"We know each other for about half a year, my penpal on death row and I, but I feel as if I have known him for a long,long time. John is 41 years old and father of three children. Although his life is very limited ( in 2000 they even took away their color pens) he enriches my own life in liberty! Right from the beginning our letters were so open, honest and deep that he became very soon an important part of my life. Thank you for your friendship, John!" "When I receive a letter from someone I don't know, I always wonder about that person and how things will turn out. Isabel just walked right in and planted herself in my heart from the first few letters. She has become my friend. To this very moment I know she does not fully understand how much she changed my days in this hell. I am the lucky one to have found such a warm and friendly person on the other side of the world." The following excerpt is taken from a letter on April 9th, 2003, by John Huggins in Florida to his Swiss pen friend. Read also John's website in http://www.lampofhope.org (see "penpals").

"... I first came to death row in 1999. It was just a few months after, I saw the first of many executions. It was seeing that first one, and not knowing how to feel or react. That was the day I wrote my first poem "Gallows". Out my window in front of my cell, I could see everything take place. I saw the guards gather and the vans drive in with witnesses, I saw the van drive in with the executioner. I saw him get out and wearing a black hood over his head and walk into the building where my friend was straped to a gurney. And they killed him in the name of justice and the voters of Florida. I saw them all leave, then they came and took him away in the herst. It was really something to watch ... So I wrote "Gallows" and I've been writing a poem for every person I see executed here since. ..."

Gallows

I sat here on death row today thinking as I watched t.v. the whole world is ringing in the new year 2000. What will the future be. I've been watching workers build the new doors for the death house, now known as Q wing. Our state government is going to change the way they kill people here, so it doesn't seem so cruel. Something nice and neat, just lay down and get a shot and then you are dead. Nice and neat, no flames from your head. I watched them build these new doors, so they can wheel in the gurney and wheel out the dead. I wonder as I look out the window, is this what it feels like to watch them build the gallows, to get things ready to make you dead. Oh, I am not next you see, there are another three, Tony, Terry and Mr. Provenzano. They are next, then mybe one day I'll follow. I'm glad they can't see out my window. I don't tell them what I see. I feel really bad for them, I don't want them to hear it from me. The building of the gallows, it's a sight to see. Really when you think, they're doing it for me.

Terry Melvin Sims was executed 02/23/2000 with this going on.
Terry was the first man to die by lethal injection in Florida.

John Huggins 02/24/2000