May 1, 2008

Dear Sis~
You gotta forgive me if I'm repeating myself 'cuz I don't recall whether I've already written you re this. At any rate, we now have four guys here with execution dates: Larry "Bill" Elliott on May 13th; Kevin Green on May 23rd (I think); Percy on June 10th and Edward Bell on July 29th (approximately). Now, Elliott's is a "fake date" inasmuch as there's no danger of him actually being executed on May 13. The State signed his death warrant in order to force him into Federal court, forcing him to file his Federal habeas corpus petition. As for Percy, his "18 month stay of execution" given by Gov. Kaine is up on June 8, and unless Kaine takes action and commutes his sentence based on his unequivocal insanity, Percy will be executed. I believe Kaine will commute his sentence, as he should, but nothing is a given. There is a high probability that Kevin will be executed in 3 weeks, and the same goes for Bell in July (although Bell still has a certiorari petition pending before the US Supreme Court, which provides him some hope, however ephemeral that might be). It still remains to be seen how the recent Baze decision by the US Supreme Court will actually play out in Virginia and other states. Having read the 92-page decision re lethal injection I can tell you that it wasn't as cut and dried as the media implied. The court left a lot of room for the different courts in different states to reach different conclusions, although, as a practical matter (especially in Virginia which dearly loves its death penalty) I don't see too many states holding up their executions much longer. In Texas, Virginia and especially the other southern states, including Florida, the gears of the machinery of death are grinding onward without much of a hiccup. If Virginia kills Kevin in 3 weeks, well, then it's clear sailing for everyone else here on the road to the execution chamber...
Four days ago they moved me to a different cell (they moved 7 or 8 of us) so they could paint the filthy, burned-out cells we vacated. The ones we moved into had just been painted so at least now I'm in a clean cell. Looking out my cell window last night, around 1:30 am, I spotted a mother possum, with 4 babies trailing behind her, out front, digging through the big plastic trash bins, snacking on the scraps of food. That's what passes for excitement here! Still, I watched the critters for 20 minutes, until they waddled away, glad to be able to see wild and free creatures at close range (not exactly the plains of Serengeti, but I take what I can get)...
That's it for now, Sis. Give yourself a hug for me!
Love, Bill

May 1, 2008

April 20, 2008

Dear Sis~
As you've surely heard, the US Supreme Court recently handed down its decision in the Baze case, re the constitutionality of the lethal injection procedures and protocols utilized by the various states. The decision was actually more nuanced than the media reports implied, and it was a plurality opinion, not a majority, which has certain legal implications. Still, it definitely allows the states to resume executions which most will likely do, especially Texas and Virginia (here in Virginia we have 3 guys lined up ready to go). Mildly interesting is that Justice Stevens, in the Baze decision, stated that capital punishment in its entirety should be junked. Historically, every 7-10 years one of the Justices will throw in the towel and declare that he no longer believes in the death penalty, but he invariably takes this position just after retirement, or as he's going out the door. At his age, Stevens has one foot out the door already. Just once, I'd like one of these Justices take a strong anti-death penalty stance at a time when it counts. Anyway, reading this Baze decision is disconcerting and depressing when you realize that what are supposed to be the nation's finest legal minds are arguing over the best way to kill people ...
I don't recall if I told you that one of my short stories (an older one which I submitted on a whim) won third place in the 2008 PEN American Prison Writing Contest. I have not written any new fiction in several years, having gotten burned out and discouraged, combined with being especially busy with legal work. But I intend to get back to writing again this year; I've still got some good work left inside of me...
Well, the news is coming on so I'll sign off for now. Give the doggies a hug for me!
Love, Bill

April 9, 2008

Dear Sis~
I just finished reading a very moving true story in my May issue of Esquire magazine. The story, The Things That Carried Him, by Chris Jones, details the death and burial of Army Staff Sergeant Joe Montgomery, killed in Iraq last year. It's a powerfully written piece, sad and poignant, impossible to read without crying, and a graphic reminder of why I hate war (and the Iraqi war in particular) and the spineless, deceitful politicians who so blithely and cynically throw away the lives of our soldiers. Here are two laws which, if passed, would put an end to unnecessary wars in this country: (1) a requirement that any war must be accompanied by an immediate $1.00 per gallon gasoline tax increase in order to pay the costs of war (to better make the average citizen share in the sacrifice) and (2) that the adult children of every politician voting for war must serve on the battlefield. I know that's a fantasy, but in an ideal world that's how it would be...
I'm in the middle of a bunch of legal work, a particular project for which it's difficult for me to generate much enthusiasm, but I must give it the old college try so I'm going to close this up and get back to work. I'll see ya soon in the visiting park!
Love, Bill

March 30, 2008

Dear Sis~
I read an interesting essay in the March 31st issue of The New Yorker regarding the general decline and demise of the newspaper industry, whose old-school business model cannot compete with the Internet, combined with CraigsList (which offers free classified advertising, while paid classified advertising is the bread-and-butter economic foundation of the conventional newspaper business model). It's a little more complicated than simple economics, but the severe decline is indisputable and possibly irreversible. It's sad to see the old-fashioned ink-and-paper newspapers go the way of the dinosaur, but it's a lesson in economic evolution: those who cannot change and adapt will perish. Mostly the essay is focused on the Internet, and the rise of blogging. But getting back to physical newspapers like say, The Miami Herald, it occurs to me that one way to keep such a newspaper alive (with fully staffed editorial and investigative departments, unlike the skeleton staffs the papers are now resorting to, like cannibalizing their young) would be to transform it into a non-profit public trust. Once the pure profit motive disappears the paper would be free to concentrate on delivering the best quality news possible. I believe there is a Florida newspaper that already does something like that, maybe it's The St. Petersburg Times, if memory serves me correct. That may be the wave of the future. But, only those cities blessed with some wealthy patron(s) will then have newspapers. It would take a serious knot of cash to buy the paper, then place enough money into an investment trust which would then generate enough income to pay the considerable annual overhead of running the paper. That kind of money could come from a single wealthy person, or maybe a small consortium, which then begs the question of bias by the donor, whether the newspaper will be reasonably objective or just be a tool to promote his particular views. Can you imagine the only newspaper in a major city, say The Chicago Tribune, owned and operated by Rush Limbaugh? Another possibility would be to appeal to the general public, sell millions of "shares" to civic-minded citizens, much the same way the Green Bay Packers team is owned not by your typical wealthy NFL owner, but instead is owned by the citizens of Green Bay, Wisconsin (a business model unique in the NFL). Of course, I cannot simply go online...I instead relish my evening ritual of receiving my daily USA Today at mail call and devouring every article and story. It will be a very sad day when the last major city paper-and-ink newspaper is published...
Ok, enough rambling from me!
Light and Love, Bill

