Humanity for Prisoners

I'm in the office alone on New Year's Eve. I was unable to leave early because the wheel kept squeaking! Mr. V. wanted me to send letters by email to his two sisters in Honduras, wishing them a Happy New Year! He tries to send them letters, but mysteriously they never arrive. Mr. H. called, and needed a little TLC. He has been in prison 24 years, claiming wrongful conviction, but now has a glimmer of hope because a foreign documentary maker wants to tell his story. I read the email message to him, his spirits were lifted, and he told me that he loved me. Mr. D. wrote me a letter asking me to try to reach his grown children. He has been in prison for 15 years after his estranged wife accused him of child molestation. He could have settled for a one year jail term on a plea, but maintained his innocence. His holiday is ruined because judges ruled against him in one of the nations high courts a few days ago. Now he's desperately hoping to find offspring with a conscienc

Christmas was no sooner past than we received an urgent call to assist a prisoner on death row in Texas. Seems a jury had reached a verdict and decided on the death penalty in just TWO HOURS! A retired forensic pathologist pleaded with us to do something for this man, because records show he was actually in a county jail at the time of the murder ! His execution date is just 35 days away. In spite of holidays, HFP has already received a record 50 requests to date for assistance in December! We need you at our side this final week of the year. If you will get your donation in before Auld Lang Syne fills the air, you will not only receive a 2008 tax deduction, but you will also help us to do our best for forgotten prisoners with healthcare, mental illness, parole, hospice and wrongful conviction issues! To make it even more convenient for you, here's your online donation form: http://www.aboutinnocent.org/donate.htm I conclude with two kind comments from our wonderful partners t

It's no secret that we have a wide variety of supporters. There are atheists, agnostics, evangelicals, protestants, Catholics, Jews, liberals, conservatives...you name it. But there is a two-strand cord that binds us all together: We agree that all prisoners deserve humane treatment, and we believe that wrongful convictions are not acceptable. It's Christmas Eve, and the holiday weekend is here. I and my family will be in church tonight. But regardless of where you are, and what you will be doing, I hope that for all of you the weekend will be special; that you will have the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate friends and family. And during the laughter and gaity, I ask that you take a moment to remember a huge segment of our society under a black cloud this weekend. With more than 2-million people in prison in the United States, please remember not only the incarcerated, but the moms, dads, grandparents, children, relatives and loved ones...all real people, with real feeli

On beginning the new week: “ There is only one way in which one can endure man's inhumanity to man and that is to try, in one's own life, to exemplify man's humanity to man. ” Alan Paton quotes ( South African Writer and Educator , 1903 - 1988 ) I chose that quote because of the following experience: Over the weekend, Mrs. T sent me a brief message by email: My father is 68 and in prison, suffers from heart problems and cannot get the medicine that the doctor told him he must have. He was sent to the emergency room last Wednesday with what we thought was a heart attack. They performed a heart cauterization WITHOUT ANESTHESIA. The doctor was told that the Bureau of Prisons did not want to pay for anesthesia and not to administer it. I ask you, is this humane? We do more for our pets than we do for our prisoners. Within minutes we pounced on that case, and will resume our pursuit of humanity today. But we cannot do it alone! Your year-end assistance will enab

In the past two days, HFP was pleased to receive financial contributions in the name of another family member . We were asked to notify that family member that a gift had been given in his/her name by the donor. If you would like to do something similar, contact me by email asap...the letter can go to your family member or friend in time for Christmas. Thank you! Doug HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS 20 W. Muskegon Avenue Muskegon, MI 49440

From COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS by Charles Partridge and Greg O'Brien: If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation...YOU ARE AHEAD OF 500 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. Today, with your help, we'll try to touch at least one of them! Doug Tjapkes, President HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS 20 W. Muskegon Avenue Muskegon, MI 49440

I asked our friend Chanda Hidanovic, in Fargo, North Dakota, if there were any new developments in her husband's case. Mevludin, as you may recall, is a Bosnian who claimed wrongful conviction having to do with a skirmish at the county fairgrounds, claiming he was with his family at the amusement rides when this happened. He said that faulty eyewitness identification resulted in his arrest, refused to take a plea with a short jail sentence, and instead opted to count on our judicial system. He learned that the wheels of justice ground to a halt in his case . He was found guilty and was put behind bars. Now, because he is not a citizen, Immigration officials have deemed him a criminal not fit to live in this country. Regardless of the fact that he has a wife and four children here, he is being deported to his native land. The incident happened in 2006, and since that time HFP and many other friends have tried to assist the family and the legal team all the way to the state Su

My friend Brett's life took a sharp turn recently. He lives on death row in Ohio, and since his arrest in 1997 he's been trying to prove his innocence. He believed that an execution date would be delayed as the courts debate the question of cruelty by using lethal injection. But without warning, earlier this month, the State of Ohio announced his execution date : April 7, 2009! Said Brett in a letter to me today: It's taking some getting used to for me...I had anticipated I had at least a year or so before I had to worry about this. It is hard to wrap my mind around my new life expectancy! But then he went on... I know this might sound stupid or idiotic, but right now I am trying to enjoy what might be my last Christmas. I am trying really hard to not let the state ruin it for me. It is funny the things that become important, but for some reason enjoying Christmas and the full Christmas spirit is important to me!!?? Go figure! Would you be willing to help brighten

