June 12, 1996

   I just received notice that the state is seeking an execution warrant
for me. It will be my first one. I do not have much to worry about
because I still have my Habeas appeal in the federal court before they
can execute me, but it shows how they are pushing to eliminate us.

June 30, 1996

   Yesterday, I was surprised to receive the Warrant for Execution
reproduced below. The date is for July 24th. There is no way I should
have received this now. I am just in the door of the Federal District
Court and so I have my entire Habeas Corpus petition left to go before I
have to start worrying about death warrants. Although I know this to be
an error, I wonder if it is not a result of them wanting to stick it to
me for all the anti-prison articles I write. Only time will tell.
However, I must tell you that I am at a loss and feel disorientated at
the prospect of having only a month to live. It makes me realize how
little I have prepared for this eventuality. If I don’t get my stay in a
week or so, I will frantically race to get everything in order.

THE EXECUTION WARRANT - Filed June 25, 1996

   The appeal in the above entitled cause (State of Arizona vs Richard
Michael Rossi) was heard and fully considered by this Court on the 8th
day of November 1990, and having finally decided the cause, this Court
on the 2nd day of April, 1992, did affirm the judgement of the Superior
Court of Maricopa County, State of Arizona, and did file its opinion,
which opinion is now of record in this Court, is still in effect, and,
as shown by this Court’s record, has not been stayed or effected by any
subsequent decision of this or any other Court.
   WHEREAS, the Attorney General having filed a Request for Warrant of
Execution, which was granted by this Court on the 19th day of June,
1996,
   NOW THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, that Wednesday, the 24th day of July,
1996, be and the same is hereby fixed as the time when the judgement and
sentence of death pronounced upon the appellant, RICHARD MICHAEL ROSSI,
by the Superior Court of Maricopa County, State of Arizona, shall be
executed by administering to RICHARD MICHAEL ROSSI an intravenous
injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity sufficient
to cause death, except that RICHARD MICHAEL ROSSI shall have the choice
of either lethal injection or lethal gas.
   IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court forthwith prepare
and certify under his hand and the seal of this Court a full, true and
correct copy of this Warrant, and cause the same to be delivered to the
Director of the Department of Corrections and the Superintendent of the
State Prison, at Florence, Arizona, and the same shall be sufficient
authority to them for the execution of the appellant, RICHARD MICHAEL
ROSSI, as commanded by the judgement and sentence of death pronounced
against RICHARD MICHAEL ROSSI, by the Superior Court of Maricopa County,
State of Arizona, on the 23rd day of June, 1988.
   Upon the execution of RICHARD MICHAEL ROSSI, the Superintendent
shall, pursuant to Rule 31.17(c), Rules of Criminal Procedure, forthwith
make a return upon this Warrant to the Supreme Court of Arizona, which
return shall show the time, mode and manner of execution.
   Dated in the City of Phoenix, Arizona, at the Arizona Court Building,
this 25th day of June, 1996.

July 4, 1996

   Well, the emergency has been averted. I heard from my lawyer
yesterday that the federal judge had signed the order to stay my
execution. I cannot say that I was not concerned about this whole turn
of events. I was getting all kinds of signs from the administration here
that plans were being readied for my demise.
   I was served with all the appropriate forms to be filled out - such
things as my last meal, who will attend hearings, disposition of my
property, etc. I had deadlines for each form and some I had to already
hand in. I was going to be moved Tuesday to an observation cell for the
remaining two weeks until 48 hours before the actual time. Then I would
be transported to the death house.
   It has never been the thought of death that has bothered me. However,
when this warrant came down unexpectedly as it did, I was taken off
balance. The reason being that at the proper time when I know all my
avenues of appeal are finished, I will have said my goodbyes and had
everything in order. I was simply not ready. So the thought of my life
ending in 30 days was startling. I am sure you can understand what I am
saying. How does one cram 49 years of life into 30 days? It certainly
displayed the cold-hearted nature of the system and how prepared they
are to bring life to an end in an organized and efficient manner. I
guess I can consider this a wake up call.
   When discussing this incident with my attorney, I asked her if she
had found out why this warrant was issued in the first place. She spoke
to the death penalty clerk (at the federal court), who was as surprised
to hear about the warrant as we were. The only reason she came away with
for the issuance of the warrant is that it was the state’s way of
putting the pressure on me. As if to say that after all these years,
they want me to know they intend to kill me. And also so as to require a
federal judge to stay the execution so that later on the state can claim
that I was not executed because some liberal federal judge got in the
way and stayed my execution. This takes the heat off the Attorney
General. Thus politics go on as usual with human lives  their pawns of
power ...
   What I did find ironic is that we had just reviewed the Antonio James
execution (Forum, July, 1996), and if you remember, I had remarked to
you that this had all caused me some problems.* Then like déjà vu, I
find myself in the same situation. I wonder if all my anti-establishment
articles had anything to do with their desire to be rid of me? It
doesn’t matter, because the articles will continue to come forth until I
am no longer.