March 19, 2008

Tomorrow is the spring equinox, a time of renewal, with Easter Sunday right behind it. It's hard to believe that this year is about to enter the second quarter. The older I get the faster the years fly by, a commonly shared observation I know, but curious nonetheless...
About 10 days ago when I was out in the rec cages, we saw a dozen deer just outside the fences, along the edge of the woods; they were totally unafraid, just grazing on the long grass, unconcerned with us prisoners in our cages as we watched them mosey along. They were young deer (certainly small ones, as whitetails go) and rather frisky, occasionally kicking up their heels and skipping around, happy to be alive under a gloriously blue sky and radiant sun. Two young bucks squared off with each other, rearing up on their hind feet and briefly battering each other with their front hoofs. All of us stood silently, raptly watching this rare & unexpected display of nature, until the deer finally trotted off, leaping one by one over a low wire fence behind a guard tower disappearing back into the woods. These deer were smart enough to know that they were in no danger, even with humans just 100 feet away, that this was safe territory (being state property they are not at risk of being hunted here). Now each November, when deer season opens, I hear the dogs baying and the guns booming not far off, just over the tree lines, every day for weeks on end, yet the deer somehow know that they are safe if they stay right up against the prison grounds. Our deer never appear skittish even when the guns are banging a few hundred yards away...
Today, all the news programs marked the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq and President Bush gave a speech where he confidently declared that the war had been a great success and that he'd do it all over again if he was given a chance. He specifically said that "the sacrifices have been worth it," said by man who does not know the meaning of sacrifice. (you can bet none of his friends or family are dying in Iraq). This is the same president who announced that America is not in a recession. ("It's just a rough patch") and that the government has "a strong dollar policy". It's sad how clueless our fearless leader is.
Tonight I received notice that one of my short stories, The Man From Far Away won third place (short fiction category) in the 2008 PEN Prison Writing Contest. I usually enter a story in this contest (I've won before, a couple of times in past years). The PEN American Center is a prestigious association of well-known writers and poets and one of the neat benefits of winning is that they allow you to participate in a mentoring program where an established writer/author will critique some of your work. Some of these writers/playwrights/poets are very famous and it's a unique opportunity to have one of them give you advice & critique your writing...well, time to go, Sis. Give the doggies a hug for me!
Love, Bill

March 10, 2008

Dear Sis~
I guess I was guilty of excessiuve hubris when I assumed that Obama would win either the Texas or Ohio primary and would thus effectively sew up the Democratic nomination. Clearly I underestimated Hillary's ability to successfully fight and claw her way back from the brink of defeat. Now it looks inevitable that this battle will go all the way to the August convention, with Hillary & Obama attacking each other all the way, while John McCain sits on the sidelines smiling like the Cheshire Cat, looking presidential. This internecine warfare will be mutually destructive and may implode the Democrats' chance to win the White House if their eventual nominee comes out of a brokered convention with all the hallmarks of a back-room deal (especially if Hillary gets the nod over Obama if Obama enters the convention with the lead in delegates, which is a virtual certainty). This general election shopuld be the Democrats to win, but they may well snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. At least McCain is a decent and honorable man, with common sense and integrity, so if he prevails, it won't be a total disaster...
Gold closed at $980 an ounce last week, up 17% since January 1st. Platinum closed at $2,240 (up 48% since Jan 1st), while silver closed at $21 (up 38%) Virtually all commodities are up double digits (petroleum, copper, wheat aluminum, coffee, etc...) which will only continue the rest of the year. I think gold has the most upside, though, as an investment vehicle. I expect it to hit $1,000 an ounce very soon, and to be at $1,500 to $2,000 by years end. Gold has different dynamics than silver and platinum (i.e., it responds to different market forces) and an investor can buy into it easily by purchasing a gold ETF (Exchange Traded Fund), which trades like a stock on the stock market. I know there are also silver ETF's and probably a platinum-based ETF. Anyway, normally I'd never recommend investing in gold (it is terribly volatile) but the economy is in a very unique situation now (recession, inflation, stagflation) which makes gold a good bet for substantial gains. If I had a big chunk of money to invest, I'd put it all into gold. Another big reason for the rise in gold is because of the falling dollar. Gold, like petroleum, is priced in US dollars, so as the dollar falls, gold must rise (as must petroleum, which closed at a record $107.20 a barrel today). A bet on gold is a bet against the dollar, and unfortunately, a bet against the dollar is a safe bet. The dollar has been sinking like a rock for over a year and will continue to do so for some time to come due to the fundamental weaknesses in our economy and our fiscal/economic policies. Our economy is going to get a lot worse before it improves, believe that. (Preisdent Bush is about the only American who still believes we are not in a recession. Hell, we were in a recession back in December). So, if you hit the lottery or fall into an inheritance, my recommendation is to put it into gold!
Love, Bill

February 29th Leap Day

Dear Sis~
Here it is, Leap Day (oh boy, an extra day on death row!) and we're one day closer to the March 4th Democratic primaries in Texas and Ohio which, I believe, will mark the de facto end of Hillary Clinton's campaign to become the first female president, and the beginning of Barack Obama's fight to become the first black president. A lot can happen between now and November, but my money is on Obama over John McCain. McCain is a good and honorable man, but his time has come and gone; his time was eight years ago when Bush beat him out for the Republican nomination. The country in hungry for real, substantive change, away from the same-old-same-old, the status quo, and only Obama offers that. There will be a significant Democratic majority in both the senate and the house after the upcoming election, allowing Obama to push through the legislation necessary to bring about those changes. One thing this country needs to address is its addiction to incarcerating its citizens at the highest rate in the world. In today's USA Today is an article announcing that the "ratio of Americans behind bars tops 1 in 100." There are now 2.3 million American adults in jail or prison, "documenting the nation's rank as the world's No. 1 incarcerator." This is a trend that's been gaining speed for the last 30 years, with no end in sight. Americans (through their legislators) believe that prison time (and lots of it) is the answer to everything. It's like we have zero imagination (not to mention compassion or understanding) when it comes to addressing crime. Incarceration has become an incredibly huge and profitable business in America (the entire "criminal justice system" is big business in America, from the beginning (the police, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and jails) to the end (the construction and staffing of many, many prisons). We spent 49 Billion dollars on jails and prisons alone last year, which is serious money, and which creates a need to perpetuate itself. It's basic economics...
Alright, Sis, I'm going to hit the hay. Give the doggies a tummy rub for me!
Love, Bill