I should be fund raising this week! Every newsletter we receive says that if HFP is to balance its budget, this is the month! I should be fund raising this week! But I had to take time out to dash to a nearby prison to give an inmate a hug ! He just learned over the weekend that he has been granted a parole! You have no idea, unless you've been there, what it's like for a businessman who's never been behind bars to spend 8 years in that hellish environment. He wept. I should be fund raising this week! But we've just learned that we must find new office space by the first of the year. Imagine the time consumption of making presentations to potential sponsors, then making arrangements for office equipment and the transfer of cabinets full of documents! I should be fund raising this week! But prisoners need a Christmas card from us. For some, it is the only piece of mail they receive all year! A volunteer and I will make this happen, but it takes time. I should b

A Christmas gift suggestion for that friend or relative who 1. doesn't think there are wrongful convictions 2. believes that the judicial system works all of the time 3. wonders why you support a prisoner advocacy agency 4. has everything 5. loves a love story 6. needs encouragement and inspiration: SWEET FREEDOM! BREAKING THE BONDAGE OF MAURICE CARTER. HFP will ship a signed copy of this book to the person of your choice, and will pay the postage, FREE OF CHARGE, as a thank you for a December contribution to Humanity for Prisoners. The recipient of the book will thank you, and so will we! Doug Tjapkes, President HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS 20 W. Muskegon Avenue Muskegon, MI 49440

I WANT TO TELL YOU A SHORT STORY. At a recent speaking engagement, I was confronted by a distraught mother. Her 16-year-old son, mentally challenged, was serving time in an adult facility of the Michigan prison system! Many of you are parents and grandparents, and you and I would immediately recognize that prison is no place for the mentally ill! As our investigation expanded, we discovered more than half-a-dozen kids, some sentenced to prison as young as the age of 13. -At least one had been raped! -Most if not all were not getting proper medication! -Some had been brutalized by prisoners and guards! -One walked in raw sewage for a weekend because prison toilets backed up! HFP rolled up our sleeves, and progress is being made. Perhaps that’s why Jeff Gerritt of the Detroit Free Press said of our organization,… the world is held together by the love of a very few people. The average person can’t do much to offer humanity to prisoners. But HFP

Brett Hartman is a friend, we have always believed in his innocence, and have been communicating with him since he was referred to us by the Wisconsin Innocence Project in 2005. It's a sad day. Ohio high court sets 2 execution dates December 03, 2008 09:48 ESTCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Ohio Supreme Court has set execution dates next year for two condemned inmates. The court on Wednesday scheduled a March 3 execution for Jeffrey Hill, sentenced to death for killing his mother in Cincinnati in 1991 for money to buy crack cocaine. The court also set an April 7 execution date for Brett Hartman, sentenced to die for stabbing a woman in Akron 138 times, then slitting her throat in 1997. The state is once again executing inmates after the end of a de facto national moratorium on the death penalty that ended last April. Ohio executed one inmate in October and another last month. There are 178 men and two women on the state's death row. May God have mercy on us! doug

I realize that we're talking a lot about this, but our survival is not only important to us, it is terribly important to many who are in prison ! The Rev. Bob DeMoor is editor of THE BANNER, a publication of the Christian Reformed Church. In the December, 2008, edition his compelling editorial was entitled: LET THE LIFEBLOOD FLOW. Just a few quick quotes: When love stops circulating, the world dies. Scripture reveals how much the world needed a kick-start to get love flowing again. World governments, institutions, and banks are not up to THAT task. They're not in the business of spreading love around. So they can't save this dying planet. Whatever your investment portfolio or bank account looks like this Christmas, be sure to keep God's love circulating through your family, household, church, and community. Circulate it back to God as well, through giving to those in desperate need worldwide . (underline mine) Parents of some adult children have informed their

This message was sent to me this morning by a dear friend. I forward it to the many people who quietly and faithfully support us throughout the year with the prayers and funds that we so urgently covet. Subject: Emailing: Advent Calendar Doug, this advent reading reminds me of Jesus' vision which has motivated and encouraged me through the years; it also reminds me of you, someone who faithfully follows after Jesus... I remain with you, in the gentle grip of God's grace, Lou Sawai Chinnawong, Old Testament and New Testament The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of ev

December 1, 2008 Immediate Release Tjapkes an Amnesty speaker in Toronto Doug Tjapkes, President of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS, was scheduled as a guest speaker Sunday night, November 30, at a Cities for Life rally in Toronto, Ontario. Mayor David Miller, in a public ceremony, officially proclaimed Toronto a city against the death penalty, part of an international action involving more than 800 cities worldwide participating in the event this year. Cities for Life was the largest anti-death penalty event in Canada, and an important activist action for Amnesty Canada. Mayor Miller made his proclamation at Nathan Phillips Square Sunday night, and that was followed by a public march to St. James Cathedral. Among the list of speakers was Doug Tjapkes, of Spring Lake, who addressed the crowd by video recording. The evening ended with an illumination ceremony lighting up the front of St. James Cathedral, and the ringing of the Bells of Olde York. Here is the 12-minute speech that was prepar

Dear Doug, On this Thanksgiving — the first one I’m spending with my family since 1984 — I thought I would send a note to tell you how thankful I am for my freedom and for the chance at a new life. I’m thankful to my family for welcoming me home, and to God for making my exoneration possible. I’m thankful to the Innocence Project staff for their work on my case and, most of all, to you, for your support as a member of the Innocence Project community. I spent 23 years behind bars in Texas for a crime I didn’t commit. After not knowing for a lot of years whether the truth would ever come out, DNA testing proved my innocence and I was released in April. I’ve been out for seven months now, and it’s hard to express how good it feels. I’m starting to build a life. I live with my sister in Garland, Texas, and I’m taking computer programming classes through an organization called Central Dallas Ministries. Technology has changed so much since I went to prison, but I’m really into learning new

