CHUCK COLSON Honor the Life & Legacy Of Chuck Colson (1931-2012) Though we mourn the loss of a great leader, we rejoice knowing God has welcomed his humble and faithful servant home. When Chuck Colson left prison, he promised to remember the men who remained behind bars. “I will never forget you guys!” he told them. And for 36 years, Chuck faithfully kept that promise. In 1976, he founded Prison Fellowship, a ministry dedicated to living out Jesus’ command to remember the incarcerated and share the transformational love of Jesus Christ with them and their families. Remembering Chuck Colson “I could never, ever have left prison and accomplished what has been accomplished but for God doing it through me,” Chuck once said. Please continue to pray for the entire Colson family. While we all deeply feel this loss, we take heart knowing God has welcomed Chuck into paradise with a “well done, good and faithful servant!” Reported By: ~~Linda D.; TPNS Community Director

MICHAEL NEAL ARNOLD 07/02/51 - 02/14/2012 Passed away in prison due to illness Michael was one of our Texas Prisoners on TPNS/TX Pen Pals Wanted Web Site. He was a hugh sports fan, a Dallas Cowboy fanatic, He played handball in prison, he liked to read and enjoyed listening to be-bop, rock, & country. He really like to dance and claimed he was a very good dancer. He enjoyed working in the garden and going camping, but fishing was his best thing he liked to do. He really like all water sports,swimming and diving -like a fish! He enjoyed midnight swimming, picnics and romance. In his younger days he lived a wacky outlaw type life. He was healthy, never been sick a day in his whole life. He looked forward to living the rest of his life very positively. He enjoyed debating politics and he liked Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson. He believed the two greatest things in our world today is our Children and our Senior Citizens. Michael married JoAnn while in prison, they met through this web site, they were pen pals and fell in love... *How do I say goodbye, How do I say goodbye to all our plans and dream? I thought we'd get to see forever but for ever has gone away, It's so hard to say good bye. I don't know where this road will lead me without my hero, But I'll take with me the memories that we've made. I still listen for your phone call and still think about visiting, Then reality hits like a slap in the face. It really is too hard to say good by to yesterday. I miss my best friend who taught me to love and laugh. I don't know how to stop the tears. ~These thoughts by his wife-JoAnn *From the song; "It's so hard to say goodby" By Boyz 2 Men. He will be missed! He was Incarcerated for Agg. Robbery Sentenced 30 Years He Entered TDCJ in 1995. Reported By: ~~Linda D.; TPNS Community Director

DUKE ELLIOT April 2008 Died in Prison due to liver cancer. "It doesn't make a difference if I was in prison two times before," said Smith, "I didn't do this one." Like the other men, Smith knew he was lucky that DNA testing ultimately cleared him. "A lot of innocent people are going to die in prison," he said, "I'll guarantee you that." Yesterday afternoon and I going through the Texas Innocent Network's Query looking for the Eagle Speaks' Clients that we mailed letters to the TIN to investigate their claims of innocence. I came across one of our clients' name [Duke Elliot; 468185] which stated that TIN accepted his case and they were doing an ongoing investigation on his case. I was delighted to see that TIN did accepted his case since he has written to me over the years declaring his innocence of Agg Murder; 75 Yrs Sentence. Mr. Elliot has been incarcerated for over 20 years in TDCJ. I had his brother's phone number since that is requested on the documents that we request our clients to fill out and complete. I called Mr. Hill to let him know of his brother's update from TIN and Mr. Hill informed me that three weeks ago his brother [Duke] passed away from cancer of the liver. Duke had Hep C for a while in prison which developed into cancer in his liver. He was in Galveston at the Medical Prison Hospital when he died. I was shocked to hear the news and lost for words. What do you say to a family member who knew their loved-one is innocent of the crime and watch over the years his life going down the drain? "My brother proclaimed his innocence for over 20 years and while dying, he still stated that he is innocent." The Texas Justice System failed again and we shall suffer another lost of innocence because no one seemed to care enough to help. My heart goes out to his family and friends for the lost of their loved-one who died for something he did not do. I will informed TIN of Duke's death and that his family still wants his case to be investigated so he may one day rest in peace. Reported By: ~~Linda D.; TPNS Community Director

MAURICIO GARZA CARDENAS "MORRIS" 10/06/1948 - 02/11/2007 Died in TX Prison Due to lack of Medical Care. Morris was one of the Texas Prisoners on TX Pen Pals Wanted. Morris was serving a Life Sentence for Possession of Herion and Aggravated Robbery. But that does not give the medical staff the right to denied good medical care for Texas Prisoners! He will be missed and always remembered!