February 20, 2008

Dear Sis~
Just before 10:00 pm tonight I was standing on my bunk, posted up in my narrow, horizontal slit window, trying to catch the rare, full lunar eclipse, which was supposed to be preceded by a blood-red moon. The eclipse was supposed to last about 30 minutes but I never got to see it, either due to excessive cloud cover or, more likely, I simply could not view the moon from the narrow field of view offered by my window. At any rate, all I saw was a noticeable darkening of the night sky, as well as one of the prison's feral cats creeping across the yard to investigate some trash bins. I enjoy watching the night sky from my window, but due to the glare of the high-intensity fence lights, I can't do any real star gazing. Sometimes I catch the full or partial moon, sometimes I could see Venus or a particularly bright star, but more often, late at night, all I see is an occasional skunk, possum or cat, or some of the rats that race along the foundation walls. During the warmer months I'll sometimes see, around 2am, some strange-looking ground birds, nervously racing around the yard, silently stabbing their long, thin bills into the ground. I don't know what they're looking for, probably earth worms or crickets. Anyway, that's the extent of my night gazing ... not exactly a wildlife safari! (Somewhere, in the deepest reaches of my mind I'm probably hoping that a UFO will come cruising by and beam me up. That would sure make for an interesting headline when they found my cell empty...)
Obama won the Wisconsin and Hawaii primaries very convincingly yesterday; that's ten in a row Obama has won over Hillary; he's on a real roll and I think he's going to pull this off to become the Democratic nominee, and thereafter become president. (If the Democrats can't win the presidency this time, they can't ever win it. It should be a cake walk given how King George has screwed up our country over the last 7 years).
Love, Bill

Valentine's Day

Dear Sis~
Valentine's Day in the joint...now there's a bummer. I received the neat pics of the doggies; I like the one of Natasha "pointing" out in the yard (she's probably tracking a grasshopper) and the one of Harley lollygaggaing on your bed-he's a real ham. You've got two, good looking dogs for sure & they're obviously great pals now. I can't identify the purple flower on a tall stalk, the stalk looks sort of like a small banana plant; is that some kind of lilly? Anyway, it's beautiful, it looks tropical so I'm sort of surprised to see it in your back yard.
Well, the so-called "Potomac Primaries" are over and Barack Obama swept all three of them. I'm beginning to believe he's actually going to pul this off & win the Democratic nomination. Hillary has now gone all-in, especially betting everything on the Texas and Ohio primaries in a few weeks. If she loses those to Barack, I think she's through dealing. In fact, if she even loses one of those two, she'll be in serious trouble. I've been routing for Obama from the beginning, even if he's a little long on rhetoric and short on details, but I doubted his ability to defeat the Clinton machine. That machine is now proving to be vulnerable and Obama has the momentum (never underestimate the importance of momentum in politics, which depends on the heart more than the intellect). If Obama is the Democratic nominee, he'll be our next president. I, for one, welcome some serious change ...
Last week the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that execution by the electric chair was unconstitutional (i.e., cruel and unusual punishment). You may recall that, of the 37 states with capital punishment, Nebraska was the only one that stuck with the electric chair as a "back-up method" which the condemned prisoner can voluntarily choose over lethal injection. This puts Nebraska in a real quandry: they now have no legal means of execution. I doubt they'll rush to pass a law imposing lethal injection, given the constitutional debate going on over that form of execution. The US Supreme Court will rule in a few months on the constitutionality of the lethal injection procedures. Anyway, all this is just another reminder of the unseemliness of "tinkering with the machinery of death" as one ex-Supreme Court Justice once described it, as he announced he no longer believed in capital punishment (unfortunately, he waited until he retired from the bench before reaching that conclusion). Hopefully, one day enough Americans will become tired of figuring out ways to kill people.
Light & Love,
Bill

February 5, 2008

Dear Sis~
The Chinese New Year is upon us; this is either the year of the Pig or the year of the Rat, I forget which, though I don't see either one as being particularly auspicious ...
As you can see from the enclosed confirmation letter, one of my short stories, Fake Identity, will be published in a book-length anthology of short stories, all written by prisoners from around the country. The book will be titled: Exiled Voices: Portals of Discovery, and will be published this Spring by the New England College Press, up in New Hampshire. My only remuneration is a couple of copies of the book, which I've asked to be sent to you, but I didn't write this for money anyway. There are some really, really excellent writers being included in this book (I'm familiar with the work of several of them) and hopefully, this book will open some eyes and educate the public to the fact that not all convicts (even most convicts) are mindless, violent brutes, notwithstanding the best efforts of the media to stereotype us as such.
There are so few positive stories coming out of the prisons, but this is one of them... There's a guy here on the row named Morrisette, been here about 7 years. Well, about 2 years ago the Court vacated his death sentence and ordered that a new penalty phase be conducted. Since then, his case has been in slow motion, with the State not being in any hurry to put another death sentence on him. So, for about 2 1/2 years, he's been sitting here on the row even though he is not sentenced to death. (he remains convicted, though). He's about 60 years old, very rarely leaves his cell and is pretty comfortable where he's at. Well, a few weeks ago, the warden started making noise about getting him sent to a regular prison (he has another regular sentence to serve besides his vacated death sentence), even bringing him some papers to sign, which he refused to do. He went into a flurry of activity, calling his lawyers daily to get them to stop his imminent transfer. He's almost in a panic and it struck me as more than a little humorous because, while the rest of us are fighting to get off death row, here is Morrisette, battling like Hell to stay on the row. I've never seen anyone scrap so hard to stay here! (See, he knows he'll be sent to a maximum security joint, probably Red Onion or Wallens Ridge, and he'll be held in solitary under harsh conditions, simply because he's ex-death row. (That's the fate of anyone who gets off the row here, although very few ever do get off in Virginia).
We finally went to outside rec today; we've only been going about once every 5 or 6 days since we moved to this building, even though the rules mandate rec five times per week. Anyway, it was beautiful outside, the sky was clear, very blue and sunny, perhaps 70 degrees. I fed my crows (hot dogs) and sparrows (cornbread); they followed me to our new building (they come when I call them). I enjoyed the day very much, and that counts for a lot; as the cliche' goes, I take it one day at a time & savor each moment above the ground.
Love, Bill

