A Letter from 1995

The following was written on official state stationery bearing the departmental seal of the 'City and County of San Francisco's Office of the Sheriff'.

Michael Mears
Multicounty Public Defender
Georgia Indigent Defense Council
985 Ponce de Leon Avenue
Atlanta Georgia 30306

May 29, 1995

Dear Mr Mears,

I am the Assistant Sheriff for the City and County of San Francisco. Since 1973 I have served as a jail Commander and Warden, a member of the Parole Commission, and the administrator of mandatory inmate work and education programs combining security and treatment in our six county jails.

In over thirty years in corrections I have struggled with the issues of crime, violence, incarceration, retribution, and even redemption. This work breeds cynicism: resignation to the seemingly endless supply of offenders, and despair for the plight of innocent victims. Every so often someone, or an idea, a vision, a new program, or, more rarely, a new law, reawakens my passion and reminds me why I am in this business in the first place: to discard the cynicism and to make a difference in the community that pays my salary. One such event occurred in 1993 – and so this on behalf of Brandon Astor Jones.

Almost three years ago I stumbled upon a newspaper article written by Mr Jones. A short byline identified him as a prisoner on death row in Georgia. The article astonished me. I wrote Mr Jones and asked his permission to reprint the piece in our jail's newsletter. I offered him no remuneration, only the promise that his writing would be used with dignity in the training of my staff and in class and group situations with prisoners in my charge. Mr Jones agreed, and we have corresponded fairly often ever since. I subsequently collected his articles from American, Canadian and Australian newspapers and magazines, and with his permission used them in various inmate programs and staff trainings.

There is value in Brandon's life and in his writing for all of us – jailers, prisoners, potential victims. I have seen his writings sober and inspire young offenders who are still at risk of committing violence upon release from our jails into our community. He conveys, convincingly, a belief that they can retake control of their lives before they further harm others and themselves, and they can make a lawful place in our society.

There is no excuse for the offense of which he has been convicted. Yet, his work offers hope to those on both ends who are overwhelmed with violence. And in that there is a seed of redemption. This man has value to us all, to a community unable to make sense of violence, victimization and hopelessness that eats away at our best attempts at criminal justice.

That is all I have to say. It is a serious matter. I am not in the shoes of the [C]ourt or the jury. My commitment to criminal justice is absolute. It is my duty to affirm the value of this man's life.

Sincerely,

Michael Marcum
Assistant Sheriff
San Francisco, California

Before retiring, Michael Marcum was promoted to the rank of Sheriff amid much controversy. It is Brandon's opinion that he should be the poster person for prisoners' rehabilitation in America. Write to Brandon and ask him why.