February 2014 Philadelphia Chapter of Pax Christi U.S.A.
Echoes in Purgatory V, SCI Graterford
A collection of writings by men who are serving a Life Sentence Without Parole [the other death sentence]. Read their words, then listen quietly and you will hear their cry for their God given “Right to Redemption.” …
*These reflections were written in the spring of 2013
Echoes is a continuing effort of CPF and Lifers Inc. to educate the public and our legislators about the injustice of Life without Parole here in PA.
“Serving a life Sentence,” would be hard to explain in a million words with loneliness as your cellmate. The prison routine that goes on 24 hours. The stand-up counts, and the night flashlights that shine in your cell that disturb your already sleepless nights. The constant missing of family, friends, and loves ones, and the many court appeals of denials after filing numerous petitions and commutation papers. Watching family, friends, and loved ones die which is unbearable, but yet we endure without funeral appearances, that is denied. Growing old, but trying to stay safe and healthy, while being a lifer w/o parole, that is leaning toward death for sure “if” not released soon. The visits are good, but after seeing our family and friends leave, heartbroken as we are, then the strip-search, and back to the prison routine over and over, year after year. The paid phone calls, the lousy commissary goods. The governor, legislators, all undecided about parole for lifers, is another setback for hope and prayers, are just a few to mention. God Help Us!! We are all surrounded by prisoners and staff, who make a living off of prisoner’s incarceration, who laugh and joke with us, but in reality, are our enemy. Working tedious jobs with unskilled personnel and prisoners daily. We stand in line for a mere honey bun as the decades go by.
“Lights Out / And Darkness Begun” - The low and unforgiving mercy of Pennsylvania justice. That is what it is like being here at Graterford. Doing a life sentence, you may find yourself crying out to your God for Help! Because as it is here in Pennsylvania, that maybe the only thing you may receive is God’s Help!
“100 Words” (LWOP) 37 ½ years in prison. I can’t be free again in a country I love. I was a paratrooper in the 82nd airborne. Our patch (AA) means All-American. “Silver wings upon my chest” means “I’m one of America’s best!” I actually feel like one of America’s dead. We fight for freedom, justice and the American way. In another state your free again if you better yourself and want to be a decent human. We are always denied in PA, no matter what! For now I live through the life
of others. God Forgive us – Please …
As I sit here and wonder what to write about “Echoes in Purgatory,” a memory comes to mind. I had a visit from my mother, who comes to see me often. She asked me on this particular visit (about 27 years ago), “Son, are you ever coming home
before I’m dead?” My mouth dropped open. I couldn’t respond because ever since I’ve been here at Graterford, I’ve told her each time she visits me, “Something will happen soon.” I’ve never lied to my mother. Each time she visits, this plays in the back of my mind. Maybe she knew something I didn’t all along. That is, there’s no second chances in Pennsylvania. Life Means Life!
The truth must be told! Being a lifer behind prison walls is a heavy penalty of pain with torture. Life in prison is a living hell, being sentenced to life is truly a sentence of life to death! Where is this liberty with justice for all?
If you would like to comment or respond to any of the above reflections, the envelope needs to include: the man’s name, number,
P.O. Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426
America, December 2, 2013 -- Margot Patterson --
http://americamagazine.org/issue/criminal-injustice
If there is one cause in this country that Christians should take up, it is reforming the U.S. criminal justice system…. the U.S. justice system is frequently not just, and it is certainly not Christian. …
What many people do not know is that even as crime rates have been going down in this country, life sentences have been going up. Since 1984, the number of people serving life in prison has quadrupled to over 159,000, with nearly 50,000 people serving life terms without possibility of parole. More than 10,000 of all lifers were convicted of crimes committed before the age of 18; one in four of these young offenders received a sentence of life without parole. In the past four years alone, there has been a 22.2 percent increase in these sentences … Life without parole is not reserved only for murder. …
