Here is a statement
from Kevin Cooper since he won a stay of execution.
Ritual of Death, By Kevin Cooper
On Monday, February 9th, 2004 shortly after 6:15 p.m., 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
6 officers and escorted to the death chamber waiting room. When I was in
the visiting room, the prison officials told me that the Ninth 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 were about 8 of them.
The leader of the squad got real close to me and asked me if there was
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
strip-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 50s. 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 right-hand side, but on an angle, and it was
hard to see her through the cell bars, 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 asked 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 armfuls 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 in the
middle of 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 6:35 p.m., and around 8:15
p.m., 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 state's
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 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 do my part in shutting down the U.S. government's pride
and joy: 'Their capital punishment system!'
In Struggle From Death Row,
Kevin Cooper
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"The Eyes Of The World Are Watching Now" This page was
last updated February 5, 2004
Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty This page is maintained
and updated by Dave Parkinson and Tracy Lamourie in Toronto, Canada
