Frequently I receive emails and inquiries from the family, spouses and friends of incarcerated inmates. It has long been my belief—one deeply shared by my wife who spent more than 25 years working to secure my release from the Louisiana prison system—that you do not have a real voice in the criminal justice system. In many respects, you are the hidden victims in the system. You are oftentimes scorned, ridiculed, or rejected because of the commitment you have to someone locked up. Yours is indeed a difficult path to tread.

            If you have a family member, a spouse, or significant other currently under a death sentence, or who previously had a death sentence, you are welcomed to write a blog about any subject-matter related the inmate’s case or personal situation. Please understand that our website will not be a literary vehicle for you to engage in wholesale criticism of the justice system or to personally attack officials or other individuals you feel have wronged you.

            But if you believe, personally and philosophically, that the death penalty system is flawed, unfair, and inequitable, then you can express those views on our website. Or if you feel that the condemned inmate you are involved with is innocent, or otherwise wrongfully convicted, or who has been mistreated or abused, you can address these grievances in an article. Or if the condemned inmate you are involved with would like to express his/her views about the same kinds of issues, they can do so by writing their article to you and you can send it to me.

            Please be advised that I reserve the right to edit the language and grammatical structure of your article if I feel that is necessary. I can assure you that any edits or structural changes will remain true to the theme of your article. The author of the article will be given byline credit when I post it as a “blog.”

            I believe in dialogue and debate. Issues associated with the death penalty should be aired in any public forum available. If you are familiar with our website, you know that I express some strong feelings in the blogs I post. Some people like them; others do not. But I post my honest, sincere views—and I welcome any debate and dialogue they trigger. That’s why I am creating this opportunity for you to express your feelings—and I will make sure they are publicized so long as they relate to legitimate death penalty issues subject for public debate and discussion.

            You can click on the “contact us” link on this website to submit your article. You can submit the article either in an attached word document or in the body of an email. The choice is yours.

            I will certainly continue to post my own blogs on a regular basis. Your blog will be posted just like mine with your byline credit. We will see how this forum works out. Hopefully it will become a meaningful voice for the family and loved ones of the condemned to be heard.