Life After Death: The Shocking True Story of a Innocent Man on Death Row (37 page)

Domini brought my son, Seth, to Arkansas, and Lorri would meet them and take over, acting as stepmother for a day or two. These pictures were taken at Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, a historic landmark. Lorri and Seth got along well, and it was a relief to share my anxieties about fatherhood with her. (Grove Pashley)

Lorri brought Seth to visit several times in the first ten years or so that I was incarcerated. The prison photographer, you may have noted, was not exactly a professional
artiste
. . . .

I wasn’t the only artist on Death Row. A Christmas card I still have from another inmate, Robert Robbins. His sentence was commuted to life without parole, and he is still in an Arkansas prison today.

I made the piece above and those below to decorate my cell. I think the photo of the figure comes from a
National Geographic
; unfortunately I can’t recall what the characters mean.

Most of my art was made from the inner casings of book covers. These are my paintings of the Egyptian god Anubis.

I kept an astrological pocket planner some years. These pages are from 2009.

Lorri showing some of my artwork to wm3.org cofounder Burk Sauls at her home in Little Rock. All the pieces I have left were for the most part smuggled out by Lorri while I was inside. (Grove Pashley)

This piece was given to me by Harada Roshi, and I have it to this day.

Once in a while I saved clippings about the case. This one, from 2005, reports on the state’s refusal to reconsider my conviction. But that denial did provide the opportunity to take my case ultimately to the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Me in 2004. It was a terribly difficult and dark year. Even though we had tremendous support and sympathy in the outside world, our case had made no progress. (Grove Pashley)

Jason and Jessie, around 2004. They were often incarcerated together in prison, even sleeping in beds side by side for a time. (Grove Pashley)

With several people who helped save my life, some of whom worked at it for years. Left to right: Miu and Burk Sauls, Chad Robertson, Kathy Bakken, me, Lisa Fancher, and Grove Pashley. (Grove Pashley)