* (From a letter dated June 20: 'Countdown to Midnight' left me
troubled. Nothing I can readily describe to you, but it kept me up most
of the night. My subconscious was working overtime. This happens to me
from time to time. I guess it is part of the price I have to pay for
being on the Row. I will survive.)

August 15, 1996

   Two weeks ago on July 30th, I received a personal letter from one of
the victims of my crime. There were two immediate victims, the man who
died and the neighbour woman who was shot and thankfully survived. This
note was hand-delivered to me by the administrator of my cell block.
Since there are restrictions on communications between us and our
victims, the note was delivered in a sealed envelope after making its
way through the proper channels at the Department of Corrections in
Phoenix. I was told it was from a victim of my crime and did I want to
acept it. Without hesitation, I said yes.
   The odd part about this was that by the time the department had
processed the letter and delivered it to me, it was a week after the
date I was due to be executed, so if I had been executed, I would never
have had the opportunity to read it and that would have been quite an
injustice and a major disappointment in itself.
   The letter was a hand-written note. It was obviously difficult to
write to me and she didn’t know if I would be receptive to it. But she
felt after all these years compelled to write it, and was also afraid to
write it. She had learned of my impending execution which was very
emotional for her and did not know how to react to it. She explained
that the Lord holds us accountable for our actions and we must pay for
our sins as well as ask for forgiveness. She closed with the following:
'Too many things go unsaid and then it’s too late. I wanted you to know
that I have forgiven you for your actions against me and hope in some
way that this will bring peace to your heart as it also heals mine. God
bless you.'
   I was emotionally rocked after I read this beautiful letter. For
years I had wanted to reach out to her but was afraid to do so because
of the strict rules about writing to one’s victims and also because I
didn’t want to cause any more pain. It has been 13 years since my crime,
and I have long since asked God for forgiveness and many times wished I
could tell victims how sorry I was to have inflicted the pain and
suffering that was unnecessary and unwanted. Now the door has been
opened.
   Over the years, all of us prisoners on Death Row have come to
experience the bitterness of a society that clamors for more punishment,
speedier executions and their share of retribution. More sentences for
more crimes, more years in prisons so that a person will never return to
society. Out of sight, out of mind. They feel that prison is the only
way to deal with crime because if they release prisoners, they will just
commit new crimes. In their eyes, few if any of us are good people and
fewer yet are capable of rehabilitation. And the more prisoners we
execute, the safer society will be. This is the most tragic commentary
on modern society.
   If you would travel down the roads I have walked in the past 13
years, stand in my shoes, you would be very surprised. If you think it
is easy to die a little bit each day, to see your loved ones pass away
and not be able to commiserate with friends and family, to see how much
we are condemned for all of society’s ills, then you should take another
look. Every individual on this troubled earth deserves to be touched by
love as well as accorded the opportunity to express his/her feelings to
others. To be able to touch another. Every person has the ability to
change.  We are not made of concrete. The feelings of compassion, love,
the understanding of right from wrong, can reach us. We are affected by
all that goes on around us. The greater crime is to lump us all together
as failures and discard us all on the refuse pile. We must learn that
every person has value and worth and each individual must be judged for
who and what he/she is now and not what he/she was once. We as human
beings have the ability to learn, adapt and change.
   This short letter I received says volumes about love and
understanding. She has shown me what a beautiful, caring and wonderful
person she is. To reach out to me after 13 years on the eve of my
execution and express her forgiveness of me, allows me to have faith
that compassion still exists in our world, no matter how limited it is.
The politicians, the courts and the judges may not see any redeemable
value in me, but the compassion of this one person says it all. We all
wish that we could change the past, but since that is impossible, it is
the present that confines and defines us. I must take solace in the
knowledge that this letter has healed her heart as well as having
brought peace to my own.

* * *

Richard Rossi, 50337
Arizona State Prison, Florence
PO Box 8600
FLORENCE, Arizona 85232