someone in my family were one of their victims, I think it would seem right and just.