Late word from my dear friend Chanda, whose husband was wrongly convicted in North Dakota as the result of a fairgrounds brawl. This is a Bosnian family, but only her husband was not yet a citizen. Yesterday, the feds met to decide whether her husband could remain in the United States with his wife and four children, as he is now considered a convicted criminal. This morning, in my email messages, this heartbreaking letter: ---- Original Message ----- From: "Chanda Hidanovic" < chidanovic@pdssleep.com >To: "Doug Tjapkes" < thedouger@chartermi.net >Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 9:41 PM Once again Doug I get to share bad news with you. The immigration court decided to deport Mevludin. I will be taking some time away from work and the computer this coming week. Devastated is not even the word to describe how I am feeling. The pain is like grieving from death. The thought of leavng my kids and family is the worst pain I have ever felt in my life.I

A friend of ours just received a horrible letter from a Michigan prisoner! He said that a 300-pound bully was assigned as his cell-mate. The man's anger erupted, he threw her friend around in the cell, choked him, and finally her friend had to make a decision that neither you nor I can possibly imagine: He could either rat on the guy and be branded a snitch for the remainder of his time in prison, or be subjected to a rape. His mind in a turmoil, not wanting to be in jeopardy the remainder of his time in prison, he reluctantly chose the latter . Later he was so ashamed he tried to hang himself! His letter was still in my mind this afternoon as I listened to a speech by an official telling of a new, positive attitude in the Michigan Department of Corrections that hopefully will reduce the rate of recidivism. The prison system that was the topic of his discussion sounded like a different one than I know. Pray without ceasing for prisoners! Unless you've been an inmate, you'l

'Tis the season to be thankful, and a few Thanksgiving gifts to HFP could touch many lives! We have some immediate needs, and no immediate funds: $250 to settle up with Christ Memorial Church in Holland, where the wonderful WE CARE concert helped us to continue our advocacy for prisoners ! $270.40 to purchase another carton of the book SWEET FREEDOM, which we provide to prisoners at no charge, upon request! $389.72 for four new Cooper GLS tires, 205-65-15, to replace FOUR BALD TIRES on our car so that we may make holiday visits to prisoners in Michigan winter weather! ( Or, does anyone know where we can purchase tires of this size and quality at a lower price? We are NOT committed to this dealer .) In the spirit of the holidays, will you please help? We are very thankful for our loyal supporters! Doug Tjapkes HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS 20 W. Muskegon Avenue Muskegon, MI 49440

The frustration continues this week. This year we've been trying to help the supporters of an Oklahoma prisoner who has a compelling claim of wrongful conviction. Our data base, www.prisonet.com , usually works quite well for families and friends of prisoners. This time, nothing seemed to work. Every agency refused to help. Besides that, the prisoner has apparently been the subject of abuse. Quoting from the letter in front of me: While in prison, guards have, at different times, broken his nose, toe, knee cap, jaw, tooth, and permanently injured his head, back and hand, in retaliation for his attempts to find someone to help him. This has been going on for 17 years, with guards twice trying to get inmates to kill him. For 3 1/2 years they have refused medical services. No church in Oklahoma will become involved in helping any state prisoner except female prisoners with children. Over 300 have been contacted. All said that the Oklahoma Department of Corrections won't let

From a friend of HFP: I am the mother of a mentally ill teenager who is in prison. Now I find myself helping another woman, whose 15-year-old grandson, suffering from a significant mental illness, is also in the Michigan prison system! We have connected with several organizations, hoping to bring attention and change to the care and treatment of these minors with mental illness who were sentenced at very young ages to the Michigan Department of Corrections. Both of our boy’s cases are significant, and need attention. This woman’s grandson resided in Calhoun County at the time of his sentence, and he now is still in prison. He has been in Lapeer at Thumb Correctional Facility and also at Huron Valley Men’s Facility in the Acute Stabilization Unit due to his significant mental illness, for a length of THREE MONTHS, yet, believe it or not, he was taken OFF his medications upon his entry to MDOC back in June of this year. He is not receiving an education, he was being verbally and

I was still coming down from a "high" after viewing the first reading of a stage play that is being written about the late Maurice Carter and me. Then I returned to the office of Humanity for Prisoners this morning. A prisoner who suffers from epileptic seizures informed me that prison officials had taken away his helmet! I learned that a professional musician whom I sat with in a successful parole interview died at the young age of 44 because, I believe, his 7 year stint in prison messed with his mind! The mother of a 16 year old mentally challenged prisoner informed me that a sewer had backed up, shoes and socks of all prisoners in that unit were soaked with raw sewage for more than a day, the water had to be turned off, and prison officials informed his parents that this issue did not have high priority! A heroine in the Maurice Carter story, a single mom who spent the last year in jail, informed us by email that she doesn't know how she's going to pay the water b

The mother of a 16 year old boy, mentally challenged and in a Michigan prison, sends this message to HFP: ...this weekend the sewer backed up early Saturday, they had to shut off all water supply to his unit. It continued to flow out of the toilets, and this was as of 9:30 Sunday morning! An officer told my son to wad a towel up and try sticking it in the toilet, as his shoes, socks, etc., were wet, as well as those of everyone else on the unit. Everything on the floor was drenched with backup. It was to have been fixed Saturday night at 9, but no one showed up. Upon my visit Sunday morning, he was still in sewage-drenched shoes and socks. Our call to the command center was not well received. We were told that they had many issues and this one was not a priority. Humanity for Prisoners 20 W. Muskegon Avenue Muskegon, MI 49440

