Thursday, August 31, 2006

Whom It May Concern, Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Xavier Waterkeyn and I am the author of a book called Death Row – Profiles of People Who Face the Ultimate Penalty. Published by New Holland in August 2006 the book primarily comprises accounts of people who were executed for their crimes or alleged crimes. I say alleged because while some criminals were obviously guilty some were also, in my belief, innocent of the crimes for which they were executed. Owing to the books great success both nationally and internationally my publisher has asked me to do a follow up, and I have suggested that the new book should be called Letters from Death Row and it should comprise the life stories, both in and out of jail, of prisoners on Death Row, predominantly in their own words.

I’d like to invite you to participate, to see this as an opportunity to tell your story and to tell the public what life is really like on Death Row.

What I’d like from you, if you’re willing, is a letter that in no more than 2500 words (or thereabouts) tells me the following:

• When and where you were born, your parents and siblings names and a little about your childhood and adolescence.

• What sort of experiences or influences led you to make the decisions that turned you to crime as a life option and ultimately put you in the “wrong place at the wrong time”.

• The specific details of the crime that put you on Death Row, particularly how you felt while it was happening. If you were set up, I’d like to know how and why. Make sure that what you tell me is on the public record or not defamatory.

• How the criminal justice system dealt with you, and how you felt about becoming a “condemned prisoner”.

• What your life has been like since then on a day-to-day level. 

• How is your life controlled? How do you spend your time?· 

• What your life has been like since then at an emotional / psychological level. For example, do you think you’ve become institutionalized? Do you think that you’ve suffered “Death Row Syndrome”? How have your experiences changed you?

• Your general observations about life in prison and about other prisoners.

• Your relationships with people outside of prison.

• Where are you now, both literally and metaphorically? What are your hopes and expectations for the future (sorry if that sounds insensitive, given your circumstances, but I don’t really know how else to put it).

Of particular importance to me are three things a) complete dates, b) honesty and, c) closure. Where possible please give me events in chronological order, so that I can get a feel for the narrative of your story. Also, if you know the outcome of any related events you tell me about, please let me know. Details are important, although I may need to change names to protect confidentiality. 

Please also use this opportunity to tell the world what you want to tell them. Feel free to express yourself in any way you like, but please also check that whatever you tell me would not compromise any legal process that you may be going through. Please also check that the facts are on the public record and understand that anything you tell me will be “on the record” although I may edit your correspondence with me to make your story clearer to my readers.

If you like please feel free to check out my other books so that you can get a feel of my style and get a better idea of where I’m coming from. The titles are Women in Crime, Who’s Rejecting Who? , Death Row and Brilliant Ideas. All should be available through Amazon if you want your prison library to procure them. Suffice to say that I just want to give my readers an insight into your life. What they do with those insights is up to them, so feel free to speak your mind and heart.

One last really important thing. I need your unrestricted permission to reproduce any correspondence you have with me, as my intention is to publish your story. To this end, I’ve drafted a simple formal release. Please sign it and have it witnessed, then return it to me. Understand that this release only covers the stuff you send me and does not affect any other rights you have.  

Development Management Headquarters
Suite 1, 144 Anzac Parade
PO Box 950
Kensington NSW 2033
Australia

*** EXAMPLE OF UNRESTRICTED RELEASE ***

(Please note that if you decide to participate I shall prepare a release noting your full name and address.)

I, John Doe - #999999, of Whatever State Prison, 11111 Whatever Drive, Wherever, US 22222 – 1111, United States of America, by this deed, grant free and unrestricted access and rights to Xavier Waterkeyn, (the “Author”), trading as Development Management Headquarters, to reproduce any correspondence between he and I, in whole or in part, for the purposes of publishing such correspondence in his book, Letters from Death Row (working title), or in any other works or media. 
I hereby renounce all claims and rights to such correspondence and fully indemnify the Author for any claims or losses arising from any information I may provide him with. 
I declare that any information I provide to the Author is, to the best of my knowledge, the truth.

Signed, sealed and delivered on (Date):

Signed – Jon Doe

Witness Signature (Any Legal Adult)

Witness Name and Address (Can be a business address)

Development Management Headquarters
Suite 1, 144 Anzac Parade
PO Box 950
Kensington NSW 2033
Australia