Steve Bartholomew
To watch a video clip of a stunningly beautiful reading of an excerpt from Steve’s essay by Katherine Hervey, a multimedia producer, college instructor and restorative justice facilitator for incarcerated populations, click here
Art and Writing by Steve Bartholomew
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| Steve Bartholomew 978300 WSRU P.O. Boxx 777 Monroe, WA 98272-0777 |
Michael Belt
Michael Belt is a simple man, a lover, a fighter and a full time dreamer – with a realistic sense. He is truthful and loyal to a fault. To quote Henry Thoreau’s Walden, “In an unjust society, the only place for a just man is in prison.” And in his own words, “Never let hope die!”
Writing and Poetry by Michael Belt
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| Michael Belt KU8088 SCI Houtzdale P.O. Box 1000 Houtzdale, PA 16698-1000 |
Christi Buchanan
Christi Buchanan was released from prison in June 2016
Writing and poetry by Christi Buchanan
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Burl N. Corbett
Born 6/9/47 in Reading, PA. Raised on a 123-acre sheep farm only three crow miles from John Updike´s famous sandstone farmhouse of “Pigeon Feathers,” The Centaur, and Of the Farm. Graduated from Daniel Boone High School in 1965. Ran away to Greenwich Village to become a beatnik in 1966 with only a Martin guitar and the clothes on my back. Lived among the counterculture for 3 years, returning disillusioned to PA for good in 1968. Worked on a mink farm; poured steel in a foundry; chased the sun as a cross-country pipeliner; drove the big rigs, baby!; picked tomatoes with migrant workers; tended bar on the old skid row Bowery; worked as a reporter, columnist, and photographer for two Southeastern Pennsylvania newspapers; drove beer truck (hic!); was a “HEY, CULLIGAN MAN!”; learned how to plaster, stucco, and lay stone; published both fiction and nonfiction in several nationally distributed magazines and literary quarterlies; got married and raised four children; got divorced and fell into the bottle; and came to prison at the age of 60 with no previous criminal offenses other than a 25 year-old DUI. The “crime”? Self-defense in my own house without financial means to hire a decent lawyer. Since becoming the “guest” of the state in 2007, I have won five PEN Prison Writing Awards (two first and three honorable mentions); the first and only prize of $500 in the 2013 Eaton Literary Agency short fiction contest; written a children/young adult book, Coon Tales, soon to be published by Xlibris; a novel of the 1967 “Summer of Love,” Dreaming of Oxen; a magic realism novel, A Redneck Ragnorak, and many short stories and memoirs. My first novel, A Haven from Violence, is available at Xlibris.com or Amazon.com.
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| Burl N. Corbett HZ6518 SCI Albion 10745 Route 18 Albion, PA 16475-0002 |
Chris Dankovich
I am a tutor/teacher, a writer, an artist, and I have been incarcerated since I was 15. I am proud to say that I’ve helped over 100 young men earn their GED diplomas, and that I’ve been published in the Harvard Educational Review, The Periphery Magazine, The Michigan Review of Prisoner Creative Writing Volumes 3, 4, 5, and 6; won second place for essay in the 2014 PEN prison writing contest, and have been accepted to be published in FENCE magazine and placed third in non-fiction in Vidahlia Press’s 2014 prison writing contest.
Art & Poetry and writing by Chris Dankovich
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Chris Dankovich 595904
Thumb Correctional Facility
3225 John Conley Drive
Lapeer, MI 48446
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Anthony Engles
My name is Anthony Scott Engles, born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1965. After a brief stint in the Navy, I pretty much roamed around the country, waiting tables and bartending. I settled in Spokane in 1994, then got pretty heavy into survivalism and related activities. I got in a shoot out with Stevens County Deputies in 2003 and wounded one of them. I’m serving a 30-year sentence in Washington State, where I have done the majority of my writing. I have one short story published and several unpublished short stories and poems.
Read Tony’s writing here
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| Anthony Engles 832039 Coyote Ridge Corrections Center P.O. Box 769 Connell, WA 99326 |
Willie Johnson
Willie Johnson has been imprisoned on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison in California for more than 30 years.
Read Willie’s writing here
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Willie Johnson C35635
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin, CA 94974
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Michael Wayne Hunter
Michael Wayne Hunter spent 18 years on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison before his sentence was commuted to Life Without Parole in 2002. He is the recipient of awards from PEN America Center for fiction and non-fiction, and the William James award for prose.
Read Michael’s writing here
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| Michael Hunter C83600 Sierra Conservation Center 5150 O’Byrnes Ferry Road 3C-149L Jamestown, CA 95327 |
Michael Lambrix
Mike spent 34 years on Death Row before being executed by the State of Florida on October 5, 2017. To Live And Die On Death Row by C. Michael Lambrix is available as a free download here.
Read Mike’s essays here
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Michael Lambrix was executed
by the State of Florida on October 5, 2017 |
Mwandishi Mitchell
Mwandishi Mitchell is an innocent man serving time at the State Correctional Institution of Graterford. After serving ten years of his wrongful conviction, Mwandishi realized he had a talent in creative writing. Besides pursuing his writing career, he continues to fight in court reverently in pursuit of overturning his wrongful conviction. A published author, Mwandishi has two books, The Prodigal Son and The Prodigal Son 2, which can be downloaded and read for free at www.prisonsfoundations.org
Mwandishi’s writing can be found here and his poetry here.
