Christy Marie Camp
W-32687
D1-22-03L
VSPW
P.O. Box 92
Chowchilla, CA 93610-0092
Dear Christy,
Thank you so much for your lovely reply. I hope you don’t mind that I have posted it on my web site. You have inspired me to give my missives a little more “oomf”. I suspect that I may get more replies if they stand out more, as your colorful card does.
I will try to answer a few of your questions. I found your contact information while doing an internet search for women who have been sent to prison for the death of their abusive husbands. This subjet has interested me since I learned of it in Women’s Studies classes in college. My search led me to the site freebatteredwomen.org, on which one of your poems is posted. As a writer (of fiction as well as letters), I appreciated that you write poetry and have written a book, “Take the Keys and Lock Her Up: Bridging the Gap Between Socitey and Female Prisoners.” I have been unable to find information about this book. Perhaps you can fill me in. I also admire that you have continued your education while in prison.
You asked about my letter project. I have always enjoyed writing and receiving letters. Over the years I have written “letters to editors,” companies, and organizations. A few months ago my husband and I were brainstorming about a creative project I could take on, and this is what we thought up. My letter writing was originally inspired by the humorous books titled “Lazlo Letters” by Don Novello. I try to have a similar light spirit with my letters, but they are sometimes serious as well. I have written about 70 letters so far, to people such as Elton John, the Pope, the President of Bolivia, and a plastic surgeon who specializes in enhancing vaginas.
A little more about me: I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my husband and 19-month-old daughter. I am a “SAHM” and also work part-time apartment managing, and teach nights off and on.
You mentioned that you are not currently working. What sort of work is available for you? Considering that the U.S. has the highest number of people per capita incarcerated, I find that I am woefully unaware of the daily experience of my fellow citizens who happen to be behind bars.
I am enclosing some stamps for you.
Truly,
Liz Mann
| To: | governor@governor.ca.gov | ||
| Cc: | lizletters@earthlink.net | ||
| Subject: | Clemency for Christy Marie Camp | ||
| Date: | Apr 19, 2006 3:54 PM | ||
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,
I read with great interest the letter that Liz Mann
wrote to Christy Marie Camp, and Ms. Camp's response:
http://www.lizletters.com/lizletters/2006/02/woman_in_prison.html
The link to Ms. Camp's poetry was also compelling, and
I felt I had to write and speak up for her and the
other women like her who have no voice in our society.
I cannot imagine what she and countless others like
her have had to endure day in and day out. I am no
legal expert, nor do I have in-depth knowledge of the
details of her case, but if she were indeed trying to
protect herself from someone who was inflicting
potentially mortal harm on her, then she was acting
purely in self-defense and should thus be exonerated
rather than incarcerated for ten years.
Please consider Ms. Camp's request for clemecy with
due haste--her case deserves a second look, as do many
others like it.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Barrie Jones Cook
