The Mann I Know Now

Happy Anniversary Word to the Masses!!


One year ago this week, Leroy Elwood Mann, aka ‘Lump’ launched the Word to the Masses blog.  He asked me to write the inaugural post entitled, “The Mann I Knew.” Leroy didn’t know what to expect when the blog was started, but he knew he wanted a platform from which he could share his expression.  Since the launch of the blog, thousands of people from all over the world including countries as far away as New Zealand, China and Russia have visited the blog.

When I wrote ‘The Mann I Knew,’ I pulled from my childhood memories of the boy I knew growing up.  It wasn’t until I witnessed the depth of his expression that I realized the Mann he had become.  You see, Leroy isn’t an angry prisoner raging against the system while proclaiming his innocence.  His priority is to educate the masses about life on death row, the impact of the death penalty and the injustice in the system that administers it.  Over the past year I have learned a tremendous amount about the system, the Masses and myself through his writing.

I came into this journey pretty confident that there were still situations where the death penalty was warranted.  My exact words were, “Don’t get me wrong, I still support it in the right situation…at least for now.” A year later, I no longer support the death penalty for several reasons.  First the system in the United States is undeniably broken. Death sentences are handed down arbitrarily and not in a fair manner with the assistance of corrupt judges, district attorneys, crime labs and misinformed jurors. 

Since 1976 when the death penalty was reinstated, more than 82 people have been released from death row because they were wrongfully convicted.  That’s approximately 1 death row prisoner released for every 7 executed.  The death penalty clearly doesn’t deter crime and it is 4 times more expensive for taxpayers than a life in prison sentence.  But, most importantly, I think killing in any form is wrong and its worse when it’s done systematically by a nation that claims to be built on Christian values.

Leroy’s goal was to take his message to the Masses and to spark a debate.  He has been successful in igniting conversations from those in support of the death penalty, those against it, as well as those who still sit on the fence.  Regardless of the views of the participants, Leroy seeks first to understand, then to educate, but ultimately to respect the opinions of the contributors and to keep the lines of communication open.

Over the past year Leroy has introduced us to the humanity living on death row, while providing opportunities for others within the box to express themselves to the masses.  He has encouraged all of us to live life to the fullest and reminded us of all we have to be grateful for.  The underlying currents throughout his expression have been love and redemption.  The love he has for his family is eternal and, the support they provide sustains and encourages him. 

I’m expecting the next year of Word to the Masses to be even more enlightening than the first, as Leroy matures as a writer and the landscape of the death penalty debate continues to change.  I can’t express how proud I am of what Leroy has accomplished in a year’s time.  Please join me in congratulating him on a job well done.  I look forward to the next year and I hope you will continue to tune into Word to the Masses.

Congratulations Lump

Friends for Life,

Rochelle