Itchy is dead. The lifeless body of this talented rock musician, whose band Shock Therapy was a popular group especially in Europe, was found in a field in Detroit last Wednesday, November 5. The Wayne County Coroner's office informed father Glenn McCormick that the body of his son Gregory, better known to all of us as Itchy, bore no signs of trauma. Glenn said that Itchy, who had been living at his father's dental lab in Detroit, had been drinking to excess for some time. While the toxicology report has not been released yet, the general consensus seems to be that he drank himself to death. Our agency, while still named INNOCENT, first got involved with Itchy in 2005. The Detroit native, who called Germany his home, got involved in some unfortunate activity that placed him in the Michigan State prison system on a charge of arson of a dwelling. It was really just a bonfire in an alley, but an alleged parole violation placed him in prison for 1-20 years. I personally sat w

I just opened my mail today, and have on my desk a letter from a poor Latino in California. Enclosed was a letter from the Los Angeles Public Defender's office which said: While it seems inconceivable to me that you could be convicted based upon the identification of an eye witness who later recanted, and by a second eye witness who was never sure of the identification; and serving a life sentence in a case where someone else has confessed, I am sorry to say that I will not be able to assist you in overturning your conviction . nuf sed doug

Doug Tjapkes, President of Humanity for Prisoners…is one of a handful of prisoner advocates who are, I think, what writer James Baldwin had in mind when he said the world is held together by the love of a very few people. Jeff Gerritt, Detroit Free Press My name is Dan Rooks, I’m a psychologist in Holland, Michigan, and I’m proud to serve as chairman of the Humanity for Prisoners Board of Directors. I’m proud because of our reputation of integrity which earned the above comment from one of our state’s major newspapers. This reputation is not confined to the State of Michigan. Renowned Author Sister Helen Prejean signed her picture with Doug: Thank you for your precious care for prisoners . WE HELP YOU -Strong prisoner advocacy means fewer prisoners and better use of tax money -Strong healthcare advocacy means inmates won’t infect the public upon release WE PROMISE YOU -A strong future as we seek affiliation with other solid churches and agencies

Yesterday I was privileged to be the guest speaker at a DEAD MAN WALKING prayer service on the Divine Child campus in Dearborn, Michigan. Here are excerpts of my address to some 900 high school students: As I speak in churches, I have found that some Christians speak with forked tongues when it comes to the subject of SANCTITY OF LIFE. Life is sacred at the beginning, when we're talking about abortion. Life is not sacred at the end, when we're talking about capital punishment. Life is sacred when we talk about euthanasia, but life is not sacred when we talk about war. In a recent speech at Ferris State University, Sister Helen Prejean congratulated those of us who are Michigan citizens for living in the first state to ban the death penalty. I contend that we should not be smug about this. My friend Maurice Carter contracted Hepatitis C while spending 29 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Doctors discovered that he had the liver disease in 1995, but didn't

Two things came across my desk today that should irritate every Michigan citizen! First, the Associated Press reported that according to state auditors, the Michigan Department of Corrections paid nearly $67-million in overtime to prison guards in the 2006-07 budget year. In fact, one officer worked 2,390 overtime hours! That's like working more than two full-time jobs. Prisoners tell us they have heard guards boasting about how much money they're taking home. And while prison guards are living that way, let me tell you how some of our prisoners are living. I received a letter today from a prisoner at the Mid-Michigan Correctional Facility, located in St. Louis, Michigan, who shall remain anonymous for obvious reasons. There is no doctor here. For some reason whenever there is a new doctor, they never stay. It's so hard for anyone to see a doctor, and the lucky ones may see one after months of complaining or going through physical ailments. There's no dentist he

Remember when we tried to give a wheelchair to a Michigan prisoner earlier this year, and it took almost five months to make it happen? To refresh your memory, a prisoner needing a wheelchair had a problem getting one from the state, and so we innocently shipped a donated chair. But apparently that was in violation of some policy, and it took months before reason prevailed, and the chair was moved from the warden’s office to the cell of the prisoner. Well, the state never forgot that, and now the same prisoner is in the Michigan Department of Corrections limelight again. This time he’s been placed in the hole (segregation). The charge: Smuggling! It’s a case much more serious than the wheelchair incident: His friend, with his knowledge and consent, sent him a new pair of sunglasses ! Think of the serious ramifications! Everyone should know that sunglasses may not be sent to a prisoner. Just as with the wheelchair, this is against policy. But the MDOC dug in on this one, app

Maurice Carter: his life, a sermon. Maurice Carter died exactly four years ago tonight, after just three months of freedom. His strength ran out in the fight against multiple physical problems contracted in the Michigan prison system, a miserable hell-on-earth where he spent half of his life. His last words to me, in a whisper that I could hardly hear: "I love you!" This humble, unassuming, innocent man had no idea that his simple examples in life would become a profound sermon, even after death. Over 29 years of incarceration, his compassion and gentle demeanor under a cloud of false accusation would -bring tears to the eyes of investigating university students -touch the lives of countless prisoners -enrage those who assumed that punishment and cruelty could conquer his soul -frustrate a judicial system so intent on winning that it even resorted to ridicule -maintain his dignity under scorching words during insensitive parole sessions -impress the finest of legal teams -end

