Interviews with the Condemned

Interview no.13 (2006-04-12)

Interview nr. 13 is held with Brett Hartmann who's on death row in the state of Ohio. Brett's hobbies are, listening to music, (music from the 80's, or country), doing research, and helping assist with the mounds of legal paperwork related to his case. For more information on Brett or his case please visit the following links; Brett's homepage, Brett's blog, and Brett's profile. We like to thank Brett for his contribution to this series of interviews and for answering the questions.

Personality:

Name: Brett Hartmann
Prison Register: 357-869
Address: 878 Coitsville-Hubbard Rd.
Age: 31
Race: White
Sex: Male
How long on Death Row: 8 and half years

1:

Question: Where were you born and raised?

Answer: Well, I was born in Wisconsin, but I moved to California when I was 4, then at 7 I moved to New Mexico and a few years later to Arizona, then it was back to California and then several other states before I ended up here in Ohio. So I did move around allot.

2:

Question: Will you share with us what it was like for you growing up? (Did you have a pet, a favorite game, hiding place, or favorite toy? Were you raised by both parents, a single parent or relative?)

Answer: As you can tell, I moved allot, so I missed out on allot of the normal kids stuff, but I was mostly raised by my single mom and also my single Aunt. My favorite pet was when I was older, and that was my iguana! Now there is a pet with a mind and attitude unique to its own kind!! But the whole growing up thing, it was not the easiest, I was never in one place long enough to develop a life long friend or anything like that.

3:

Question: Do you have a favorite childhood memory? If so, what is it?

Answer:  Nothing really sets itself aside at the moment, but remember most fondly is my life on the streets, I lived on the streets from age 12 for a few years, so that is where I learned most things about being a man, and though it was not an easy life I did enjoy it, and if I ever had any real friends in life that is where I had them.

4:

Question: Did you like school? If so, share with us your favorite memory from your school years.

Answer: Yes I did, though my best memories or a “school period” would be the couple semesters I spent in college take cooking class.

5:

Question: What person or event impacted you most as a child?

Answer: I would again have to say my time on the street and the couple that took me under their wings – I was quite young!! But that is where I learned to be self sufficient, to not care what others thought of me, and about friendship.

6:

Question: What hobbies or activities did you participate in while growing up, e.g. scouting, sports, etc.

Answer: I was mostly a loner and never was that much into group activities. Though I was into fishing allot as a kid.

7:

Question: What was your first job? Please describe your duties/responsibilities and whether or not you liked the job.

Answer: My first job was cleaning carpets, I was an assistant, I was mostly responsible for getting the hoses set up and then also the cleaning of the carpets, I was only about 15 and could not drive the company van so I was stuck with the grunt work. I loved the job, and that I was helping to pay for most of the rent for the apartment me and my mom shared was a great feeling also.

8:

Question: As a child or teenager, what did you want to do when you grew up? Why?

Answer: I never had a “dream job” as a kid that I can remember. I first started cooking when I was about 16, which was not my dream job, but I was very good at it, so I just stuck with what I was good at!!

9:

Question: Do you have a favorite movie or book? Please elaborate.

Answer: Favorite movie I guess is the “The Lost Boys”, but mostly because it is filmed in Santa Cruz , CA where I used to live, but I also love the movie “Almost famous”, because I think it shows that no matter how bad things get are friends beyond all of that. No real favorite book, but I do love the author Tom Clancy, I just love how detailed his writing is.

10:

Question: Where was the most beautiful or special place that you can remember having visited? Please describe it.

Answer: That would be the Grand Canyon , it is just pure natural beauty!! And as standing in front of the vast ocean, the Grand Canyon makes one realize how small and simple we are in comparison to nature!! It is just so vast, as far as the eye can see, its depth takes almost an entire day to descend, and its timelessness is shown by not only how long it took a simple river to carve out, but by the ancient Indian dwelling in the walls!!

11:

Question: What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?

Answer: I got sent to death row for a crime I did not commit, a person has to have a sense of humor about the bad in life, and as such, this is the funniest thing to ever happened to me!!

12:

Question: What job or occupation did you have prior to your incarceration? Were you employed at the time of your arrest?

Answer: Yes, I was employed at the time of my arrest, I was working at the Quaker Square Hilton as a cook, I worked in all four of their restaurants – I was a versatile cook and could cook mass production, breakfast, lunch and diner meals, so I was used in all four of their kitchens which was perfect for a work-a-holic as myself!!

13:

Question: Were you involved with drugs or alcohol prior to your incarceration? If so, please share the effects this had on your life.

Answer: Yes, both, though mostly only alcohol and pot, I worked too much to have a “life”, up to 6 months before this happened I work two full time jobs, so booze was used to fill the time between shift, same as pot, get drunk and go to sleep quick because I had to be up early to do it all over again. As my hours lessened I just continued to drink because I had nothing to do and had no life, but then I started to have nothing to do and no life because I was always drinking!!

