I, Kevin Cooper, am writing this from death row at San Quentin
Prison. I am scheduled to be the next Black man executed by the
state of California on February 10th, 2004.
While I am an innocent man about to be murdered by this state, I
realize that innocence makes no difference to the people who
control the criminal justice system, including this prison. This
is the same system that has historically and systematically
executed men, women and children who look just like me, if only
because they can.
While it is my life that will be taken, and my body filled with
poison, I will not say that this is my execution! That's because
it is not, it is just a continuation of the historic system of
capital punishment that all poor people all over this world have
been and are subjected to.
To personalize this crime against humanity as "my execution" would
be to ignore the universal plight, struggle and murder of poor
people all over this planet we call Earth. This I cannot and will
not do!
I will be murdered by the state with my understanding that this
crime of evil is something that happens to men like me in this
country. Especially when we are convicted (wrongfully, in my
situation) of killing white people!
If I must be murdered by the state, then I will do so with my
dignity in tact. This guilt that the criminal justice system has
put on me will be questioned by anyone and everyone who finds out
the whole truth of this case.
In Struggle,
From Death Row at San Quentin Prison,
Kevin Cooper