DAVID RUIZ - 1972-2005 David Ruiz, 63, Convict Who Won Reform With Handwritten Lawsuit New York Times, United States (AP) - David Ruiz, the convict whose handwritten lawsuit more than three decades ago led to court-ordered improvements in Texas prisons, died on Saturday at ... Inmate who fought for prison reform dies Houston Chronicle Plaintiff in long-running prison lawsuit dies Let his own words set the record straight. Ruiz wrote, in a letter of July 8, 2004 to John D. Stobo, President of the University of Texas Medical Branch, "I am sixty-two years old, and denial of medical treatment constitutes a conspiracy to murder me slowly." David Ruiz claimed he was dying of medical neglect. He reported harassment and retaliatory brutality by everyone from a petty mailroom dictator named Pegoda, to Nurses Fisher, Fuson, and Freeman, to the doctors, the wardens, and Major Thomas and Captain Jones at Goree. He knew the value of paper, and he created a paper trail that leaves no question about the circumstances of his death. According to documents he left behind, David Ruiz had cancer, first observed by UTMB medical staff in 2002. That cancer was allowed to grow, unchecked and untreated, for three years, and Ruiz was not even informed of the fact that he had cancer until 2005. He also had Hepatitis C, which he contracted on Coffield Unit as a result of dangerous and unsanitary conditions. After months of filing grievances, writing letters, and demanding attention, he was treated minimally and irregularly for Hepatitis C for six months; after six months, his treatment was discontinued. He also had gall stones (untreated), cataracts on both eyes (untreated), hiatal hernia of the esophagus (untreated), and injuries to both knees, both ankles, and his back (all untreated). In February, 2004, David Ruiz was told by a doctor sent by the parole board that he had, at most, five years to live. Ruiz wrote at that time, "I only hope I’ll be able to accomplish certain things I desire on behalf of all prisoners who have experienced oppression, sadness, loneliness, and pain while being confined. I have seen the face of death here in prison and have suffered and endured brutal pain. I feel death is the end of my existence in the world and the beginning of a journey to the unknown." A year and nine months later, on November 13, 2005, David Ruiz died in custody at John Sealy hospital.

Kenneth Malone-2004 Died in the Prison Jail Due to denial of insulin. Kenneth was fighting hard for Texas Prisoners' Rights, both inside and outside of TDCJ/BPP. He was one of The Co-Founders of TPLU [Texas Prison Labor Union]. He was also a Jailhouse Attorney and had a civil law suit against TDCJ for lack of medical care within the Prison System. He will be missed from those who stood by his side! In His Memory Some of the folks may not know the story of Ken Malone, so I will type a few sentences of back ground. Ken was in the 1st. 10 of the inside jailhouse lawyers to join the TPLU and stayed TPLU after release. He has gone back to school, working for his Ph. D. soon at Yale after finishing studies in the Amarillo area. He has been acknowledged in the Austin Statesman as possibly the best unlicensed Attorney in Texas- Ie. A jailhouse lawyer on the outside. Ken was caused to go blind while inside TDCJ due to retaliation because of his work inside as a Jailhouse Lawyer. Ken used those abilities after release to continue to confront TDCJ/UTMB and the BPP. Although Ken has had NOT one problem violating his parole due to criminal activity the BPP of Texas has hounded him on a persistent basis for very minor technical issues. The battery went out in his leg monitor and the Sheriff was on hand with in min's to charge his house and arrest him; a judge released him. He traveled to Austin to speak to the legislature while it was in session, BPP officers drove behind him and stayed in the same motel to see that he did not leave the room even to go out to eat as that was not on the travel plan. The BPP officers followed him back to Amarillo. He had notified his PO that he was moving, he gave adequate advance notice and notified SWB that his ph. would need reconnect for the leg monitor. His PO called SWB and gave a different schedule. BPP was at his door at 7:30 AM the next Monday with an arrest warrant and they did arrest him because the phone line was off so his monitor was off. Ken is in the County jail now waiting on a revocation hearing. The posting that goes with this shows the COLOR of BPP. I made a formal request complaint to BPP/Ausin and Mr. Thrasher answered with a "Sweet Spin" response. This is what I call TDCJ/UTMB/BPP's three paragraph responses that have words arranged in lines but actually say/do nothing to address a person complaints. TDCJ has ADMITTED that it uses FORM responses and does a little altering to put in names etc. TDCJ/UTMB and BPP are MASTERS of the "Sweet Spin" response letter; they have had 100 years to get the three paragraphs down just so. Watch/Read/Study the response you have/get in the future and you will quickly see/understand what I relate. As Mr. Thrasher now says in his response to my more pointed E mail to him; every thing lies with Ken's PO in Amarillo that HAD him arrested in the first place. Please review Mr. Thrasher's first response to me that I had sent. It is a three paragraph "Sweet Spin". It never told me what the second response did; WHY NOT tell me up front/first what it took a second questioning to get?? We ALL know the answer. As a grievance steward for many, many years now I have developed a sense in the question and answer under taking. All should be aware of this: If the other party allows you to OR causes you to: Ask the wrong/inappropriately phrased question-- their response has no value what so ever to you. You/We must learn to ask the right question on our own and have some back ground education on the subject/issue of the question so You/We can determine 'if' the answer is legitimate. Start off by asking questions you KNOW the answer to, then lead into partially known areas before you ask any one representing TDCJ/UTMB or BPP a question on a subject/issue you know nothing about. In Solidarity! Dwight Rawlinson

Andrew Bretrum; "Hollywood" - 2003 Died in TX Prison Due to lack of Medical Care Hollywood was one of the first Texas Prisoners on TX Pen Pals Wanted. Hollywood was serving a Life Sentence for murder. But that does not give the medical staff the right to denied medical care for Texas Prisoners! He will be missed and always remembered his sense of humor inspite of his incarceration

THE BLOOD IS ON THE HANDS OF TDCJ!

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