Mr. Nolan,
I hope you’re genuine in your endeavor and I hope you achieve your goal with your writing. I numbered your questions to match my answers. I’m sure you can take it from there. Can I receive a copy of how you publish this or the name of the website?
1) I think any execution has a 50/50 chance of taking place. It comes down to the legalities of the case. The controversial issue in my case has been narrowed down to racial discrimination concerning the State of Texas purposely striking Black people from the jury panel. Racial discrimination on trial juries has a long-standing history in Texas. It was really made known in the Thomas Miller-el case where Dallas had a guide for their prosecutors to strike all minorities from the jury panel. So it’s about whether the Courts will consider the issue worth halting the execution.
2) Daily life on death row is like living in a black & white TV, while the rest of the world is [in] a full color high definition plasma TV. I’ve done my best to live above the circumstances by studying self-help and spiritual books. Ghandi once said that prison is not a punishment for an enlightened person, it only gives them more time to deepen their divinity. I agree. I was a teenager when I came to death row and over the last 15 years I’ve written several books & screenplays. I’ve turned a negative into a positive, while others around have lost their mind, dropped their appeals or committed suicide. I think who you are matters more than where you are.
3) I grew up like most young blacks at a disadvantage, susceptible to the street life out of the environment and a lack of education. For most young blacks we rebel out of subtle racism and being targeted by the police. For young blacks, cops are the enemies. I’ve been falsely arrested and beat by the police before the age of 18. It’s like how can society expect young blacks to be [compliant] with the same law that poses a threat to their life. You never hear of black cops beating or killing young whites, but its so common to hear about white cops beating and killing young blacks.
4. My time in jail introduced me to politics. I was too young and uneducated to understand politics before I got locked up. Now, I see everyone has their own agenda and ideology of how society should function and those in political offices enforce their own agenda upon others. I think politics is a shark’s pool. There’s not much empathy involved.
I am a deeply religious person. I respect all religions, especially those who sacrifice for the service of God. I have a strong faith in Christ, but I do see
Letters From Death Row: Ray Jasper, Texas Inmate 999341
SEXPAND
religion is often misused and Americans are too intellectual to be truly religious spiritually. Many people are only outwardly religious. I was religious people who wanted Christ to be executed. It was religious clergy who persecuted Martin Luther King as an extremist. One has to be careful of those who choose the letter of the Spirit. Paul said, “The letter kills, the Spirit gives life.” Jesus said only those the Spirit understand the kingdom of God.
5) The way the media covers the death penalty depends of the agenda of that media outlet. The media is not neutral. I think whether a person is pro or anti-death penalty, we should all be against injustice. Those who do not see the death penalty as unjust should do their homework. Every major newspaper in Texas has taken a stance against the death penalty due to their investigative journalism. They know what’s going on behind the scenes. The average person in Texas cannot explain the difference between murder and capital murder. The public is under the impression the people receive the death penalty for murder and murder, in Texas, is not punishable by the death penalty. There are thousands of people who committed murder and capital murder who are not on death row, but in regular prison. To say one person guilty of capital murder should live and another person guilty of capital murder should die is an injustice in [and] of itself.
I suggest reading the book TRIAL & ERROR: THE TEXAS DEATH PENALTY by Lisa Maxwell. It just came out this year and it highlights all the injustices of the Texas death penalty that many people never knew or forgot about over the years.
6) My life is a testament of what it is to be young & black in America. Black [people] are incarcerated at a higher rate than any other race because we are ignorant to the laws that govern society. As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon on which you can use to change the world.” I gave up in school after a friend died when I was 11 years old. I didn’t officially dropout until 16. By 18, I was facing the death penalty. I had no idea what capital murder was by definition or the law of parties. The Bible says that understanding makes a person depart from wrongdoing. People must be taught, even if its not in a school. We are all interdependent and we can educate each other. Adults need to have the courage to talk to teenagers and teach them how to make a smoother transition into adulthood. Over a million teenagers are arrested every year in America. 5 out of 6 black teenagers will drop out of high school. When you’re young it’s hard to see the road up ahead and many teens lack a long term vision for their life. They must be taught in the school of life by adults who cross their path.
Note: I apologize for all the mistakes, but I’m stuck in the 80’s with a E-typewriter, not a laptop. Any other questions let me know. I wish you success on your endeavor. Enjoy the season.
Peacefully, Ray
http://gawker.com/letters-from-death-row-ray-jasper-texas-inmate-999341-1493139671
His plight is that of many inner city youths. This is the reason I raise my child the way I do. Educate her outside of the institutionalized education system. If parents are clueless, it’s usually less hope for the children. When we can collectively denounce the destructive music and tv shows and educate our children on the vices of the world as well as to show them an alternative, then we can gradually change some things.
While some may say it’s okay for a child to wear his hoodie and sag his pants and not be labeled. I beg to differ. Back in the 60’s, blacks were poor and uneducated but they wore their suits day in and day out and what that represented was self pride and a sense of awareness. We have fallen too far in a system that was designed to oppress us.
Stop supporting the music and filth. Stop walking around with braids, tattoos and pants under your asses. At least attempt to defy the stereotypes. Carry yourselves like decent citizens. Start opening books and not wait until you’re incarcerated to do so.
It’s not that hard but people need to open their eyes.
Yes I’m sorry for the brothers on death row but I want to hear some victory stories now. Ones that defy the odds.
BTW Met, have you seen that viral video of a funeral director spitting truth to the youths? Very potent.
Wow … seems like beautiful mind. Sad this justice system is exclusively about crime and punishment sans rehabilitation. May he find eternal rest with God if death is to be his fate.