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As clock ticks toward another Trump presidency, federal death row prisoners appeal for clemency

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President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office is putting a spotlight on the U.S. penitentiary in Terre Haute, which houses federal death row. In Bloomington, a small community of death row spiritual advisors is struggling to support the prisoners to whom they minister.  Ross Martinie Eiler is a Mennonite, Episcopal lay minister and member of the Catholic Worker movement, which assists the homeless. And for the past three years, he’s served as a spiritual advisor for a man on federal death row.
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Paul G. Smith, Jr., Death Row, San Quentin, California

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"I am but one soul in that hell. I have only ever been that one soul. I will die that one soul. And I will defend that one soul.

Would you just accept your fate, lay down and get executed?
Would you speak out, try to fight back and hope there are people out there willing to fight the battle with you?

I know that some people will say, "They did not put you there, you put yourself there!".
I have heard that so much and that would be true - if I had DONE the crime.
But I did not.

I know, I am not a perfect person. I have more faults than you can imagine. But I do try to be as honest as I can.

I am not that hard to find. I am a real person not just some bites on a server somewhere.
I would welcome your support.
You can write me a letter if you desire, it takes little time.
Or you can respond on this site and I will get the message.

I am trying to do what it takes to enable myself the opportunity to fight back and I am truly hoping to find people like you that will step up and help, that will not be cowed by the seemingly impossible task of taking on something as big as an ideological and political belief.

I know you doubt you can even do anything that will aid me. And you are correct. You alone are unlikely to be able to do this alone but I am hoping that many people will join in.
A collective effort is easier than taking on the world alone.

I am asking you to help me.

I do not like asking for help. My pride always seems toget in the way.

But without your help all I have is my pride and a date with the executioner."

Paul G. Smith, Jr.

Visit Paul's Website

This Website is also available in German.
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