January 22, 2008

Dear Sis~
Last week the Dragon Lady (our warden) forced us to make the "big move" she'd been threatening for the last several months, moving all of us on death row from Building 4 to Building 3 - from clean, well-maintained cells to an ex-solitary confinement cellblock where the cells resemble a bombed out ghetto. I can't adequately convey how filthy and torn up these cells are (mine has endured numerous fires, and while hours of scrubbing got some of the grime off, the ceiling remains black from soot as do the upper walls where I can't reach) but this is what you gotta expect in prison. So I've scrubbed & scrubbed as best I could and settled into my new home. At least my little slit window faces south and I get some good rays from the afternoon sun...
I was just listening to some Johnny Cash on my little radio; I'm not a country music fan, but ever since I was a kid, I've been drawn to Johnny Cash's music (I don't consider him a country western musician anyway). His was a special voice, a special spirit who still speaks to something deep in our hearts. And, while I was saddened by his death I know he's in a good place & he was ready to go. Johnny was a very spiritual and metaphysically sophisticated guy, a very wise soul. The only other musician who speaks to me in that way is Willie Nelson, another old soul. Not surprisingly, Johnny & Willie were great pals and they recorded some first-rate songs together ...
It's past midnight and I'm gonna hit the hay!
Love, Bill

December 24, 2007

Dear Sis~
It's Christmas Eve and I'm feeling expansive, indulging in a lot of end-of-year introspection. The other night I watched The Wizard of Oz for the first time in decades which stirred up some nostalgia. I vividly recall you and me as little kids, back in the early 1960's, intently watching this movie for the first time on our family TV. I was mesmerized and delighted as only a child can be over the seemingly magical tale. It was the first musical I'd ever seen and it broadened my concept of what constituted a movie, as to how a movie could be made, as opposed to more traditional films, and I experienced a modest epiphany, sort of like when you first appreciate the difference between an impressionistic painting and one from the traditional school of realism. Now, sitting here on my bunk, some 45 years later, I was surprised at how well the movie stands the test of time. It's still a great film, a grand story with excellent production values and the colors are just as rich and bright as I recall them. Remember how watching this movie became an annual event as we grew up? And how scary those damn flying monkeys were? When the movie ended I felt a tinge of sadness though, because watching it transported me back to those childhood years of wonder and innocence, before I made so many bad choices in life. Back then, before my fall from grace, my future was still bright, brimming with unfilled potential and everything seemed possible. I'd give anything to recapture that moment, to be able to return to that time and take the right paths instead. But, wouldn't we all? If only life were that simple and we could gain the wisdom and experience without us and others suffering the consequences of our poor judgments. My consolation is the assurance that next time around on Schoolhouse Earth I won't be repeating those mistakes ...
Contemplating the meaning of Christmas, a thought just popped into my mind: in the last 2,000 years, has there ever been a Christmas without a war being waged somewhere on the planet? I don't believe so. Will we live long enough to ever witness a Christmas where the nations of Earth are at peace? Another Christmas is here and, once again, America is occupying a foreign nation, fighting a war far away. Our country is full of self-professing Christians, but many conveniently forget that one of Christ's primary titles is Prince of Peace...
Anyway, Sis, I'm going to close this up on a cheerful note. Give yourself a big hug, and give the doggies a tummy rub for me! Let's dream for the seemingly unattainable: Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward Man.
Love, Bill

Dec 14, 2007 - New Jersey abolished their death penalty!

Dear Sis~
The seagulls are back. Every winter hundreds of these screeching birds invade the prison, wheeling and dive-bombing overhead, crowding onto the yard during the night, hissing, squalling and pecking at each other, fighting over every scrap of food thrown to them by prisoners. Come Spring, they will just as suddenly disappear, vanishing overnight, presumably returning to the coast from which they came. Oddly, this seasonal seagull migration occurs at all prisons (at least every prison I've been at). My guess is that the ubiquitous garbage dumps, present at all prisons, attracts them, a reliable food source when the wintry oceans become less generous. The gulls make it almost impossible for me to feed my crows and sparrows out at rec because they spot the food as soon as it hits the ground and they all swoop down to devour it. Occasionally the crows will fight with them but invariably the mobbing gulls overpower them through sheer force of numbers...
By the time you read this, New Jersey will have abolished their death penalty. Their senate and assembly already voted to do so and Governor Corzine, who is a staunch abolitionist, has stated he will sign it into law. This is the first state to abolish capital punishment in about 40 years. (If my memory is correct the last state was Kansas, but after about 20 years or so, they reinstated it). Anyway, this is a small step in the right direction and hopefully it will embolden other states to do the same. I'm not naive; it is a long and difficult road to total abolition of state-sanctioned murder, but as the old Chinese proverb says, even the longest journey begins with the first step...
It's 11:30 am and I was just gazing out onto the center of the compound, when I saw two guards sic their 2 German Shepherd attack dogs on an inmate who looked like he weighed 125 pounds. The dogs chewed his ass up while he futilely fought to protect himself. The attack-dog patrols is one of Warden Kelly's "innovations" which is a euphemism for "total waste of taxpayer's money". She has four guards who roam the compound, each with a vicious, half-insane attack dog on a leash, and their purpose(if you can call it that) is to herd the inmates wherever they go, to and from the chow hall, to and from rec, etc... The guards bring up the rear, with these snarling dogs, lunging and straining at their leashes, snapping at every inmate as they walk. The guards seem to enjoy seeing how close they can let the dogs come to the inmates (the dogs are desperately trying to break free and attack, they snarl and bark non-stop, like they are on crack or meth). A couple of times already, they've set the dogs on inmates, including what I just saw. I've never been in any prison where attack dogs roamed the prison, especially for no legitimate purpose. This joint is habitually understaffed (they often have to lock down the prison due to staff shortages), yet they waste 4 guards on this ridiculous dog-duty, because this warden wants to pretend she is running some kind of notorious, maximum security, Alcatraz-type joint (in reality, this prison is soft as cotton...this warden has never seen a real hard core joint)... Gotta go, Sis!
Love, Bill

