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Interviews with the Condemned Interview no.17 (2006-06-20)
The 17th interview for the Interviews with the Condemned series is with Albert E. Reid. Albert was so kind to take the time to answer our questions, and we are thankful for that. Please visit Albert's profile to learn a little more about him.
Personality: Name:
Albert E. Reid
1: Question:
Where were you born and raised? Answer:
I
was born and raised in
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:
3: Question:
Do you have a favorite childhood memory? If so, what is it? Answer:
As
a boy growing up, there were a lot of animals and my Grand-father had a
lot of farmland. As a boy I had a Goat, Pigs, and Chickens, it was a lot
of work to keep them fed and clean, but it brought Great joy to me to
keep them, and see them Fat & Clean.
4: Question:
Did you like school? If so, share with us your favorite memory from your
school years. Answer:
My
days in school were very little, if you didn’t have the money to
purchase book’s, then you didn’t get one. We were taught how to
build and how to farm. We had to borrow books, and we never had a
library. We were rarely taught reading & writing. I did come along
later on though.
5: Question:
What person or event impacted you most as a child? Answer:
The
person that impacted me the most was my step-father. He was a building
constructor. He could make everything in a home, even the furniture.
This was made out of wood. He was a short man, only
6: Question:
What hobbies or activities did you participate in while growing up, e.g.
scouting, sports, etc. Answer: My hobbies while growing up were to keep my room clean, sports games, and activities in the church.
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 in
construction. I worked with a team of guy’s that was building houses
for the government.
8: Question:
As a child or teenager, what did you want to do when you grew up? Why? Answer:
As
a teenager you are taught how to drive, and how to have appreciation for
the tractor; which was a big Diesel powered vehicle.
9: Question: Do you have a favorite movie or book? Please elaborate. Answer:
My favorite
book was a little bible that I would keep in my pocket. I would carry it
around everywhere that I went. I was around twelve years old, and at 48
I still carried it around in my pocket.
10: Question:
Where was the most beautiful or special place that you can remember
having visited? Please describe it. Answer:
11: Question: What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you? Answer: The worst and the funniest thing that ever happened to me. I was on my way to work, driving in my truck with a guy from work, when I was stopped by the State police at gun point, placed in handcuffs, my pockets turned inside out, and into a bag. I asked what the charge against me was, and neither of the two police answered me. I was placed in the car off the highway for over 45 minutes. Then some officers came and took the cuffs off, and I was set free.
12: Question:
What job or occupation did you have prior to your incarceration? Were
you employed at the time of your arrest? Answer: I was employed by a company where I was working over 20 months before the time of my arrest. A toy factory.
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:
I
was never involved with drugs or alcohol.
14: Question: What do you miss most about the outside world and why? Answer:
I
miss the freedom of life in general, but most of all I miss my children,
who this state took away from me, without no facts or evidence to prove
a case against me. I was convicted of their superstitions, and
fabricated circumstantial evidence.
15: Question: What is the one thing you regret most? Answer:
The
only thing I regret most is not being able to work, and provide for my
children. Not being able to nurture them up in a Godly way.
16: Question:
Do
you have any strong spiritual or religious beliefs? If so do they
influence how you view the future? Answer: I grew up in a Godly home, with a Godly mother and was baptized at age 14. I would read the Bible and pray everyday. I had/have Great Faith in God, and Trust His words.
17: Question: How important is it for you to have contact with your family, friends and/or the outside world? Please elaborate. Answer:
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:
I
remember seeing on the desk before me to my right, a yellow tablet
before my court appointed lawyer, Seeing the witness name, and
everything he was going to say before he spoke to the judge and jury.
Everything pertaining to the trial was written out, like a drama. I was
in jail 20 months before trial. I was in jail for six months, and the
court took it upon them without getting any form of consent from me to
sell all of the marital property, so I couldn’t get adequate defense
counsel.
19: Question:
What is a typical day like for you on
death row? Answer:
My day starts
at 4:00AM, and I get down on my knees in prayer to God for 45 minutes or
more. I make my bed, and then I’m at the sink to wash up and brush my
teeth. I then sit down to read my bible till breakfast trays come; which
I take with Thanksgiving to God. At 7:00 AM it’s time for our Rec.
which is for two hours.
20: Question:
Do you feel that capital punishment
serves as a deterrent? Yes/No Please elaborate on your answer. Answer: A verdict of sentence that capital punishment serves as a deterrent, NO! This experience, I know in my case 95% of us do not get PROPER defense counsel.
21: Question:
If you could change one thing in the
world today, what would it be and why? Answer:
If
I could change one thing in the world, it would be how people treat each
other, and the words they speak.
22: Question:
If you could go back in time, where
and to what date would you travel and why? Answer: Me, I’m not looking back in time. I’m looking forward, to proving the truth.
23: Question:
What has been the most important and
life-altering event you have experienced? Answer:
The
most important and life altering event I have experienced is seeing my
one sister after 41 years and she telling me that she love & care
for me. I wish the blessing of God upon her.
24: Question:
What is the most important thing that
you want our visitors to know about you? Answer: First and far-most I am INNOCENT of this crime! My evidentiary hearing and trial notes of testimony show clearly that each time the witness’s spoke, they gave a different story. The police and DA used a woman who was a drug dealer to testify against me. She testified that I dealt & sold drugs. They also made her say that she sold me a gun. The police & DA brought forth a picture of a gun, its make & model they said was used to commit the crime, but the witness stated; “I never sold him a gun that looked like that."
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
was stopped by the police, who put me in their car, and transported me
to the police station without my rights being read to me. As we were
going to the station, I was told by the police to take my boots, coat,
and hat; and to give them to the officer. After questioning, I was taken
to a hotel room that I was staying at, and without any search warrant,
or any form of consent from me. They searched my hotel room. I did not
give them a key; they obtained one from the manager. Is this allowed?
This was an awful search & seizure of my personal property. Police
claim they found residue on my coat. I am INNOCENT! I couldn’t even
obtain good counsel, because the court sold all my personal property 6
months after I was arrested, once again without my consent. I NEED HELP! I
was charged with murder. My court appointed lawyer attorney / trial
layer filed a motion to the District Attorney’s office & to the
Court for all the discovered material, but was refused. My
attorney never saw, nor did he EVER have a record of the evidence. My
whole trial was based on circumstantial evidence. More so; the first
brief filed for my PCRA on September 9, 2004 the attorney’s never saw
or received the Discovered Materials, until April 2005. The
injustice from the court; where evidence seized without a search warrant
(47) days before charges were filed, as seizure was justified by the
court. My name is Albert Reid. Please hear me out… A list of evidence
the court and people withheld Exculpatory evidence from the crime scene.
Also DNA, knowing that it was not mines. It was never tested. This is my word, and the
record can prove it.
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!
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