The Tiburon Belvedere Rotary Club donated $300 to the Journalism Guild of San Quentin on March 18th, for office supplies and related equipment. The office equipment, specifically Neo Word Processors, will be used by Guild members to write and process newsworthy stories for publication in the San Quentin News and eventually in the Guild’s own publication.
In keeping with a long- standing tradition of aiding and supporting community efforts, Tiburon Belvedere Rotary President Michael Heckmann authorized the $300 donation to the Journalism Guild.
“This is not necessarily a one-time donation from the Rotary Club. More donations may come later on,” said Donald Pino.
Pino is the chief sponsor of the Journalism Guild of San Quentin, as well as a member of the Tiburon-Belvedere Rotary. He solicited the Rotary Club for donations. Pino is also a Bridging instructor in the Education Department at San Quentin.
The Neo Word Processors, which Guild members have been authorized to use by the administration, range in price from $65 to $199 each.
Journalism Guild Chairman Jeff Brooks suggested that the group seek donations and sources of revenue from outside organizations known for their generous support of educational and rehabilitative programs.
So the Journalism Guild will continue to reach out to potential donors, ranging from prison staff to outside organizations, in order to enhance and develop their educational program. According to chairman Brooks, donations being sought may be anything from money, time and journalism training to classroom space and refurbished furniture and equipment.
Archives for April 2009
Appeals Court Rejects Order for Parole Board Revisions
On March 13, 2009, the Sixth District Court of Appeal reversed Judge Condron’s unprecedented order against the state parole board on behalf of five Santa Clara County inmates who committed murder and are seeking parole release.
In a San Jose Superior Court, Judge Condron made a ruling that the Board of Parole Hearings (Board) was violating the constitutional rights of inmates serving potential life terms by issuing typical boilerplate parole rejections of their requests for release.
She supported her findings and order by supportive statistical evidence (2,700 selective board denial decisions) that the Board members were issuing “formulaic” decisions without regarding an inmate’s rehabilitative reform. She concluded her findings on the fact of the Board’s arbitrary and capricious reliance on unchanging circumstances of the nature of the original crime, and not providing specific reasons for the denial.
In addition, Condron ordered revisions to the Board’s procedures and for members to undergo specific training to correct the apparent problems of its “malfunctioning” process of deciding an inmate’s sentence in a term-to-life case.
The Sixth District Court of Appeal’s three-justice panel unanimously found Condron’s incomplete and undetailed evidence for the Board’s reasons to deny inmates with term-to-life sentences unreliable. They found that Condron’s order was wholly unsupported due to a lack of evidence and exceeded the scope of the Board’s arguably capricious policy.
Donald Lewis paroled after serving thirty-years for a 1977 killing. The other four inmates (Arthur Criscione, Viet Ngo, Morris Bragg and Donnell Jameison), who all have twenty plus years incarceration, will most likely continue their appeal. They will argue the Sixth District’s ruling in an effort to correct the complex and dysfunctional problems of the Board, and that they are suitable for parole under a just and timely California Supreme Court ruling on August 21, 2008. (See In re Lawrence, 44 Cal.4th 1181).
California Pays Millions To House Foreign Prisoners
The California budget is burdened by the cost of imprisoning foreign nationals, prompting Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign an executive order March 1, which will mandate turning over foreign national state parolees to the federal government, thus removing them from the state parole system.
FOREIGN NATIONALS
According to Gov. Schwarzenegger’s office, California is housing at least, 10,000 foreign nationals in its prison system. The cost of housing an inmate in a state prison is approximated at near $49,000 per year according to Jeanne Woodford, former acting secretary of corrections. In addition, it costs the state another $14,000 a year for health care costs, which makes the total cost of keeping 10,000 foreign prisoners in state custody approximately $630 million per year.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
The federal government used to pick up half of the cost due to their interest in offender deportation. George W. Bush removed the funding by an executive order because California doesn’t honor the exchange treaty most of the time, according to corrections officials.
