Very Sad News from Death Row

Art work by Bill Lonard

Back in April, things were looking promising for my pen friend, William Leonard, because the Nevada Assembly had just passed a bill to abolish the death penalty in Nevada.

However, despair soon followed, when the bill died with­out a vote in the state sen­ate.

Convicted mass murderer, Zane Michael Floyd, who has exhausted all his legal appeals, is scheduled to become the first prisoner on death row to be executed in Nevada for 15 years. Floyd, 45, was sentenced to death for killing four people and wounding a fifth in a shotgun attack at a Las Vegas grocery store in 1999. An exact execution date will be set during the week commencing July 26, after a death warrant is issued for Floyd in the Supreme Court.

There is however, one massive hurdle which may still confound those seeking Floyd's execution . The state has no drugs available that are suitable for a lethal injection .

Prison officials in Nevada had to relinquish all stocks of lethal injection drugs, following a lawsuit against the state, brought by drug manufacturers. The lawsuit alleged that illegal means had been employed in obtaining these drugs through a third party, without revealing for what use they were intended.

It has recently been disclosed, that Nevada prison officials plan to purchase s brand new cocktail of drugs, that have never been used before, for use in the state's first lethal injection in 15 years.

If this execution takes place, all prisoners who have exhausted their legal appeals, will be put to death as speedily as possible.

In his last letter of two weeks ago, Bill, who has exhausted all his legal appeals, made a very brief reference to the situation:

It is heart breaking to think of what is going to happen to Bill, who has already paid a high price for his crimes. He has been incarcerated since 1982 and endured solitary confinement for 30 of those years. He has suffered barbarism at the hands of his guards and has been subjected to a barrage of mental and physical cruelties within the prison system

I am personally opposed 100% to the death penalty but respect the views of any who disagree with me. I think however, that even they would be shocked by such barbaric treatment of a fellow human being.

If you find this situation shocking, why not drop a line to the Governor of Ely State Prison, and let your views be known.

The Governor

Ely State Prison

Ely NV 89301

U.S.A

---

Save Our Chatroom

During October, November and December 2009, poems were pouring in for the anthology. The youngest contributor was eleven years old and

wrote the most heart wrenching poem, which brought tears to everyone's eyes.

By now, a couple of officers and senior administrators had already started to investigate the best way of getting the poetry book published.

However, by late December, something of far more importance had eclipsed the anthology. Excitement started to mount as formal plans were posted on the forum concerning the Squadron’s homecoming in February. These plans included a ‘Squadron Arrival Reception,’ a ‘Squadron Function,’ a ‘Medal Parade,’ and an official ‘Homecoming Parade,’ through the town of Bury-St-Edmunds.

As the weeks elapsed, poems became thinner on the ground as everyone became immersed in their own personal happiness and plans for homecoming.

There was however, one small niggle. Someone raised the question as to what would become of our regular Wednesday nights in the forum chat-room when the Squadron came home?

Would the forum be disbanded? Dismantled? Obliterated? Heaven forbid!

A letter to the webmaster was called for.

Dear Mr Webmaster – hearken to our plight,

When the 27th Squadron’s back in town,

We’re going to miss our chat room, where we meet each Wednesday night,

And we’re really scared you’re going to close it down!

Now some of us are youngsters and some a little older,

Some are short, some tall, some thin, some fat!

Some of us are timid and some, a great deal bolder,

But every single one of us likes a chat.

We chat about our fellahs and the things that we like best,

We’re never rude – we’re pure as driven snow,

We chat about our phobias and the things that we detest,

And other things that you don’t want to know!

Please don’t disband the forum – it’s a lifeline we all share,

Just think of all the happy hours we’ve spent,

We promise that we’ll be so quiet, you’ll hardly know we’re there,

If you’ll let us prattle to our heart’s content.

Maggie Smart

Well! Webmaster really came up trumps, sending us the following poetic reassurance by return:

Thank you for your message, eloquently put, The forum is there for as long as you like, I promise it won't be shut. Here in the HQ we are proud to provide a link, For the families of our fantastic RAF Regt boys, So it's nice to know what you think. Keep up the good work, helping all your friends, Make the time pass as quickly as possible , Till the lads come back safe and well when this detachment ends. (Webmaster)

And finally, the time came for 27th Squadron to hand over their responsibilities in Afghanistan and return to their loved ones.

As the tour came to an end, so the poetry book was closed, at least until the next time…

Journey Through Parkinson's

A Sonnet

Unblinking eyes set in a face of stone, Unbending limbs disposed to rigid stride, The dull fatigue that claims you for its own,

The terrifying juddering deep inside.

A brain that simply will not synchronise,

With heart or voice or senses to explain, That life's receding fast before your eyes, And solace must be sought to ease the pain.

But let the hurt and anguish float away, And bring the cleansing light into your core, Then o'er your body you'll again hold sway, And life will start to mean a great deal more.

Your fractured inner-self will be made whole, And joy will penetrate your aching soul.

Maggie Smart