Hotep,
This second
installment of “Voices from the Row,” has been in the making for quite some
time. This particular writer has been a
part of my minute inner circle since 1999.
The infamous D-block was educational for both of us. Back then, my ideas and concepts were
exclusive to fellow prisoners willing to hear the real.
At 21 years of age, Chino was more than a
youngsta out to get a rep. His focus was
far beyond his years, and his ears were receptive to a Mann with something to
say. Real recognize real. Na mean?
I’ve shared bits and
pieces of Chino’s humanity on posts like, “Grey’s Alter Anatomy” (http://word2themasses.blogspot.com/2010/09/greys-alter-anatomy.html
) and “On the Move Volume 7: Walking the Walk” (http://word2themasses.blogspot.com/2012/04/on-move-volume-7-walking-walk.html
). It would seem like every two years I
find a reason to share something about him with you. So consider this particular expression the
bonus package.
As a long time pillar
of strength in our death row community, Chino will now come to the forefront to
speak his humanity. His words will help
you to understand that capital punishment is not a solution… it’s a commodity.
100,
MannofStat
Copyright © 2014 by Leroy Elwood Mann
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Good Friday is, amongst other things, a time to reflect on
the passion of the Son of God: the epitome of humanity! Last week I was asked to shed light on how
capital punishment has affected my own humanity.
I hail from what is known in North Carolina as
the ‘Port City’ (Wilmington, NC) by way of a little spot known as Danville,
VA. In the year of 1999, I was convicted
of two counts of armed robbery and one count of burglary for which I received
19 – 24 years.
Shortly thereafter, in a separate case/trial, I was nailed
for one count of first-degree murder, one count of first degree kidnapping and
one count of armed robbery. As a result,
I was handed a death sentence that year of which I’m still currently
under.
Truth and my humanity wouldn’t
allow me to plead guilty to any of these accusations; my humanity wouldn’t
allow me to throw another soul beneath the wheels of a southern judicial bus
fueled by corruption and the need, at all cost, to convict.
Over the past 16 years, I’ve experienced the unjust sting of
racism, incompetent defense lawyers, a suspect appellate lawyer, dispirited
family members and the inner workings of a system geared for self benefitting
results by any and all means! But,
you’ve heard all this before, right: the chip-shouldered prisoner, executions
of innocent folk, police/C.O. brutality, prosecutorial cover-ups etc.
My experience sells these days, my life being acted out in
Hollywood; filling the gaps on the local news.
The woes of the ‘convict’ and those en-route to conviction is a
commodity! Which brings me to the hilt
of this here. Capital punishment hasn’t affected
my humanity for humanity is innate.
Capital punishment is a social aberration that affects life
circumstances (wrecks lives), which humanity can correct. I put forth the challenge to actually
exercise humanity instead of talkin’ bout its value!
I close by calling your attention back to the epitome of
humanity. Good Friday centers around the
action taken by an individual against inhumanness: true humanity.
Still Alive,
Chino
Copyright © 2014 by Chino
ReplyDeleteNice I love it. Be Bless and always remember GOD loves you and so do I♡♥♡♥♡♥¤♡♡♥