On Monday February 9th, 2004 shortly after 6:15pm Rev. Jessie Jackson said a
prayer for me and my visitors inside the visiting room here at San Quentin
Prison. Then he and my personal Pastor and friends were told to leave, which
they did.
I was then escorted to the rear of the visiting area and taken to a hallway
which contained holding cells. I was then placed in the holding cell where I
had the handcuffs removed, and was then told to get undressed, which I did. I
was strip searched, and given a brand new set of prison issued clothing and
told to put them on.
I was handcuffed after I got dressed and was removed from that cell where I was
handed over to another squad of officers. I was surrounded by about six (6)
officers and escorted to the death chamber waiting room. When I was in the
visiting room the prison officials told me that the 9th circuit court of
appeals had granted me a stay of execution, but until they heard from the
United States Supreme Court about whether or not my stay would stay in place
this prison was going to proceed as if I had no stay in place.
When I arrived outside the death chamber waiting room door it was opened and I
was told to go inside, which I did. I was then told to place my back on the
wall while being surrounded by a new squad of officers. These were the officers
of the execution squad. There was about eight (8) of them. The leader of the
squad got real close to me and ask me 'was there going to be any trouble when
they took the handcuffs off of me?' I looked him in his eyes and told him 'no'
and he removed the handcuffs.
I was again told to take off all my clothes, which I did and I was again
stripped searched. This time they used a flashlight to light up both my mouth
and butt as they searched me! This room that I was now in was very, very
cold,the temperature had to be in the lower 50's. I stood barefoot on that cold
floor surrounded by those officers while my body was completely searched. Then
I was given another new set of clothing, only these were the ones that I was to
be executed in.
I was then placed in another cell, only this new one was half the size as a
regular cell. It had only a toilet, a mattress and pillow in it. I stood there
in the cold waiting for my Pastor to come pray with me, and for me. All the
time not knowing what the United States Supreme Court was going to do.
About a half hour later my Pastor arrived, and she was placed in a cell next
to mine. It was to my righthand side, but on a angle, and it was hard to see
her through the cellbars, but I managed. I was asked once again did I want a
last meal, I said no. I was asked did I want water, I said no. The warden came
in and ask me did I have a final statement, I said no. My arms were once again
checked so they could make sure that they could find my veins, and officers
were passing by with arm fulls of alcohol pads/swabs and other assorted items
for my murder, and their execution!
My Pastor did a great job in keeping me focused and somewhere the the middleof
one of her scriptures the phone rang. It was my attorney calling to let me know
she was with me in spirit, and as soon as she heard something from the U.S.
Supreme Court she would call and let me know.
I entered the death chamber waiting room around 6:35pm and around 8:15pm the
phone rang again and it was once again my attorney. She told me that she heard
from the court and that they refused to hear the states petition. They denied
the state, and upheld my stay!!!
Even before I told my Pastor the news, I told those officers that I meant them
no disrespect in what I was about to say to them, but they weren't going to do
their job tonight! I then told my pastor, and her and I prayed! I came within
three (3) hours and 45 minutes of being murdered by the state of California.
I am now recovering from the manmade ritual of death that I had to experience.
I will never be the same again! I am only getting stronger and more determined
to so my part in shutting down the U.S. Governments pride and joy, 'their
capital punishment system!'
In Struggle
>From Death Row,
Kevin Cooper