The governor’s figure on how many foreign prisoners are in California prisons is disputable, because, Section 1 of Stats.1992, (A.B.2519), which provides the legislature’s findings that: as of March 31, 1994, there were 13,558 persons in the Department of Corrections facilities that were subject to United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) holds potentially an additional 5,415 persons in these facilities were also subject to INS holds. Based on these numbers, it is estimated that the real number of foreign nationals in the California’s prison system is twice as much as the governor’s figure. The issue, if considered by the legislature during the state budget crisis may end up saving the State $1.2 billion a year.
CALIFORNIA LAW
California Penal Code Section §2912, “Foreign Prisoner Transfer Program,” provides for notification to foreign born inmates concerning eligibility to serve term of imprisonment in their nation of citizenship. Subsection (b)(1) & (2) mandates that The Board of Prison Terms shall actively encourage each eligible foreign national inmate to apply for return to his or her nation of citizenship, and that the Board shall adopt the model program developed by the State of Texas for encouraging participation in the federal repatriation program. None of these laws as of yet have been set into action, and none were considered by the legislatures during the last state budget negotiations.
WAITING TO GO
“I have been filing requests for prisoner transfer to my native Kosovo for nearly 10 years, but received no response from the Parole Board. Now, after 27 years I’m found suitable for parole and the governor did not object, I‘m only waiting for ICE to pick me up to go all the way home. As far as I’m concerned, these laws are created only to be applied to some people, not to everyone,” says a former state prisoner, Ali Pertsoni, 56, a citizen of Kosovo.
Another foreign national lifer inmate says, “I even signed a waiver challenging deportation in federal court in order to expedite my return to my homeland now that I exceeded my minimum eligibility for parole. It seams neither the Board nor the prison counselor knew any of these procedures, one of my former counselors never heard of the Prisoner Transfer Treaty. I obtained the form from other inmates who have similar interest.”
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s yearly report to the Legislature doesn’t include any statistic regarding foreign nationals in the custody of the state. There are a number of inmates who meet the minimum eligibility of parole (MEPD) and many are seeking repatriation.
S.Q. News Inspires Formation of Guild
Every Friday morning between 8-9:30 a.m. you can find a group of prisoners hammering out policy, working stories and in general trying to set guidelines in which to operate the Journalism Guild of San Quentin (JGSQ), a new activity group under the Education Department that has the support of Warden Wong. The group’s objective is to train writers and reporters and help provide stories for the San Quentin News.
The Journalism Guild is the result of the efforts by Kenny Brydon, former editor of the SQ News, and Ted Roberts, education principal, for more inmates to participate in the writing of stories for submission and publishing in the SQ News.
The Guild, sponsored by bridging teacher Don Pino, has been meeting each week since February and has recently elected its executive officers: Jeff Brooks (chairman), Arnulfo Garcia (secretary), Michael R. Harris (treasurer), and Troy Williams (sgt-at-arms) to represent the Guild’s members.
The Guild’s mission statement in part states: “The Journalism Guild of San Quentin’s mission is to provide an honest, professional and balanced account of the events and issues that occur both within penal institutions and the communities they serve.”
The Guild doors are open to anyone who wishes to join. The Guild has a limited amount of space so membership is limited to 20 student journalists.
If you are interested in joining, contact one of the members: Kenneth Brydon, Randy Countryman, Juan Haines, Darrell Hartly, Ronin Holmes, David Marsh, JulianGlenn Padgett, Kamal Sefeldeen, Aly Tamboura, Daniel Treviono, Doug Wynn, Mai Van or send a request for interview to the SQ Education Department.
Cadence
My daughter who I long to see
To hear, to hold, and to be with thee
I wait in chains to be set free
Each second away eternity.
Your birth the promise of hope reborn
The debts I owe, the vice forsworn
From despair to hope my heart is torn
Beneath the mask of shame I’ve worn
Invest in you my broken pride
My heart, once closed, now open wide
From dark to light you’ve turned the tide
Revealed the good that grows inside.
