Luis Javier Rodriguez

I was fortunate to be a judge last year in a contest of prisoner writing for a new anthology called "Too Cruel, Not Unusual Enough." This anthology includes writings from prisoners and others addressing the insane and terribly budget destroying (and not much help when it comes to public safety) sentences of Life Without the Possibility of Parole. In deft language and clear argument, including with prose and poetry, the anthology lays out a strong case to end this practice of LWOP. We are the only country in the world that has LWOP for juveniles and one of the few that still has this for adults. It's definitely cruel and unusual -- or as the book title says, "Too Cruel, Not Unusual Enough." I thank my longtime friend, Kenneth Hartman, for inviting to be a judge and to write the preface to this book. Kenneth has served close to 35  years on a LWOP sentence that began when he was a teenager. He is now a published writer, father, and decent human being, despite being behind bars all these years. He is a strong case, like so many others, that LWOP is just another death penalty (in both, prisoners can only leave prison in a box). Here is a link where I speak on this issue and the importance of raising funds to get this book published and distributed as widely as possible. Please donate to this important cause: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-other-death-penalty-project--2 c/s