The Beginning ! 1977 February 14th

I arrived at Death Row. I was 20 years old. I walked onto R-Wing at Florida State Prison. In 1977 R-Wing was Death Row. All 70 people were housed there. I was walked into the gate on 2 South. That means the second floor. R-Wing had 3 Floors. Split in half by a pipe alley. So you has 1-2-3 South floors. Then 1-2-3 North floors. Each floor had 17 cells. Thus 4 1/2 floors were Death Row.

1 1/2 were lock down population inmates.
I was led onto 2-South. Cell 8.

I must admit I was nervous. Even a little afraid. I mean - 6 months earlier I was on the streets. I knew zero about the Death Penalty. All I knew for sure was each person there was convicted of
1st Degree Murder. And as I walked by each cell - men in the cell stopped to watch me pass. Some said hello - others just glanced at me - went back to what ever they were doing. And I was thinking...I can´t believe they are putting me in here with these killers. I got in my cell. Looked about. Sat down on my bunk.

They gave me - 2 sheets - a blanket. A towel. Toot brush and tooth paste. That´s what I had. I guess you could say a weight settled on my shoulders. I guess it just hit home, how bad a situation I was in.