Sweetheart
Sweet and kind, I love you so much
Wonderful and warm is your gentle touch
Exciting and alive is how I feel
Enthroned in my heart your love so real
Together with you, I’m waiting to be
Holding you close, your beauty to see
Ecstasy and bliss build each day
Anticipating release my heart pounds away
Restored once again to my one true love
Together for ever we’ll soar the heavens above
Anyway
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of
selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends
and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you have spent years building, someone could
destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God
It was never between you and them anyway.
S.Q.’s Sweat Lodge First In the Nation
In the spring of 1972 San Quentin became the first state prison in the United States to build a Sweat Lodge on Prison grounds, achieved through a long and arduous process beginning with a 602 and culminating in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Herb Sample, a life-term prisoner, argued before the courts that Native Americans should be allowed to practice their religion.
Previously the only options for a Native American prisoner to practice religion were through the Catholic or Protestant chapels.
Sample, a California Indian and a member of the Yokut Nation, argued equal protection and infringement of religious rights.
Three themes are central to Native American religion: purification, offering, and vision. The Sweat Lodge ceremony accomplishes all three.
The Sweat Lodge is an integral part of Native religious practice, which consists of heated rocks being brought into a dome-like structure, built from willow saplings. Water is poured upon the super-heated rocks as prayers are said in Native tongue.
The sweat lodge has been used for prayer since time immemorial in the United States.
The first Sweat Lodge in San Quentin was built with the help of Archie “Fire” LameDeer, a well-known and respected Lakota Sioux medicine man and healer, who wrote a 20-page blueprint for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation explaining the procedures and protocols for building and maintaining a Sweat Lodge. These protocols are still adhered to.
The Sweat Lodge at San Quentin and indeed all Sweat Lodges statewide are considered sacred ground and have been designated as such by the federal court order issued in 1972.
LameDeer,obeying his vision, came to California in the 1960s to build a “Western Gate,” a Sweat Lodge in the Western part of the United States. In order to fulfill a prophecy foretold by ancient ancestors long before the Europeans arrived.
After the first Sweat Lodge was built at San Quentin, one was built in state prisons in Nevada and Arizona. Later Sweat Lodges were built in prisons throughout the United States.
Sweat Lodges outside of California were not personally built by LameDeer, but by Native American spiritual leaders associated with Native spiritual practices who followed LameDeer’s protocols and procedures.
The Sweat Lodges in California as well as countless lodges throughout the United States have served to keep Native American prisoners in touch with their cultural roots and spiritual practices.
It would be next to impossible to tabulate the countless Native men and women who have changed their lives in a positive manner due to the influence of the Sacred Sweat Lodge ceremony. A Native practitioner believes that the water poured on the super-heated stones extorts pain locked within them. This essential belief has helped many Native American’s lead clean and sober lifestyle with the purification that comes from the Sacred Sweat Lodge.
Former Virginia Attorney General Visits S.Q. Chapel
“I’m the most unlikely person to be here,” Mark Early told a group of inmates in the San Quentin Garden Chapel. He was on hand to dedicate new chairs and sound equipment for the chapel.
SENATE TERM
During almost 10 years in the Virginia Senate, Early presided over building new prisons, increasing prison terms and the removal of the possibility of parole for some inmates. After four years as Virginia attorney general, he ran as a conservative republican for governor, losing to the democratic nominee. He watched approvingly as the United State’s prison population exploded.
His attitude, he explained, was, “The longer they were there (in prison), the better off the rest of us were.”
PRISON FELLOWSHIP
Shortly after his defeat, Early said Chuck Colson of Nixon/Watergate fame telephoned. Colson asked Early to become president and CEO of Prison Fellow Ministry (PFM), which Colson started after serving seven years in a federal prison.
“I didn’t want to do it;” Early said, bringing laughter from the S.Q. audience. “I didn’t want to give my life to those who couldn’t make an impact for Jesus Christ; to those who no one in society had any respect for.”