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Mwandishi Mitchell GB6474
SCI Houtzdale
P.O.Box 1000
Houtzdale, PA 16698-1000
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Santonio Murff
At the age of 20, Santonio was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit. “I am only guilty of investing love and loyalty in the wrong individuals,” he says. During his years of incarceration, he has educated and elevated himself and others. He founded The Righteous Movement to bury the self-destructive mentality of ride or die (kill or be killed), and to resurrect in its stead a new righteous battle cry of SURVIVE AND SUCCEED (live long and prosper)!Santonio is the winner of numerous PEN awards for essays, short stories and screenplays. His work has appears in numerous publications, including Sister-2Sister magazine.
Read San’s writing here and poetry here
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Santonio Murff #773394
French M. Robertson Unit
12071 FM 3522
Abilene, Texas 79601
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Timothy Pauley
Incarcerated since 1980, Tim has actively pursued educational opportunities. His first book, Life in Prison; Digging in and Getting Stated, was published in 2003. Tim writes in a variety of areas including fiction, op-ed, self help, non-fiction prison commentary. Currently he is actively involved in sentencing reform and the fight against the prisonization of America. He is always seeking intelligent dialogue that will expand his consciousness beyond the prison walls.
Read Tim’s essays here
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Timothy Pauley #273053
Washington State Reformatory Unit
P.O. Box 777
Monroe, WA. 98272-0777
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Louis Perez
Greetings to you all:
Thank you so much for taking the time to view my work and reading this. My name is Louis Castro Perez…I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. I have 4 wonderful children…3 boys, 1 girl – ages 32 to 23. I have 5 grandchildren as well. All beautiful…Just like their Grandpa HA!
I have never really considered myself an “artist”. I was a carpenter for many years and I loved it and was very good at my craft.
I had never tried to put pencil to paper until I was put here on Death Row 15 years ago. I started out only doing Cartoon characters, but through the years, I’ve been blessed to have been around some true artists…MP…AP…Beto Perez…Big 50…Carlos Treviño…Big Foot…and so many more…They were and still are very inspirational to me! A lot of the art I’ve seen is called Jail House Art…and it is awesome, but once I learned how to do portraits…it was all over…it’s pretty much all I do now. We all have a lot of time on our hands back here…22 hours a day in our cells. So a lot of us have come up with ways to better our art. Supplies here are not worth getting excited about, but we’ve learned to make do with what we have. There’s something about the process that makes it really satisfying to me. Like I said, we have a lot of time on our hands, and when you’re not doing anything, al there is to do is think. Well…speaking for myself…During the process of getting things ready to draw or paint something…I always think of all the good things in my life: God and family. Sometimes I’m so lost in thought, it amazes me that I don’t mess up a drawing because I don’t stop the work…I just keep going.
And even while staring at my work…I sometimes don’t even see it…I see my thoughts…I don’t know if that makes any sense?? HA! HA!! I sure hope so.
I know one thing…I could start drawing at 8:00 a.m….look up and it will be dark outside. I love it!!
I’m sure it’s different for many of the men back here with me, but my art and the process of doing my work allows me to reflect about what’s good in my life, instead of thinking about being executed!
GOD IS GOOD!! GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!
Peace,
Big Lou
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| Louis Perez 999328 Polunsky Unit 3872 FM 350 South Livingston, TX 77351 |
Arnold Prieto Jr.
Arnold Prieto was executed by the State of Texas on January 21, 2015
Arnold’s art is here and his writing is here
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Eduardo Ramirez
Eddie’s poetry is here and is writing is here
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Edward Ramirez DN6284
SCI Graterford
P.O. Box 244
Graterford, PA 19426
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Rosendo Rodriguez
Rosendo was executed by the state of Texas in March 2018.
His writing can be found here.
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John Ruzas
The writing of John “Jackie” Ruzas has been widely published and he’s won numerous writing awards, most recently, an Honorable Mention in PEN’s 2012-2013 Prison Writing Contest for his essay titled, “Tragedy 2 Trial and Beyond.” He was released from prison in December 2017.
View Jackie’s writing and poetry
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John Ruzas was released from prison in December 2017
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Tommy Lynn Sells
Tommy Lynn Sells was executed by the State of Texas on April 3, 2014
View Tommy’s poetry and art here
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J. Michael Stanfield Jr.
I’ve been in prison serving a life sentence since 1993. I worked for The Only Voice, the prison newspaper of Turney Center Prison from 1995-2015. During that time I was a reporter, writer and editor. I currently train service dogs to assist the disabled.
J. Michaels writing and poerty links.
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| J. Michael Stanfield Jr. 209006 (with Jake) 2/B TCIX 1499 R. W. Moore Memorial Highway Only, TN 37140-4050 |
Isaac Sweet
Read Isaac’s writing here
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| Isaac Sweet 752399 WSRU D-2-27 P.O. Box 777 Monroe, WA 98272-0777 |
William Van Poyck
William Van Poyck was executed by the State of Florida on June 12, 2013
View Bill’s writing here
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Kevin Varga
Christian Weaver
My name is Christian Weaver. I am currently serving a life sentence. I had been writing on and off since my youth; since prison, however, I have taken it very seriously. My first love is poetry, but, I’ve also written aphorisms, essays, opinion pieces and plays. My areas of interest are philosophy, history, anthropology, sociology, religion, literature and politics.
View Christian’s poetry and writing.
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Christian Weaver 271262
BCCX Site 2
14-11B
1045 Horsehead Road
Pikeville, TN 37367
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Thomas Bartlett Whitaker
Thomas Bartlett Whitaker started MB6 in 2007. Since then he has earned a few awards and a BA, graduating summa cum laude in 2012. He is currently working his way through a Master’s program in the Humanities. Whether all of this erudition has made him even marginally less stupid is an open question.
View Thomas’s art and poetry here and his writing here
Donate to Thomas’s education fund
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