December 2, 2007

Dear Sis~
I'm sitting on my bunk as midnight approaches, listening to a Vivaldi concerto on my little CD player. I remember how I hated classical music as a kid, didn't understand how anyone could enjoy it, but as the decades went by, at some unknown point, I found myself inexplicably drawn to it, listening to it, appreciating its beauty, until now I don't understand how I ever disliked it. I guess it's just an age thing, a matter of maturity, that one day all kids are destined to come to enjoy "old folks' music". Anyway, I enjoyed our visit today; I'm not sure why we got 1 1/2 hours today, whether it was just luck, or because I said something to the lieutenant. Yesterday, the same crew restricted another guy's visit to one hour (his wife came from New York). And as I told you, I just got a response to my grievance about the new policy of giving us only one hour to visit and that response was "Per policy you are only allowed a one hour visit." This is factually incorrect since the Death Row rulebook specifically says "Visits may be limited to sixty minutes." The operative word is "may." It does not say "shall" or "must" or "will". The word "may" indicates the existence of discretion, indicating that while it may be limited to one hour, it does not have to be. Up until 3 weeks ago we got 1 1/2 hours, just like open population, and there was no reason for this sudden reduction. For that matter, up until a year ago we routinely got to visit for 3-5 hours per visit. Ever since Warden Kelly got here she's made it her mission to progressively restrict our visits, for no legitimate reason ...
Well, it's December again and, as I do every year, I marvel at how quickly the year has flown by. I know it's purely subjective, but the older I get the faster the years seem to go by. I think this is an experience common to all of us...
Now, with all these accelerated political primaries we'll know within 60 days who the Democratic and Republican nominees are. I'm pretty jaded to the political process but I don't think it's hyperbole to say that the upcoming election will be pivotal to deciding how this nation will define itself, whether we'll continue in the current disastrous direction, or whether we'll find some political leadership which will provide hope, purpose and common sense. This country desperately needs a sense of optimism to restore its spirit, rather than the fear mongering and hate mongering we've been fed by the greedy, war-loving elements of this administration (abetted by a cowardly congress and a gutless, paralyzed, unimaginative Democratic leadership). We have a lot to answer for to the next generation, starting with what will surely be their most imperious question: How the Hell did you let this happen?
Love, Bill

November 22, 2007-Thanksgiving

Dear Sis~
It's (another) Thanksgiving Day, perhaps my 38th one behind bars. My last one enjoyed in freedom was 1986, and the one before that was 1969. A sad commentary, huh? Anyway, I just finished watching March of the Penguins on the Discovery Channel, a remarkable film, a grand tribute to the vitality of life which reminds us of the wonders of nature, which we are mostly ignorant of and often indifferent to. I'm an optimist by nature and I believe in the inherent ingenuity of mankind, especially when faced with crisis, but yet I still fear for this planet. I really don't know if we are going to win this race (and a part of me wonders if Earth wouldn't be better off without the presence of man)..
By the way, the administration here fired me from my podworker job, in retaliation for me telling the story of Percy's mistreatment. Someone in this administration is reading my blog and they don't like what I wrote! Rather than treat Percy with a little humanity, they'd rather strike at me (kill the messenger!) Percy, with his pathetic, broken mind has languished in that barren cell for ten years now, alone, bewildered, usually naked, devoid of even a scrap of property, inhabiting his own little private slice of insanity, and the only thing the Commonwealth of Virginia wants is desperately to execute him, while the only thing this prison wants is to ignore him. It speaks more about us as a society, than it does about Percy himself. Looking into Percy's cold, empty cell, seeing him naked, huddled in the corner, talking to himself and the unseen voices around him is like holding a mirror up to the commonwealth, reflecting back its soul...
In a rare turn of events (considering how everything here has been going steadily downhill for the last year) we got a grain of good news when the canteen passed out a memo stating that we can now purchase 13" color TV's (at $185, they are actually cheaper than the $210 they've been charging us for these cheap, toy-like black and white TV's). Everyone is excited about this (it doesn't take much to excite people on death row!) and buzzing about what a grand luxury this is. I'll start saving up for one myself, but I'm going to wait awhile & see if the news ones start blowing up. We went through this once before when we went from excellent quality 5" Magnavox to a cheap 5" generic brand; the new ones started breaking down and blowing up almost immediately, until we eventually went to another generic brand. Those who bought the new defective TV's were just out of luck. So for now, I'll start saving my dollars...
A guy on the row received a visit today and was permitted the regular 90 minutes, which conflicts with what Captain Tuell told you and me last week when he limited our visit to 60 minutes and proclaimed that 60 minutes was the new limit for death row visits. I don't know what to make of this but it causes me to wonder of that new limit is just being applied to me. I do know that since yesterday all my 15 phone numbers on my phone list have suddenly been invalidated; I can't get a single call to go through now (everyone else's numbers are working fine) Hmmm...
Alright, Sis, I'm going to hit the hay. I'll see you at our next visit.
Love, Bill

November 11, 2007-Percy getting worse

Dear Sis~
Today is Veteran's Day. I still remember when I was just a child, how every Veteran's Day and each Fourth of July, Dad would get me to help him raise up our American flag on the short flag pole mounted on our front porch. Dad took that very seriously which, in turn, made a firm impression on me...
Here's a little update on Percy's situation, just to better document what occurred. It was the night of October 15th, from 10:30 pm to 11:45 pm, when I cleaned up Percy's cell (cell #7). It was Lieutenant Dudley and Officer Lewis who supervised me and were right there on the spot (they were also the ones who moved Percy from cell #7 to Cell #2). All of this was recorded on video; we have four cameras on the pod and at least two of them were pointed toward cell #7. Many of the death row prisoners stood at their doors and watched all of this. It was Thomas Porter who was next to Percy, in cell #8, who kicked and banged for seven days, demanding to move because the odor from Percy's cell was gagging him. Porter filed numerous "emergency grievances" over that 7-day period, also demanding to move, in which he described Percy's feces-flooded cell (the feces and urine was running out from under Percy's door and into cells #6 and #8). These emergency grievances were all denied and returned to Porter with the notation that "this does not constitute an emergency."
My point is that this entire incident was well-witnessed and well-documented over a period of a week. Well, on Friday afternoon (Oct 19th) I phoned one of Percy's attorneys and told him what was going on with Percy and he promised to get Percy's other attorney, Jenny, to visit Percy on Monday morning. Well, on Monday morning, the guards came on the wing and sprayed the interview room down (where we meet our attorneys) with a citrus-scented disinfectant; then they laid out a clean uniform on the table, sprayed it down, and made Percy put it on. Jenny visited him minutes later, and I later heard that she commented that Percy "smelled like flowers" and thus, she didn't think anything was amiss. I also heard that the prison officials (i.e., Warden Loretta Kelly) had denied that Percy was living in a feces-flooded cell. Apparently, Jenny believed them. She did not look at Percy's cell, did not interview me or anyone else, and did not demand to look at the video, which would prove what I reported. Jenny, who is non-aggressive and non-confrontational by nature, chose to believe the administration's lies and chose not to push the issue. So, nothing has changed with Percy. He's still in a virtual strip cell, alone and bewildered, with nobody in a position of authority who gives a damn about him. The only upside is that Percy is so psychotic and insane that he does not understand how terribly he's being treated. To me, the true sad aspect of this is what it says about us as a society, that we treat people like this without any sense of shame and, in the larger picture, how the State, through its attorneys, are so desperately eager and determined to kill Percy, to put him to death despite everyones knowledge that he is absolutely insane. It is a group of attorneys, intelligent men and women, who spent long years in law school, and who now represent the Commonwealth of Virginia, who sit around polished tables and scheme and plot how to kill Percy. I wonder if any of them pause to ask themselves "Is this really what I went to Law School for?"
Love, Bill

