Breaking News

Robert Pruett #999411

July 1, 2007

Breaking News

Before I get into the latest news about my case, I would like to apologize to all of my avid readers (Ha! I wish!) for not posting anything in the past weeks. While I have been pretty busy working on various things, there’s really no excuse for not posting something at least every couple of weeks. I just get so caught up in everything that’s going on around me that I lose track of things. Sorry. I’ll do better, I swear! J
Alright, now for the news: A few weeks back word reached me that someone who was on McConnell Unit when Nagle was murdered had been reading what I’ve been writing on the internet and he decided to help me. He wants to write an affidavit explaining how I cut my thumb. At the moment he hasn’t written it, so I won’t reveal his identity just yet. Just know that I remember this person being on the recreation yard when I cut my thumb and I distinctly recall speaking with him after I cut myself, so I know firsthand that he’s not pulling my chain.
Allow me to explain the enormity of such a statement and how instrumental it could be in getting my case overturned. The prosecution theorized that I cut my thumb murdering Nagle. From day one I maintained that I cut it on the weight machine on the outside recreation yard, but the prosecution rebutted by saying that if that were true, why didn’t any of the hundred plus men who were on that recreation yard say that I did? Well, the jury didn’t get to hear about how the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Institutional Division’s officers retaliated against all the people who TRIED to step up for me, and how these people finally backed off after enduring much hardship. That’s why I couldn’t defend myself against the assertion made by the prosecution that I cut myself murdering Nagle. And I firmly believe that this is a large part as to why that jury convicted me. Now that I have someone willing to tell the truth about my cut thumb besides myself, I should be able to get his statement entered into my appeal as newly discovered evidence. I already have excellent grounds for getting my case reversed, but this certainly helps my chances. Nothing is certain-I still might be dead within a year-but getting this affidavit definitely helps me.
In addition to the above mentioned great news, a very special friend of mine from Germany and her remarkable friend from Canada have enabled me to continue the fight for my life with their donation! I will hire an investigator before the end of the month to search for others who know I’m not the one who murdered Nagle and who can write affidavits on my behalf. There are more people out there who can help me fight this illegal conviction. I now have the means to look for them and give them another chance to do the right thing by telling the truth. And it’s all thanks to my friend and her friend! Thank you both so very much.
While it’s great that things are going my way right now in my case, the fight is far from over. There’s so much more that I can do to help myself, and, trust me, I’m working on it. I need to find a way to light a fire under my lawyer’s ass to get him to knock off the bullshit and take my case seriously. Overall, he did compose a decent Federal Writ (even though I thought he could’ve found more recent case law than a 1930s case to back up my biggest claim!) of habeas corpus, but he doesn’t respond to my letters and he’s negligent about sending me copies of everything he files. I don’t know, I just get the feeling that he’s going through the motions in my case, that he really isn’t trying. Maybe I’m wrong? I hope so. Because if he doesn’t give me his best effort, I’m dead real soon.
Also, I still believe that raising public awareness about the facts of my case is vital to my defense. If more people speak out for me and support me against this corrupt system, my chances of survival increase tenfold. If you’re reading this, please contact your local media outlets (TV stations, radio stations, reporters, etc.) and direct them to my site. The more coverage and exposure, the better. Everyone reading this can make a difference.

There has been a lot of killing around here as of late. They killed like three people in the span of ten days, the last of whom was Patrick Knight, aka Dean Man Laughing. I didn’t really know him prior to his date, but I got a chance to kick it with him his last couple of weeks. I admire his strength during his last days. A lot of people who knew him said that he went out with peace; I’m not so sure. It’s irrelevant at this point. He has made the transition from the ephemeral to the eternal. I believe that he’s at one with his true essence now. I enjoyed conversing with him during his last days on this plane of existence and can’t wait to meet up with him one of these days.
There are a few more scheduled executions for this month. As I probably mentioned in the past, I live on the pod where these men await their fates, so I experience some of what they go through firsthand. I don’t pretend to know what they go through, nor do I claim to understand completely. All I know is that everyone around me, including myself, are affected psychologically by all the death. One day you’re talking to someone that you’ve known and even loved for years, the next you watch him being led off of the pod to his murder. This theme repeats itself with great frequency here on the pod. On the one hand it’s good to be here to say goodbye to your friends, on the other it’s emotionally taxing. We deal with it pretty good, though. It helps me remain focused on my own fight for life.

Alright, I’ll wrap this up and get it out to be posted. Before I go, I just want to thank everyone in my life that helps get me through, who helps me keep the fire burning inside to fight. It’s true that I would’ve given up completely without all of you. You know who you are. I love you all and I’m thankful that you’re a part of my life. Everyone keep your heads up and hearts true.

One Day at a Time,

Simple Man