He described PFM’s reputation as excellent, operating in 114 countries
“I made the mistake of telling Chuck I’d pray about it.” For the next few months, he said he gave the idea half-hearted reflection until a sudden revelation shook him.
That revelation involved Moses of the Old Testament, and Saul who later became the Apostle Paul of the New Testament. He pointed out that Moses was a murderer and Saul persecuted Christians prior to his transformation into Paul the Apostle.
MESSAGE OF HEALING
Early said he was troubled by God’s choice of Moses to lead the Jewish people,. As for Paul, he asked, “Why pick a man who had hurt people to bring a message of healing?”
His answers came in the form of an epiphany of how each would have their pasts weighing upon them. Moses and Paul would never forget those they hurt, and this would be the forge to make them into humble servants.
“God I’m sorry,” Early said he prayed, reliving the moment, “I repent; I was wrong. It’s just like You (God), to put them back together again and to raise those up to be the noblest and best leaders in your Kingdom.”
NEW LEADERSHIP
Early has led the world’s largest prison ministry seven years. Standing before the S.Q. crowd, which included many men serving Life terms, he shared toward the end, “I’m here because I know that God is raising up a whole new leadership of men behind these prison walls.”
Early received a standing ovation; with many prisoners eager to greet and speak with him afterward.
Giants Capture Opener, 12-11
The San Quentin Giants pulled out a ninth-inning victory over the Oakland Oaks to open their 2009 baseball season, 12-11, on April 4.
The opening day match-up between the two teams has been a long standing tradition. Marching in unison from right field, the Vietnam Veterans Group of San Quentin opened the game by presenting the flag. Larry “Popeye” Faison led the baseball players, outside guests, camera crews and inmate fans in the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.
Acting Warden R. K. Wong, threw out the opening pitch, a perfect strike from the pitcher’s mound. “It’s been 35 years since I’ve thrown a baseball, I was worried I might bounce it,” he said later.
After walking the leadoff batter, the Giants made quick work of the Oaks, holding them to no runs. Giants second baseman James Bautista led off the inning with a double, followed by Mario Ellis’ inside the park homer, for a 2-0 lead after one inning.
The Giants defense held up to shut down the Oaks, and after five innings of play the score was 10-0.
After substitutions and pitching changes by Giants manager Kevin Loughlin, the Oaks made a comeback, scoring nine runs in the sixth, and one in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 10-10.
Tied 10-10, Frankie Smith, coach for the Giants said, “The Oaks are all veterans, they’re a good-hitting team, but we’ll prevail in the end I’m sure.”
In the bottom of the seventh, an error allowed Giant Steve Negrete to get on base, and with two outs, an error by the Oaks shortstop allowed Negrete to score the go-ahead-run.
In the top of the ninth, the Oaks roared back with Davis scoring the tying run, making it 11-11.
Looking to avoid going into extra innings, Eli Sala hit a single and stole second base, and with a passed ball by the catcher he advanced to third. Negrete, who is known for getting hits in crucial situations, grounded to Smith at third, who held Sala at third and threw out Negrete at first base.
With one out, the Oaks chose to walk Bautista, hoping to turn a double play and to take the game into extra innings.
Bautista, one of the fastest runners on the Giants squad, immediately stole second base to break up any attempts at the double play.
Bottom of the ninth, one out, runners at second and third, infield playing in, Jeff Brooks drove in the game winning run with a base hit between the shortstop and third baseman for a 12-11 victory.
The Giants swarmed the field congratulating Brooks on his hit, and each other for a hard-fought game.
Asked about his game winning hit, Brooks said, “The coach just told me to win it, and I did. I really needed that because I hit poorly last season.”
Mike Deeble, a volunteer assistant coach for the Giants, said, “I love this game, I came in here six times last year to play, and now I’m lucky enough to be able to coach. I like coming here because all the guys always show up for the games (he laughs), unlike some of the teams I’ve played for outside.”
Some days later the Giants shut out a Mission team, 18-0, to remained undefeated in the young season.