Protest hits Texas death row
By Gloria Rubac
Livingston, Texas
Published Apr 14, 2006 8:27 PM
A spirited protest against illegal and inhumane living conditions on death row April 8 drew a favorable response from passing cars as well as shoppers in the rural east Texas town of Liv ingston. Activists from Houston and Austin met in downtown Livingston for a demonstration in support of prisoners’ rights, the first ever at the Polk County Courthouse.
Read more: http://www.workers.org/2006/us/texas-0420/
The D.R.I.V.E. Movement: Resources for Education and ActionBy persiancowboy - Jun 20th, 2006Prepared by the Austin Campaign to End the Death PenaltyIntroductionWhat follows is a discussion of facts and strategy associated with the horrific conditions on Texas' death row at the Polunksy Unit in Livingston. The men warehoused at this unit, aside from being sentenced to death by an unjust system, are living in conditions that, by any decent standards of human rights, constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Several of these inmates have heroically launched a non-violent protest against these conditions and have been met with a disproportionately violent response from the Polunsky administration and staff. It befalls all abolitionists and others committed to justice to stand in solidarity with these brave men. What follows, we hope, will serve as tools toward that end.Read more: http://www.campusprogress.org/page/community/post/persiancowboy/C3gr
The New Abolitionist - September 2006; Issue 40
Highlights of the struggle: Austin, Texas
by Jayson Thomas
This summer, the Austin Chapter organized two movie screenings of State vs. Reed, a documentary that scrutinizes the state’s case against Reed, by presenting a strong case of reasonable doubt. For years, the chapter has worked closely with Rodney Reed and his family, calling for his conviction to be overturned. In July, our chapter organized a very lively protest to call attention to new issues in Rodney’s case. We reached out to other organizations and the local media to join us at the Capital where speakers from the CEDP, the NAACP and the International Socialist Organization called for justice for Rodney Reed.
The next step in our campaign for Rodney is a protest at the Texas Criminal Court of Appeal on September 13. On this date, we are planning to deliver a petition calling for a new trial for Rodney. Our activity has fueled CEDP members to create a FreeRodneyReed.org web site and resource center for information about his case and future events.
More recently, we have been building a coalition with a group of death row prisoners and local activist organizations to demand better living conditions on Texas’ Death Row Unit. The Polunsky unit has deteriorating and inhumane conditions. A group of prisoners formed their own organization called Death Row Inner-communalist Vanguard Engagement or D.R.I.V.E to bring notice to the horrendous conditions on death row. Their tactics include non-compliancy, protest and direct disobedience. These prisoners risk retaliation for speaking out against their conditions and have been met with increased repression. We hope that our efforts, working with D.R.I.V.E., will have an impact and change the conditions on Texas’ death row. From conviction, to detainment, to execution, it’s clear that capital punishment is a cruel and unusual practice.
To expand our membership, we have plans to set up informational tables in the Austin community and on campus at the University of Texas. Later in the month, on September 18, we are organizing a public forum, “The Belly of the Beast: The Struggle for Abolition in Texas,” to bring together abolitionists to discuss the current state of the abolitionist movement in our state. In our efforts to build a stronger, more unified movement, we helped to form the Abolition Coalition of Texas or ACT, a coalition of seven abolitionist organizations in Texas. Through ACT, we’re planning to use more unified strategies to reach our common goal of ending the death penalty. And last but not least, we’re planning our annual March for Moratorium at the Capitol in October.
NEWS ON THE NON VIOLENT PROTEST TEXAS DEATH ROW----MEDIA ADVISORY CONTACT:
DRIVEMOVEMENT@YAHOO.COM
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2005
DEATH ROW INMATES IN POLUNSKY UNIT PROTEST AGAINST EXECUTIONS AND INHUMANE
CONDITIONS.
A group of about 10 death row inmates have been involved in a non violent protest against the executions of Tony Ford and Jaime Elizalde and the inhumane conditions the have been dealing with for these past years they have been in the Polunksy unit. The inmates initiate "sit ins" as a way of protesting; simply just sitting down and refusing to move. The inmates say that they have to organize protests to be heard because former complaints have been ignored by the prison administration.
However, not too long after the protest family and friends received letters about how the prison guards reacted to the non violent protest.
The following information was given by the death row inmates their selves.
Tony Ford was gassed, beaten, repeatedly refused showers, all his personal property was taken and the warden told him "we can't wait to kill you". His writing material was taken from him, all his media and personal visits
were cancelled and they threatened to take away his legal representation.
Kenneth Foster was gassed, appointed a 10 second (!) shower (which only spread the gas he was sprayed with over the rest of his body), his clothing was cut off his body and his personal property was taken.
Gabriel Gonzales was gassed, beaten, strangled, his personal property was taken, and he was refused showers, sheets, clothes and writing material.
Robert Gene will was gassed, his personal property was taken and he was refused a shower after he was gassed.
Earlier this week Tony Ford, whom is set for execution on December 7th, talked to KTFP radio and explained why the protest is held and how the prison reacted to it. He made very clear that no matter how violent the
prison will react, the prisoners involved in the protest will not fight back physically, and the protest remains non violent. He added in that this protest will go on till changed are made.
For more information and the personal reports of the inmates please visit
