LIFE ON DEATH ROW by Richard Rossi

Because I have a penpal on Death Row I’m interested in reading books and articles about this subject. So when I heard about Richard Rossi’s book about his life on Death Row I wanted to read that as well.

It was only after starting to read in it that I found out that Richard Rossi isn’t only in the same prison as the man I correspond with, he’s in the same Unit as well. The two of them have been there together for years. Of course this made the book even more special. At times it was quite emotional, because to me the book wasn’t only about Rossi, it was about my penpal as well. I’ve learned a lot from it and it has helped me to understand my penpal better. I already knew that life on Death Row is a living hell, but after I had read the book I realized it’s even worse. This is something that goes beyond our imagination.

The book is written very well, Richard Rossi gives us a clear view of life on Death Row. He writes about the loneliness, the humiliation and the daily struggle to survive. He also writes about law and "justice" in the United States and recent developments about the death-penalty.

Richard Rossi has dedicated his book to all unknown Death Row inmates, who deserve to be heard, and to the people all over the world who are working hard to abolish the death-penalty and who are trying to make an end to this barbarian practices.

A preview was written by Robert Badinter, former Minister of Justice in France. It is his personal opinion that this is a book that everyone should have to read. Through this book the European youth of today can form an opinion about the inhumanity and the disgrace from which the European countries have freed themselves by abolishing the death-penalty.

I fully agree with his words. Do we have to kill people to show that killing is wrong? Who are we to decide about the life or death of another human being? I think there are other and better ways of punishment.

After I had finished the book I knew Robert Badinter was right when he said that this is a book everyone should have to read.

I hope that many people not only will read the book but that they will think about it as well.

I want to thank Richard Rossi for sharing his thoughts, opinions and daily life with us and I hope that he will get the chance to write a lot more. His writings are a true contribution in the fight to abolish the death-penalty.

Marion Meijboom

Holland

 

Review by Pascal Marfaing