Anthony Cardell Haynes 29, currently on Texas Death Row.

I was introduced to Anthony or Ant as I call him in 2006. A mutual friend introduced us. I had never written to anyone on the row. I write to a lot of prisoners so it in fact wasn't really that difficult to sit down and write Ant. I treated him like anyone I treat first go around even in the free world. I proceed with caution. That's one aspect of prison life that has been embedded into every fiber of my being, I struggle with the ability to trust. When your own people put you in chains, persecute and ridicule you, throw you in a cage and treat you like an animal for years I think it is understandable that one may have some trust issues.
My first letter to Ant was about two lines long. He responded the same way. I shot him back about one full paragraph. Again I got the same in return. But it was enough for me to sense something about Ant so I wrote him a full page. A couple of weeks later Ant sent me about a six or seven page letter. It smelled of realness. I never read a letter with so much honesty in my life. Without saying it in words I can feel this brotha was sorry for what he had done. Don't get it wrong now, Anthony is a warrior. He was in the military for a brief moment. He went through the ROTC training program throughout high school. I have seen ROTC training photos. Young men in full combat gear armed being trained to kill or be killed.


I identified with Anthony from the door. I know all to well what life on the streets is like. Much like life in prison unless you experience it first hand, you will just never fully understand unless you are very patient, open minded and compassionate.
I answered Ant's long letter with a long letter. Though Anthony was never big on writing men we just clicked we became comrades in the struggle. Within a few letters Anthony was like the younger brother I never had. I say younger only because of the age factor. On an intellectual level, Anthony has taught me more than a lot of people that have come through my life.
One of the first things that stood out writing Anthony was his honesty. His honesty is a rarity in this world. He never once tried to deny or down play what he did. He stated clearly from the beginning I am here because I killed a man. I sat back and remained silent and listened to this young man tell me his side of the story, something I feel someone with the power to save this young mans life should do. I found no reason at all to doubt him. Some may think well he's a convicted killer and he will say anything to get out of being executed. That's one way of looking at it. I saw as he was a convicted killer waiting to be executed so he had no reason to lie.


I have sat and talked with, hung out with, and have sat down and eaten with a number of killers in my life time. Some were convicted and some have never been caught. I think I qualify to say Anthony Cardell Haynes is light years away from being a cold blooded killer. I know cold blooded killers and Ant is not one of them. Anthony is no different than the guy living next door to you. He is no different than the guards that watch over him. Well, he's different but only in one sense, he got caught doing what he did. That's the only difference. If Anthony was the type of man that never once in all the years he has sat in a cage wished things had played out differently, I wouldn't be writing this story in his behalf. The fact is I trust Anthony has wished this thousands of times in the past ten years.
Anthony was young and very confused. Looking at his life leading up to his being condemned to die it was obvious something was not right in his young life. He made some bad choices as a result of his confusion, choices that led him to being where he sits today, on Texas death row. For the past ten years Anthony alone in a cage with nothing more than brief encounters with older prisoners has raised himself into an intelligent man.


A scared, confused, troubled teen was convicted of capital murder. But that's not who is going to be executed. This is not that same confused kid from back in 1998. This man has a lot of worth to society. His experience can make a big difference with youth in today's society. Anthony has incredible incite and he's very open to share. He is who fuels my fire in the fight against the death penalty. Every case does, every prisoner does but in Anthony's case it's highly combustible. I identify with him so much I clearly see that it could have been me sitting there where he is. I think I am not because God felt it would be to much for me to handle. Incredibly Anthony is handling it pretty well which brings me to the next reason why I am so drawn to Ant.
Never in my life have I ever met a human being with such faith as Anthony holds, this includes priests and reverends. I am sure many men that have been executed have excepted their fate without blinking an eye. But Anthony is not machismo or cocky about it not at all. He just calmly states if it is Gods will for Him to die, then he excepts it. He leaves it in Gods hands. His words are very powerful and heart felt.
I am nothing more than a jail house lawyer. I am not even a qualified paralegal but I have been in and around the justice system for over 20 years. I have heard hundreds if not thousands of cases and have read a number of cases in law libraries. I have looked into Anthony's case, and yes he has a legitimate case that should be looked into and heard. Understand that I am in no way trying to disrespect the family of the victim trust me my heart goes out to them along with my prayers. In a nut shell I am at best trying to stop more victims from being made here. I don't see the good in killing this young man at all. I found relief in fighting to understand why this tragedy took place. A lot of good could be done with understanding why this happened. Every occurrence in life holds valuable lessons. Killing young men that made a grave mistakes is discarding the lessons totally.


What confuses me the most about our country is how we come off as this God fearing nation. We have more church's than I can count in a life time. There are actually 27 church's from Polunsky Unit in Livingston, Texas where death row prisoners are held, to Huntsville about 45 miles away where they are executed. 27 church's. Bibles differ but all pretty much say the same thing. Why doesn't anyone else get it? Jesus was an innocent man that was executed. OK now we know He had to die for all of us to be forgiven. So God knew beforehand that the people would indeed turn against Jesus and persecute Him. Living my life, seeing the way people are in this world, I can see why God bet this one would play out without falter. The moral to the story is forgiveness, something I don't see often here in the US. This is where the healing and the power lies. For the family of the victim I know it seems impossible, to forgive. But it's not impossible. God said the way to heaven is the narrow and most difficult path. The easy route is being angry and wanting blood for blood. This is the same behavior gangs partake in on the streets. You kill one of ours, one of yours has to go then. It's never ending. The healing is within forgiveness.
Anthony's case is clearly not a capital case according to Texas law. It was made into a capital case due to the fact the victim was an off duty police officer. Again please understand I am not taking away from the victim. I would just rather see him honored and remembered with forgiveness and not with revenge. Anthony is a different person. He felt his life was in danger. This does not excuse the fact that he had an illegal weapon and used it and killed a man, but it is a beginning to understanding. A lot can be learned from this case. Like looking at why a weapon can be so easily obtained on the streets. Looking into the months leading up to the incident a lot of valuable information can be gathered in talking with Anthony to help prevent a young man from walking down the same path missing every warning sign. I am not questioning the victims actions, but things can be learned for the future here as well. Like maybe off duty police officers should not pursue potential perpetrators. They should get their plates, and call it in. This would be called corrections. Trying to fix something very wrong that happened. Disposing of another human life just kills a little bit more of the possibility of us ever becoming a truly civilized society.

Love conquers all. I have heard this throughout my whole life. I just never seen it practiced. I see a lot of hate, anger and destruction that's what I see. Look at every single picture here. Tell me if you see a threat to society in these pictures. Tell me you see a cold blooded killer. Anthony is no more a killer as any one of them young men fighting over seas. Why do we as a people so openly except our young men and women to be trained and shipped off to another country they have never been to for the sole purpose of killing in the name of freedom, yet we will never except one of our own killing in what he believes is a life threatening situation, no this deserves the death penalty. That is unless you are an officer of the law.

It's time we stop the killing and start looking for real answers to some real problems. The only way to stop killing in this world is to stop killing. If the leaders of our country kill in a showing of power, how would you not think that the followers, "the people" aren't going to behave in the same way. Lead by example.
I am not fighting for the life of a convicted killer, I am fighting for a life. A young man, a brother, a son, a grandson a dear friend. Anthony loves, he hurts and he is sorry. I believe this case should be reviewed with respect to all those involved. Have a look for yourselves.
In solidarity. "X"

ANTHONY HAYNES #999330 POLUNSKY UNIT D/R 3872 FM 350 SOUTH LIVINGSTON, TEXAS 77351 U. S. A.