SYSTEM FAILS BOSNIAN FAMILY, MICHIGAN AGENCY CLAIMS Shattered Hidanovic family soon to be splintered! American’s allegedly exemplary law enforcement and judicial systems have miserably failed in a North Dakota case, according to Doug Tjapkes, President, HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS, a prisoner advocacy agency based in Michigan. Poet Carrie Latet is quoted as saying, May I never wake up from the American dream. Tjapkes says that for Chanda Hidanovic, her husband and four children, the dream has turned into a nightmare. Mevludin Hidanovic, husband and father, is the only member of the Bosnian family who is not a U.S. citizen. The Fargo man was arrested for starting a fight at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds in June, 2006, while attending a county fair with family and friends. The arrest was serious, because alleged criminals who are not citizens face deportation. Here’s how our “system” failed, from bottom to top, charged Tjapkes: 1. Local police used driver’s license photographs for their “

Our sincere thanks to the wonderful response to our plea for thoughts and prayers for numerous women who were struggling yesterday. It was a tough way to begin the week in this office! Somewhere in the nation, our request reached a prayer chain, and a kind woman, whose location and identity are unknown to us, offered this prayer: Father, Our Lord, We lift up all of these dire needs before your throne of grace and we come boldly to you seeking your mercy and help for these women and their loved ones that are needing divine intervention. You know all of the situations and all of the praying, hopeful hearts. We pray in faith, believing that you will supply everything that is needed for these dear ones that are needing your hand to bring miracles in their lives and loved ones lives. We ask for the needs to be met exceedingly above all that we are asking for. For it is through faith that we believe that all things are possible! In Jesus name we pray, Amen. On behalf of all hurting women w

We're calling today "PRAY FOR WOMEN DAY:" -The mother of a violent prisoner with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, because she cannot persuade officials to give him medicine and a psych evaluation -The mother of an adult prisoner with a record a mile long, who was on drugs and sleeping in a car, but has now been blamed for a crime he claims he did not commit -The wife of a prisoner dying of cancer due to lack of proper diagnosis, who is being harassed by prison personnel and bombarded with bad luck -A female prisoner who claims she is incarcerated because she blew the whistle on a state cop who beat her -The frantic mom of a mentally challenged 16-year-old prisoner who can't get straight answers from the prison system and worries about her son's welfare -The grandmother of a 15-year-old bi-polar child with the mind of a 9-year-old, sentenced to 9 to 15 years in prison for sexual play with a 6-year-old, who has been in and out of the adult prison population, does not get his

It's time that we, once again, read and absorb this Franciscan Benediction as we begin another week: May God bless you with DISCOMFORT … at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with ANGER ... at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace. May God bless you with TEARS ... to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into JOY. And may God bless you with enough FOOLISHNESS ... to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can DO what others claim cannot be done. Amen

I realize that some friends have questions about supporting Humanity for Prisoners because it's so difficult for us to explain just what we do. This unusual ministry doesn't bring religious lessons into the prison or hold services for prisoners, it doesn't provide religious or educational correspondence courses. All of those ministries are wonderful, and we thank God for ANYONE willing to help a prisoner in any way! But we attempt to MODEL Christ: -get a wheelchair to a crippled inmate who cannot get one from the state -join a team trying to free a poor man who has served 35 years for a crime he did not commit -help parents and grandparents of mentally ill children thoughtlessly thrown into the adult prison system by inconsiderate judges -find a pleasant facility outside of prison for a dying inmate -pray with a death row inmate minutes before his execution -hold the hand of a Bosnian friend whose husband may be deported due to a disgusting wrongful conviction, thus leaving

It's not unusual for those of us working in this business of helping "the least of these" to find ourselves propping up a fellow worker during a moment of despair. In fact, I need it rather often. But today, it was another co-worker, in another state, who was blasted by her friend Juanita for decrying the fact that hate-mongering is being demonstrated at some political rallies. And, in response to her appeal for support to save the life of death row inmate Troy Davis, a friend responded: It seems NOT okay to kill criminals, but it IS okay to kill innocent, unborn babies. Here, in part, are the thoughts I shared with her. We must not stoop to their level. Shake the dust off your shoes, and lets get on with what we believe Jesus wants us to do. I've got a poor woman on line now whose husband is dying of throat cancer because prison doctors didn't do a biopsy in time. And since California is so strict on sex offenders (this one claims wrongful conviction) her 15

Doug, Thank you for your precious care for prisoners! Sister Helen Prejean With your help, it will continue! Doug Tjapkes, President HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS

Some of you have followed, with interest, the story of a Bosnian family in North Dakota. Mevludin Hidanovic is in danger of being deported, because he was wrongly convicted in a simple situation where there was a fight in an amusement park. He was wrongly identified as the instigator, refused a plea bargain, and spent a year in jail. Worse than that, he is not a citizen and now he has a criminal record. That's grounds for deportation. While attorneys continue to battle the case on legal grounds, his wife and four children (all U.S. citizens) are hoping for mercy. They hope to keep their husband and father here. Meanwhile, he's being held in a county jail in Minnesota, which is NOT next door. The hearing was scheduled for this week. Said his wife Chanda: ...yesterday was supposed to be his big deportation hearing to find out if he stays or goes. So, I take two days off work, pull the kids out of school, drive four hours to Minneapolis, spend the night in a hotel room, ge