November 7, 2007-D.C. Sniper burns cell

Dear Sis~
I was just sitting down to write you a letter when I smelled smoke. When I went to my door to investigate I saw a cloud of billowing smoke surrounding cell #22, along with the orange flicker of flames (it was 11pm and the lights were off on the pod, making the fire easily visible). John Muhammad (aka the D.C Sniper) lives in that cell and he'd clearly set his entire cell on fire. Then the fire alarm went off and the red strobe lights started flashing. About that time, the guards started streaming in, milling around his cell door, shouting his name, peering inside the dark cell. Eventually, there were 14 officers there in a Keystone Cops-like state of confusion and panic, some carrying fire extinguishers, one wielding a video camera, another holding the electric stun/shock shield. Nobody wanted to open his cell door, fearing an ambush. Meanwhile, the thick smoke kept billowing up toward the ceiling. After watching this for 13 or 14 minutes I was certain that Muhammad was dead. (I've seen guys die in their flaming cells under similar smokey circumstances). After 17 minutes (I was timing it) they finally opened his door, sprayed the fire extinguishers inside and pulled Mohammad out of his cell. Surprisingly, Muhammad was conscious and able to walk. He had wrapped himself in a wet sheet, like a mummy, and clearly he'd had his face pressed to the air vent in the back of his cell (the vent near the floor forces air into the cell, while the vent near the ceiling extracts air). So, whatever his motivation was in setting the fire, it clearly was not suicide. (Had he not taken protective measures he absolutely would have died from smoke inhalation). By this time the entire cellblock/pod was filled with smoke and we were all choking. I wrapped a wet towel around my head and stayed near my vent. Meanwhile, all Mohammad's property and paperwork, his clothes, sheets, pillow, mattress, etc. was pushed and pulled out onto the pod by guards wielding brooms and sticks, where it burned and smoked in a big smoldering heap...So, that's how I spent the last hour, watching this comedy of errors, with a damp towel wrapped around my head, thankful that Mohammad was incapable of engineering a more substantial fire or else we might all have suffocated (clearly, the guards would never open all our cells; we'd just die in here, as has happened in other prisons and jails in the past). I hope your night was better than mine!
Love, Bill

Sunday Nov 4th ~ A note from Bill's sister

Dear Readers~
The following post is an article written about Percy Levar Walton whom Bill wrote of in his last entry of October 21st. I have sent Bill's blog entry on Percy to the Governor of Virginia, the local news stations (TV and radio) and Amnesty International (Washington DC). When I visit Bill today, I'll get the name of Percy's attortneys to send them a copy as well. This poor man needs help and can't speak for himself.

Percy Walton - Mental Illness - the International Justice Project

Percy Walton - Mental Illness - the International Justice Project

October 21, 2007 - Percy Needs Help!

Dear Sis~
As you know, I'm one of the eight "pod workers" on the row and I'm called upon to clean empty cells, or scrub the showers, or sweep and mop the cellblock floors. So I wasn't particularly surprised when, late last Monday night, a lieutenant appeared at my door, told me they were moving Percy (aka "Crazy Horse") to another cell, and that they needed me to clean up his old cell. I've cleaned up Percy's old cells before and they are really rank; Percy stinks like you would not believe. He very rarely showers and his clothes are always filthy rags. Percy is oblivious to his condition but his funk is so powerful that, out on the rec yards, you can smell him twenty feet away, and if the wind is in your face you'll occasionally gag. Anyway, I thought I was mentally prepared to clean Percy's cell, but I became suspicious when the lieutenant brought me a pair of knee-length rubber galoshes, a plastic apron, a mask, and a pair of long rubber gloves. When I got downstairs I saw the big trash barrel in front of Percy's empty cell, along with several red plastic bio-hazzard bags, a mop and bucket, and the large industrial vacuum cleaner (like a big shop vac) that we use to vacuum up the water when a guy floods out his cell. I was still several cells away when the odor punched me in the face. When I looked into Percy's cell the entire floor was covered in about 2 inches of raw sewage. I don't mean mostly toilet water with a little feces, I mean pure raw sewage sludge. The sink was full of sewage, the bare steel bunk was smeared with sewage and the clogged toilet was overflowed with sewage and toilet paper. It was horrible. If you can imagine taking two full Port-O-Potties and dumping them into a cell you can picture what I was facing. The stench was overpowering and I fought not to vomit. That's when I learned that Percy had been locked in that air-tight cell like that for the last 5-6 days (i.e., his toilet was clogged and overflowing for the last 5-6 days). How a human being could survive (much less not be driven insane) in a suffocating cell like that is beyond me. Of course, Percy is already insane so those conditions could not drive him over the edge. I spent 1 1/2 hours in there; I vacuumed out 2 full shop vac containers full of shit and piss (at least 10 gallons per shop vac container, or 20 gallons total) and I sprayed disinfectant everywhere. The more I worked, the angrier I got as I realized that Percy had been in that cell for at least 5 days (maybe 7 days) and that all the guards and other prison officials had just ignored it, walking past his cell each day, like nothing was amiss. The guy next to Percy had been yelling and banging for 5+ days, demanding to move, to get away from the gagging odor, to no avail. And, when they finally moved Percy, who was covered in shit, they did not put him into the shower, or give him clean clothes, they simply put him into a different cell. He's in cell #2 now, alone and virtually naked (no property, just his shit-covered clothes), totally clueless as usual. And now they have his toilet cut off, along with his sink water, and my neighbor tells me he's begging for water to drink all day long, but nobody gives him any. For the next 5 days after his move, Percy did not go to rec (he always goes to rec) until Friday, when he finally went, and I was shocked at his appearance. Percy always looks bad, but on Friday he looked terribly gaunt, his eyes were sunken and wild, and he was uncharacteristically quiet and sluggish. When he got outside he just slumped to the concrete, laid down, and remained there for the 2-3 hours we were out there (usually he paces, or hops around, while talking to himself). To be honest, he looked like he was dying. I fear for his life, and certainly for his health. Prison officials here are absolutely and totally indifferent to his condition, and it's criminal. If you kept an animal in those conditions you'd go to jail, and deservedly so. I've seen a lot of bad stuff in my decades in prison but that was the worst I've ever seen a prisoner treated (other than outright beatings). It was, and is, a very sad situation; I can't even imagine how Percy's already broken mind processes such things, or if somewhere under the depths of his madness he grasps how cruelly he is being treated. He needs to be in a hospital where someone, somewhere, can have some mercy on him...
Light & Love,
Bill