14:

Question: What do you miss most about the outside world and why?

Answer: Travel, because there is so much to see, and I miss seeing new sights, visiting new places because I may never get to see anything new again, so many places I have never seen, cultures I have never met – I guess it is as they say - you don’t know what till it is gone!!

15:

Question: What is the one thing you regret most?

Answer: I would have to say, getting involved in drugs and alcohol, I have always strived to have fun in everything I did, and being drunk or high really did prevent me from enjoying allot of things, or because I was broke from spending all of my money on booze and drugs I could not afford to travel.

16:

Question: Do you have any strong spiritual or religious beliefs? If so do they influence how you view the future?

Answer: I am a Christian, it mostly effects me in knowing that what ever happens is God’s will, and he knows what is best for me, and though I may not understand it now, I am sure the Lord will show me his reason when I meet him.

17:

Question: How important is it for you to have contact with your family, friends and/or the outside world? Please elaborate.

Answer: It is very important, we are clearly social creatures, some human contact is necessary for the mind and spirit, and family, there is no describing how important it is to have them in my life right now!! As for outside world, that is a must for anyone who one day might get out, the world moves so so very fast, only 8 years and I am already lost – MP3 what?????

18:

Question: Do you remember your first thoughts when hearing the jury’s verdict of death as your sentence? Will you share this experience with us, e.g. your thoughts, feelings, reactions?

Answer: My thoughts when hearing it was…. Nothing except for what a bunch of idiots, once they found me guilty I knew what their sentence would be. Beyond that there were not many thoughts or feelings, I guess I was in a bit of shock, it took me several months for the full weight of the jury’s verdict and recommendation to sink in. At the time, it was like nothing but a bad dream.

19:

Question: What is a typical day like for you on death row?

Answer: Like a bad version of the movie “Ground Hogs Day”!!! The same day after day. But mostly it is getting up in the morning, cleaning my cell, by then lunch is served, after lunch I sit down and type, be it letter writing or legal work, it is all I do till about 5pm, then I go out for supper, then I workout, then go back to my cell. On the days that I have morning rec it is basically the same stuff, just earlier in the day.

20:

Question: Do you feel that capital punishment serves as a deterrent? Yes/No Please elaborate on your answer.

Answer: No!! This country own studies by Justice dept show that states without the death penalty have a lower murder rate. Not to mention that every murder a guy is in here for happened either in a rage, when high or drunk or it was planned, for those who were high drunk or in a fit of rage, the consequences never even entered their minds, they were caught up in the moment, and for those who planned it they never thought they would get caught so consequences never entered their minds either.

21:

Question: If you could change one thing in the world today, what would it be and why?

Answer: The situation in the Middle East , with Hamas getting elected. Iran soon to become a nuclear power and of course Iraq, it is all leading to a situation that is soon to deteriorate into a conflict that will involve the whole world – radical fundamentalists with nuclear power is not good for anyone on this planet. So one this would peace in the Middle East . If I were ever to get out of here and have kids, I would like for them to have some sort of future and WW3 will leave no future for anyone.

22:

Question: If you could go back in time, where and to what date would you travel and why?

Answer: I would go back to the mid 1970’s, so I could attend the concerts of so many legends that were gone before I was old enough to enjoy their music live, to see Janis Joplin or Jimmy Hendrix live would be a true once in a life time experience.

23:

Question: What has been the most important and life-altering event you have experienced?

Answer: My sentence of death, before this happened I was all consumed by work and drinking. I could have cared less about anything else, I had forgotten about my love of travel and who cared about the Middle East …??? This opened my eyes to so much that I was blind to before, it got me back to loving the simple things in life that I once took for granted, and it most importantly brought me back to Christ.

24:

Question: What is the most important thing that you want our visitors to know about you?

Answer: That I am a human being, I/we are not the devils spawn sent to destroy the earth, that I laugh, cry, bleed, read books, enjoy watching TV, love learning, I am a brother, an Uncle and son, I love music, enjoy football (GO GREEN BAY PACKERS!!!) and I am soooo much more, and whether a person believes in my innocence or believes me to be guilty, I am not a faceless monster to be discarded, an execution never solved anything.

25:

Question: If you have anything else that you would like included as a part of this interview, please share it with us now.

Answer: I end this with the advice to enjoy life, it is truly to short to miss a single sunset/sunrise and to have fun in everything you do!!!

Visit Brett's profile

Back to interview introduction page.

Webmaster’s note: I have tried to type the handwritten answers as complete and correct as possible. There is always a possibility that a typo or so slips in. Please send an e-mail when you come across them. Thank you!

Back to Home