It is always a sad day here in the office, and for loved ones, when one of the prisoners we have helped leaves this earth. We received the message over the weekend from Mary Ann Thomas, international flight attendant who resides in North Carolina, that her brother Arnold had died, here in Michigan. Mary Ann and I first met by email in January, 2007, when, in her characteristically unselfish manner, she contacted our office asking that we assist another prisoner at once who reportedly was not getting proper medication. She asked us to help, because she was dealing with her own prison issues. I pried into her issues, and learned that she was single-handedly fighting the entire MDOC on behalf of her brother Arn, who, as a result of earlier injuries, was mentally and physically challenged. He didn't belong in the state prison system in the first place, he wasn't getting proper care there, but he was getting more than his share of abuse by guards. HFP joined the fight, and on May

This 61 year old Michigan prisoner asked his warden to assist him in seeking a medical commutation. The inmate's brother contacted us. I had two mild heart attacks; I had open heart surgery (5 bypass) I have been diagnosed with diabetes My blood pressure is too high I am anemic I have now been diagnosed with a lung disease I have 100% dysfunction in one eye My hearing is very bad I take 11 different pills a day and carry nitroglycerin at all times. We'll check the medical records to verify all of this, but if it is true, do you think he would still be around when the warden agrees to help? DIRECT QUOTE OF MEMO FROM THE WARDEN: A review of your file indicates that you have only served 17 years of your life sentence, and although you do have some health concerns, I am not willing to submit a commutation request on your behalf at this time. After you have served 25 years of your life sentence, please feel free to contact this office and your file will again be evaluated for refe

I found it interesting that, following announcement of the stay of execution, a newspaper story reported that some family members of the victim were livid. They vowed to be there when the execution is rescheduled, so that they could witness the death of Mr. Davis. They obviously believe that watching the murder of a human being will bring some closure to the tragedy they experienced. Not so, claims Dr. Dan Rooks, Holland psychologist who chairs our board of directors. Professionals agree that, to the contrary, viewing an execution can cause additional emotional problems. Sister Helen Prejean, author of DEAD MAN WALKING, responds to the argument this way: “Well, if that is true, then are we cheating the families of the victims of the 98 percent of all murderers who are never executed out of their closure and retribution?” I do not speak from inexperience. I witnessed the execution of a friend/client in 2006. Texas Professor Rick Halperin, outspoken opponent of the death penalty, wa

we'd be rich!!! I received a call at the HFP office a few minutes ago from a prisoner. I remember when his closest friend first contacted us. The man was in a prison in the middle of nowhere, and never had visitors. We went to see him. I remember when he began experiencing serious medical issues. We fought for him. I remember when he needed someone at his side for a parole board interview. I was there. I remember when a public hearing was set to consider commutation of his sentence. His friend and I were the only two persons to testify. A man who years ago had no hope is now excited about getting out of prison, now has a vision for the future, and most importantly has been spiritually revitalized enabling him to see life through a different lens! Concluding our lively discussion, came the words: "Luvya, brother!" Priceless! Luvya, HFP supporters! Doug

We were sorry to learn that one of Michigan's fine prisoner advocacy agencies must close next month, due to lack of funds. The lagging economy combined with the uncertainty of the US financial community has been devastating for charities, and especially those dealing with prisoners and prison issues. HFP was in hope that the Drag Race Fund Raiser would bring us up to budget this month. Rained out! Thanks to many generous supporters who pledged, we still received more than a thousand dollars! But that was far short of our goal. In weeks ahead, we hope to see three prisoners released because of parole or commutation, thanks, in part, to HFP's involvement. So if you've got a spare ten spot in your pocket, slip it in an envelope and mail it to us today. We're not too proud to accept cash. And be assured, we have too many exciting developments in the future to quit now! We'll be sure to inform you of our victories as they come, because you are a partner in this mis

Bill wrote a letter to our office from a Michigan prison in August asking for help. He had refused to accept a plea bargain, and to make a long story short, he was sentenced to 40-60 years for second degree murder as the result of a fatal traffic crash, which he claims was an accident. When he left for prison, in 1995, his little girl said to him on the phone: "Daddy, Momma says you're going to be in there until I grow up. I want you to come home." He's now 43 years of age. Earlier this month he wrote again: I have cancer: tumors in my chest and neck. I'm going to have surgery. I'm so angry! My whole life was taken away for something I'm not guilty of, and now I'll probably die in prison before I can prove it. Today another letter, and his bitterness has hit a new peak: I'm old now, I've lost my youth, I missed seeing my children grow up, I'm sick every day and in pain. I pray to God to let me die because I can't face anothe

Not your fault it rained! We just KNOW you would have won. Check is in the mail. RS -- "Doug Tjapkes" < thedouger@chartermi.net > wrote: The good news: Wonderful supporters of Humanity for Prisoners pledged over $2,500 to help make up a budget short-fall for September, based on the performance of my scrappy little supercharged Studebaker Lark at the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags! The car and driver were up for the challenge. The bad news: A nasty weather system hit this part of Michigan last week. For the first time since I have been racing, all activities had to be cancelled on Friday and Saturday due to rain! Not one race car made one pass on the drag strip near Stanton, Michigan. The pledges were generous, our hopes were high...we just hadn't counted on rain like that! Thanks to all of you who believed in the car and driver, and who believe in and support our mission! As it turns out, you owe us nothing. There's always next year. Disappointed Doug HF

You still have an opportunity to make a contribution to HFB, through an unusual drag race fund raiser. HFP President Doug Tjapkes will be competing tomorrow and Saturday in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags. He'll be driving a supercharged 1963 Studebaker Lark. Doug will pick his five best runs in these quarter-mile sprints. He asks for a pledge from you for every run completed in less than 14 seconds. That's a quick 1/4 mile for an old Studebaker! Can he do it? If you choose to pledge $20 per run, the most you would contribute to HFP is $100.00...and that would happen if Doug gets below 14 seconds on every run. Highly unlikely, based on past performance. Anyway, you may still make your pledge, in any amount, today. Please help. If you pledge a buck a run, the most you will be out is five dollars! All gifts are deductible. And if there's a generous supporter out there, perhaps we can find someone to match all money that is raised in this effort to double the results!

