January 27th 2020 @ 7 am
song: “Kinfolks” by Sam HUNT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk7ITw2Bl8s
“Even when the world throws its worst and then turns its back, there is always hope”_ Pittacus LORE.
2020 is going to be my year! A few days ago, I was informed by my attorney that the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (CCA) has requested the Dallas trial court sent them the video tape of the hypnosis procedure the police conducted on the only witness in my case. The way the CCA operates is they assign a staff attorney to read the record of my appeal, including transcripts of the evidentiary hearing, motions, appeal briefs, etc. And they write a summary and give it to 9 judges on the CCA. The CCA is a court that denies the majority of appeals it receives and does it so quickly. The norm is an appellant has an evidentiary hearing and 6 months later the CCA denies them.
My case has been in this court 16 months now. That in itself is unusual. Now, them requesting the video indicates they have at last begun to consider the appeal my legal team has filed on my behalf. I also believe and have faith in the fact that if their intention was to NOT consider the powerful scientific evidence through 2 top notch experts, the CCA would have denied my case a long time ago. Without any extra action like requesting the hypnosis video. This is an indication that, at last, the process of considering my appeal and good things will follow. I think back to 2017 when we had our evidentiary hearing and how great that felt. It’s been a long wait: 2 years! But the waiting is over, the freedom train is about to leave the station and I am on board! I feel so good and positive about this development. 2020 : my year!
January 30th 2020 @ 8 pm.
Song: “Daddy let me drive” by Alan JACKSON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQe3DKDQRRs
“The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it”_ Hubert H. HUMPHREY.
In the substantial time that I have been alive I have learned that life has a way to surprise you. Surprising you in ways you would not have expected. Being sent to Texas death row was one of the worst thing that can happen to anyone. One of the amazing surprises that came from me being sent to death row is that the best friends I’ve ever had in my life have resulted from my situation. People who truly care about me and help me in every way possible. Today, one of my best, closest and true friends named Laurent came to visit me from France. I’ve known Laurent since 2013 and he is an amazing guy. If anyone has just one friend like him they are blessed. My visits with Laurent are always great. He knows the “real” me and accepts me totally. I find it incredible how my friends teach me to be a better friend to others. I can talk to him about anything and that’s a blessing. We got to discussing another situation I find myself in and what that person had told me. Laurent’s response was “I want to tell you that no matter what happens, I will always be your friend!” That blew me away. It left me speechless. That is the voicing of what true friendship is all about. I am extremely grateful for my friend Laurent being in my life. He’ll be back tomorrow for the second day of my special visits with him and I know we’ll have a great time. We’ll laugh, have fun, and enjoy those 4 hours together. It does not get any better than that.
February 1st 2020 @ 2pm.
Song: “don’t dream it’s over” by Laurent DAIGLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KK8wOJ3YGg
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”_ Mahatma GHANDI.
Another week-end and we begin the month of February. Had another great visit with Laurent and now he has left Texas and will soon be traveling for work. Good visits with great friends always allow me to come away feeling positive and I can ride that energy for days, weeks even, and get much done here. Always have writing to do and enjoy that, like always. I have worked hard to create the simple but fulfilling existence in this place called death row. I feel the need to get as much done as possible, because change is coming in my life and I need be ready when I step into part 2 of my life. It’s easy to allow myself to become distracted. Life is full of people and things that seemingly exist to be that to you. I deal with that in here just like you do out there. One of our greatest victory is when we see that our focus and concentration have been pulled away from what’s important and put it back where they need be. Tomorrow is Superbowl Sunday, and I will enjoy the final game of our NFL season, then be glad to have my weekends back! I have lots to fill those 2 days up with. Excited about that because I feel I’m moving into a time in my life in which every day will count. Every waking hour! That’s what’s on my mind, making it count and being happy and filled with satisfaction as I work to reach my goals, all of them, especially the big one: FREEDOM!
February 3rd 2020 @ 6 pm
Song: “Who’s that lady” by the Isley Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1DDgNCLD84
“Love those who will love you when you have nothing to offer but your company”_ Anonymous
Another week is here. Yesterday was our Superbowl and I had a great time listening to it. It was a good game and our football season ended well. The Kansas City Chiefs won and that’s who I rooted for. It was fun. Now I move on to other things and focus on my writing a lot. I’ve kept busy today with some of that and will continue through the night. Tonight will be a long night, we had some lazy guards work the day shift, so the night shift has to finish recreation and showers. That means mail will be handed out after 10 pm. There was one point in my life that would really upset me. Not being able to control that frustration which manifested into aggression, cost me one of the people I love the most. I vow never to let that kind of bullshit control me again. It was interesting. I has a clown who believes his own hype try to manipulate me into doing something today. It angered me for a few minutes, then I remembered that type of fools exist to distract us. Instead, I chose to keep focus and move forward. That kind of tests come along every now and then to try us and test our control. They prepare us for what is to come in life and I am willing to go through whatever I need to, so I can reach my goal: Freedom forevermore. That is a worthy goal and the one I work towards relentlessly. It’s all about finishing the race and I can see the finish line.