Oct. 17, 2007 Emmett Returns!

Dear Sis~
Around 5pm today, just four hours before Emmett's scheduled execution, the US Supreme Court granted him a stay of execution until they issue a ruling in that Kentucky case which they granted certiorari review to back on Sept 25th. So, Emmett has at least another 5-6 months to live (I estimate the Court will hand down a decision in the Kentucky case around March or April; oral arguments are now scheduled for January 7th). By granting this stay, the US Supreme Court has effectively signaled the states that a moratorium now exists until they hand down their decision in the Kentucky case. Remember, they also granted a stay in a Texas case 3 weeks ago. This does not mean that some stubborn states and/or governors won't continue to sign some death warrants, but the Supreme Court is telling them that they really shouldn't, and if they do it anyway and the prisoner brings that lethal injection issue to them (the Supreme Court), the Court will grant a stay. Some guys may still be executed because some prisoners are "volunteers" (i.e., they've given up all appeals) while others may not even be raising this issue. But, essentially, there is now a de facto moratorium and Emmett will live to see another Christmas, another New Year, and perhaps another Easter.
Love & Peace,
Bill

Emmett to Greensville-Oct 11, 2007

Dear Sis~
They came and took Emmett away today, back to the death house at Greensville for his scheduled October 17, 2007 execution. You may recall that Emmett (Christopher Scott Emmett) was within 3 hours of execution four months ago when Gov. Tim Kaine unexpectedly gave him a "temporary" four-month stay to enable him to pursue certain last-minute legal remedies challenging the lethal injection process. Well, now his time is up and he's back at Greensville. He lost his legal challenges but, in the interim, just 16 day ago, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear the certiorari petition in a Kentucky case (2 consolidated Kentucky cases, actually) raising the same issue (the constitutionality of the drugs & protocols used in the lethal injection process). In the wake of the US Supreme Court's action a number of courts and governors in several different states (even Texas, surprisingly) have granted stays of execution for prisoners on the eve of their executions. So, right now Emmett has two last chances; either the US Supreme Court may grant him a stay of execution, or failing that, Governor Kaine may (or may not) grant him a stay. Ethically/morally/objectively Emmett should get a stay since the issue he's raising is the exact same issue the Supreme Court will be ruling on in the Kentucky case (oral arguments are set for January 7th, and they'll probably issue a ruling in April or May). But it's no guarantee; in fact it is totally arbitrary. Between now and April/May, some guys will get stays and others will be executed, depending on the particular judges and governors they have. The Supreme Court could (and should) settle this by simply stating that there should be no more executions until they rule on the Kentucky case, but so far, the Court has shown no inclination to do so... Here's a true-life example of how arbitrary and cold-blooded the legal process can be: On Sept 25th, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear the Kentucky case. That same day a prisoner in Texas named Michael Richard was scheduled to die that night and his lawyers were scrambling to file an appellate brief (asking for a stay in light of the Supreme Court's decision to review the Kentucky case) in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. But, his lawyers had a computer crash and could not prepare the brief before the Clerk of the Court closed at 5:00pm. They called the clerk and begged him to stay open for 15 more minutes so they could file the brief but the clerk refused. So, the lawyers had to go to the US Supreme Court without a court ruling from the Texas courts. The Supreme Court refused to grant a stay and Richard was executed that night. 48 hours later, in another Texas case, Carlton Turner asked the US Supreme Court for a stay (again based upon the Kentucky case). This time, the US Supreme Court granted a stay, on Sept 27th. So, two guys with the exact same issue, yet one lives while the other dies. (all because of a computer crash which prevented his lawyers from filing a brief in time). That typifies the arbitrary and capricious nature of America's capitol punishment process.
Light & Love,
Bill

October 4, 2007

Dear Sis~
You may have heard that last week the US Supreme Court granted certiorari review in a pair of Kentucky death row cases in order to resolve the constitutionality of the lethal injection procedures. The reality is that the court's decision will apply across the country because all the 34 states which use lethal injection (Nebraska still uses the electric chair exclusively) use the same drugs and protocols. This decision will settle the issue once and for all, at least as far as any federal constitutional challenges go; it's possible a particular state could hold that the lethal injection process violates that state's own state constitution. This whole lethal injection claim is not one of my favorite issues since you are not challenging the state's right to kill you, you are just saying "you can't kill me that way, with those particular drugs." All the state has to do is alter the drugs and change the protocols a little bit in order to satisfy the objections. Then it's back to killing people, business as usual. Personally, I don't believe the Supreme Court will rule the process unconstitutional. I think they accepted the case in order to uphold the drugs and the process and thus put an end to all this litigation, which has achieved varying degrees of success in different states. Anyway, other states, including blood-thirsty Texas, are now granting stays of execution for guys who are scheduled to die soon, based upon the Supreme Court's decision to rule on this issue. So, if nothing else, it is saving a lot of guys' lives (and may well save Christopher Scott Emmett, who is scheduled to die here in Virginia on October 17th), even if it's just for another 4 or 5 months ...
Check this out; some time back, before the botched Diaz execution in Florida 10 months ago, the Department of Corrections' own lead attorney secretly advised the Florida DOC to start using an electric monitoring device (called a "bispectral index monitor") in order to be sure the condemned prisoner is actually unconscious before the third & final (and very painfulo) drug is administered. Well, the DOC rejected this idea in favor of their own "new protocol", which consists of the following (according to the DOC spokesman, as reported in the St. Petersburg Times): "This new protocol requires a warden from another prison to attend the execution and check the consciousness of the inmate. 'The warden will call out the name of the inmate, shake him and touch his eyelids, looking for reflexes', she said." Yeah, that's right, we don't need no stinking new-fangled machines! We'll just get Jasper to come in and holler at the inmate, and poke him! That's as sophisticated as it gets in Florida (of course right after that, they botched the Diaz execution, just as Diaz's lawyers has predicted. Nevertheless, the DOC still maintains that the bipsectral index monitor is "totally unnecessary", and that their "new protocol" is sufficient ...
Give the dog (or dogs, if you got the new one) a hug for me!
Love, Bill