For many years in the 1990s, the western Michigan male chorus HIS MEN sponsored an annual benefit concert to help feed starving people. It was called WE CARE, and it featured various gospel music groups. Eventually the concerts were discontinued. Two local area singers in HIS MEN proudly announced today that WE CARE is being resumed, with a new cause: prisoner advocacy. Don Daniels of Muskegon and Dennis Schaaf of Spring Lake reported that the date and location have been set for a benefit concert for HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. The concert will be held Saturday, October 11, 7:30 PM, at Christ Memorial Church in Holland, and will feature an eclectic array of Christian musicians, according to Daniels and Schaaf. Three male chorus will be featured: The Singing Crusaders Male Chorus of Kalamazoo; the Men of A-Chord from the Chicago area; and HIS MEN from western Michigan. Other prominent musicians donating their talents will be the African American gospel group from Grand Rapids, The J

From JV: It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. " Teddy Roosevelt

A MUST READ in today's USA TODAY http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/09/jail-and-jesus.html

September 20 9AM - 3PM All-day justice conference: Michigan's Prison System---How does it affect you? Plymouth Congregational Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan September 25 6 PM Sister Helen Prejean, author of DEAD MAN WALKING, speaking at Williams Auditorium, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, Michigan October 11 7:30 PM WE CARE Benefit Concert for HFP, featuring HIS MEN, the Men of A-chord, Singing Crusaders Male Chorus, James Family Singers and Gary Matthews, at Christ Memorial Church, Holland, Michigan

Helen Keller was quoted by a supporter of prisoner advocacy this week as telling the Tennessee Legislature that when she was young she had longed to do great things and could not, so she decided to do small things in a great way. I thought you might like to know some of the small things that HFP did this week: -personally answered 12 pleas for assistance in writing -sent contact information to persons in California, Nevada, Texas and Virginia who were at a loss to know how to help their loved ones in prison -sent six devotional booklets to Christian prisoners who wanted something to read -at the request of a sister, shipped a copy of the Maurice Carter book Sweet Freedom to her brother -called a prisoner's mom in Detroit to tell her of his new visiting hours, after the prison messed with his outgoing mail -suggested to a family member what to do with the written confession of a grown woman who, as a child, had wrongly accused her brother -encouraged a prisoner by phone who is conce

Drag racing to raise urgently-needed funds for HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS is generating a lot of interest and excitement! I will be driving a 1963 supercharged Studebaker Lark in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags at Mid-Michigan Motorplex on Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13. I will pick my five best runs of the two days, and have asked our supporters to make pledges on each quarter-mile run under 14 seconds. That's a fast ride in an old car! Pledges are coming in at a steady pace, and for that we thank you! But some of you are being very creative. Chuck said he would pledge $10 per run, BUT, if all five runs were under 14 seconds, he would DOUBLE the money! Then Bob came along, and he pledged $100 per run, and then added this kicker: HE WILL CONTRIBUTE AN ADDITIONAL $500 IF I GET BELOW 13.5 SECONDS in any one run! There's still time...email your own pledge, small or large. All money goes to HFP, all contributions are tax deductible, and ALL will help prisoners! Hang on!

A friend of HFP just pledged $10 per run for the up-coming Pure Stock Muscle Car Drags, for every 1/4 mile run that the Gold Rush makes UNDER 14 seconds. But he went one step farther! He said that IF ALL FIVE runs are under 14 seconds, HE'LL DOUBLE THE MONEY! Are you willing to take the chance on a 1963 Studebaker Lark? All funds go to Humanity for Prisoners and are deductible. And if you know this organization at all, you KNOW that the money goes straight to advocacy! Prisoners thank you! doug

It's drag race time again! Twice a year I participate in the pure stock muscle car drags, driving a 1963 supercharged Studebaker Lark. Last spring, the races had the potential of being a fine fund-raiser for Humanity for Prisoners. But it rained, and we didn't do very well. We're going to make things very simple this year, and the ball is in my court. The races will be held Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13, at Mid-Michigan Motorplex near Stanton, Michigan. I claim that I will be able to coax this little car to reach one-quarter mile in less than 14 seconds! I'll pick only five of the best runs of the two-day weekend. I'm asking you to make a pledge to HFP for every run UNDER 14 seconds, of those five. In other words, if you pledge $10 for every run under 14 seconds, and I happen to be successful in all five runs, you owe HFP 50 bucks. Last Spring, on the first day, I got below 14 only one time! You won't have to pay until after the races, when I h

Fargo, North Dakota Attorney David Chapman says he will file a writ of habeas corpus in federal court today. Mevludin Hidanovic was convicted in January, 2007, on a charge of engaging in a riot. It so happened that he was at a North Dakota fairgrounds with his family when a fight broke out at another location. Later, witnesses implicated him. He refused to plead guilty and receive 30 days. Instead, he was convicted and received 18 months. The bigger problem is that he is a Bosnian citizen...his wife and four children are citizens of the US. The family fears that the Department of Immigration will deport him, claiming that he is a foreigner with a criminal record. He is currently being held in a federal detention center, after appeals all the way to the state supreme court failed. Attorney Chapman has been fighting to avoid a breakup of this family over a wrongful conviction. Let's pray that his documentation will enable the federal court to see through this nonsense.

We must talk. This shaky economy is doing a number on us! I think that it is important for you to know how we use donations. Last Thursday I was in Jackson to testify in a commutation hearing for Mr. R., WHO WAS WRONGLY CONVICTED AND GIVEN IMPROPER MEDICAL CARE! In a letter just before the hearing he said: I will never be able to find the words that will express my gratitude in my heart for all you have done and still do for me, I shall never forget again the way love and peace can change a life. On September 23 I will be in Jackson to testify in a commutation hearing for Mr. K., WHO WAS SUFFERING EXCRUCIATING PAIN AND DYING IN PRISON! In a recent letter he said: I know that no one has worked as hard as you have and without your intervention I’d still be back where I was before. Words will never be able to cover my gratitude for all you have done. BOTH OF THESE MESSAGES COULD BE DIRECTED TO THOSE WHO SUPPORT US! We do not receive foundation grants. I am asking YOU to hold us up w

The five-word message from Fargo, North Dakota, attorney David Chapman: We lost the hearing. Unbelievable. It's the most recent disappointing chapter in a hellish story about a Bosnian family in Fargo. Mevludin Hidanovic was enjoying a day at the Red River Valley Fair with his family when a skirmish broke out at another location on the fairgrounds. Yet, he was arrrested. Hidanovic was convicted in January, 2007, on a charge of engaging in a riot, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. This all came after he refused to accept a deal from the Prosecutor to plead guilty and accept a 30-day jail term. Six months later, HFP got involved. That was when we learned that a juror came forward after the guilty verdict and admitted to the media that she had found him guilty due to race. That was when a woman who witnessed the fight came forward, after seeing his picture on the news, and said she knew it was the wrong person. That was when the family members voluntarily took a lie de

I am asking you to focus your thoughts and your prayers on a courtroom in Fargo, North Dakota, at 1:30 PM Central Time today. The case of Mevludin Hidanovic came to our attention over a year ago. Mevludin is a Bosnian who was wrongly identified as the instigator of a fight in an amusement park, and subsequently wrongly convicted. Because of this conviction, he now faces deportation...something that would split up a beautiful family, because his wife and children are American citizens. HFP's involvement early on was to assist in obtaining media coverage, and we were quite successful. But nothing was successful in the courts, all the way up to the Supreme Court of North Dakota. And yet, we thank God for attorney David J. Chapman, who never gave up. Recently, he persuaded the state to consider a new trial for Mr. Hidanovic, based on ineffective counsel. Again, HFP got involved. We found one of the leading eyewitness identification experts in the country to assist attorney Chapmen.

4:00 AM I can't sleep, and by 4 this afternoon I'll be paying the price. I was troubled by their words: -Those of a mom whose son (in prison) cannot get DNA testing to prove that he was not the father of a dead new-born, left in a toilet by his frightened step-daughter; -Those of a mom whose frightened son (in prison), driving through snowy white-out on a pitch-black night, felt his car hit something but told no-one. The pedestrian died; -Those of a daughter whose battered mom is going to prison because her father, while struggling to kill her mom with a shotgun, took the blast himself. He died. -Those of my friend whose Bosnian husband is threatened with deportation over a wrongful conviction, and who drives four hours one way to see him in a federal facility, only to encounter uncaring prison officials and heartless prison rules, concluded by a husband-wife conversation via video cam, limited to 20 minutes. I was encouraged by your words: "We were touched, once again,

The first words in the mission statement of HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS ARE: Seeking rightful resolutions to wrongful convictions... This week, we'll be rolling up our sleeves to do just that! Tomorrow, Wednesday, a legal team from the Toronto-based ASSOCIATION IN DEFENCE (Canadian sp.) OF THE WRONGLY CONVICTED will be in Detroit for a strategy session regarding Ray Gray. Gray is now 56, and has served 35 years in prison. This fine group of legal experts believes he is innocent. HFP is proud to have been invited to participate in that conference. Gray is a fine artist, and a number of his paintings were on display for our benefit art exhibit a couple years ago. On Thursday, my car will head south again. I will be traveling to Jackson to testify at a public hearing, scheduled by the Michigan Parole Board, for Ron Ross. Ron, now 42, was convicted of a safe cracking and has been in prison for nine years. He is a Master Gardener, and has used his gifts to develop a prison garden pr

Dr. Samuel Johnson: The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. Perhaps the best way to accomplish that this week would be to do something for a prisoner. I know of a prisoner advocacy agency that MUST raise $10,000 yet this week. Slow economic conditions and summer contributions, combined with a strong surge of requests for help all resulted in an unexpected financial crisis. A Christian organization, hearing of our plight, has already awarded a grant of $2,000! May God bless those generous, considerate people. That leaves a balance of $8,000.00. Perhaps you know of a church, a club, an agency, that has a contingency fund for situations like this. September will be here in a minute, accompanied by a new set of monthly bills. You know that I don't regularly use these "start-of-the-week" quotations to raise money. I'm merely calling a critical situation to your attention. Dr. Johnson's statement stands on its own. HUMA