Sept 25, 2007

Dear Sis~
I'm sitting on my bunk watching Ken Burns' PBS documentary called The War, a 10-hour film essay on World War II (from America's perspective, anyway). It's particularly interesting to watch the parts illustrating those battles which Dad fought in. As you know, Dad was in the 82nd Airborne even prior to Pearl Harbor and he jumped and fought at all of the 82nd Airborne's major (and minor) battles, from North Africa to Sicily to Italy to Normandy, to Holland where he lost his leg. These old black and white newsreels often show paratroopers streaming out of their transports, or huddled on their planes prior to jumping, and I often look at those pictures wondering if Dad was in that crowd. Anyway, this is an excellent documentary (as you'd expect from Ken Burns), very sobering and devoid of your typical rah-rah, flag-waving jingoism. It reminds you of the one undeniable truth: War is Hell.
Light & Love,
Bill

Sept 25, 2007

Sept 12, 2007

Dear Sis~
I just received my typed-up draft cert petition, so now I've switched back into legal-beagle mode, diving back into my case to hammer out a revised/edited version. Right off the bat, I've got to chop about 7 pages out (this typed draft came to 42 pages, but the limit is 35). Over and above that, I've got to decide on substantive changes regarding the merits of my issues. Editing at this stage is tough; your natural instinct is to preserve every word, sentence and paragraph as you strive to present your most persuasive arguments - there is no such thing as too much persuasion! But, actually, there is. It's just like editing a novel or short story; the quality of your arguments improve as you winnow out all the redundant words and overly-loquacious reasoning. To obtain that narrow, laser beam-like focus you must cut, cut, cut without regret! Anyway, I've got my work cut out for me for the next week or so.

The other day I was reading the Florida Supreme Court's December 8, 2006 decision in Diaz v. State, a capital case. Diaz was, at the time, under an active death warrant, scheduled to die on December 13, 2006, so this was his final, last-ditch appeal. One of his primary arguments was a challenge to Florida's lethal injection process and his lawyers presented very good arguments supported by a lot of evidence. The Florida Supreme Court rejected all of his claims, essentially saying that Diaz's concerns and fears about how his execution could go horrible wrong were just speculative and unfounded. Well, Diaz was put to death the following week in the now infamous "botched execution" where all the things his lawyers predicted could go wrong came true. It was sort of Kafkaesque reading the Court's opinion, already knowing how the execution ultimately turned out, as the Justices ridiculed Diaz's predictions about how very wrong the process could become, resulting in his very slow, very painful death...

Alright, Sis, I've gotta get back to work. Don't forget to send me a pic of your new dog!

August 29, 2007

Dear Sis~
Just a note to inform you that I finally completed the draft of my cert petition & mailed it off by Priority Mail last night. It's a big relief to get that behind me (although there will be follow-up revisions & editing. But the heavy lifting is done). I'm really exhausted from the last six weeks of work, a surprising amount of mental exhaustion due to the time constraint pressures and having to digest & analyze hundreds of pages of US Supreme Court decisions (often spending hours pouring over 40, 50 pages just to glean a few sentences or a paragraph to plug into the cert petition at a particular spot). My final draft was 57 hand-written pages, which normally converts to about 42, 43 typed pages. However, the limit is 35 pages, so we've got a lot of cutting to do. My deadline for filing is Oct 12th, which leaves us 44 days from today.

Anyway, Sis, I've gotta rest my writing hand for about 48 hours (this is common after I've written an appellate brief or cert petition or a really long motion or petition). My hand, after the 7th or 8th day gets like a claw! Sometimes it goes numb, the whole forearm and elbow (like tennis elbow), at which point I have to take a 24 hour break before resuming. I'd give just about anything for a typewriter or word processor. I'll write again after Labor Day!
Love, Bill

Aug 21, 2007

Dear Sis~
I've fallen behind in all my letter writing as I've devoted the last few weeks to cobbling together my cert petition. Tonight I received the big batch of US Supreme Court cases which I've been waiting on to finish up. The cert petition has three separate issues (called "Questions Presented") and I've completed two of them; this last one, which is the first one in the petition, is the most complex and difficult to put together. My game plan is to have the whole thing done and in the mail to my lawyers by next Monday morning. It should be typed up and back in my hands by around Sept 6th or so, at which point I can begin editing it for the final version (as my lawyers will be doing simultaneously). Our deadline for filing is Oct 12th, so I'm in pretty good shape. As with any big project, it will be a huge relief when I wrap it up & mail it off. I've got a stack of about 25 unread magazines sitting next to my bunk which I've had to put aside while I've focused on my legal work, so I'll have plenty of reading to catch up on...
When I explained the problem with your computer's speakers to my neighbor, Bill (he's a fairly sophisticated audiophile) he suggested that it is probably your sound card, which you can remove & replace. You can have it checked out by someone, but of course, that will cost you. He said it could be a number of different things, but his best guess is that it's a fault in your sound card. He also said you can go online & look up what a sound card is (if you're interested in learning about it) and see how it can be removed & replaced (it goes into a slot, I'm told). Anyway, I hope that helps. Otherwise, it's time to call the Geek Squad!
Okay, Sis, I'm going to hit the hay (it's just past midnight now) so I can get up early and get back to work. Tomorrow should prove to be a productive day.
With Love, Bill