Speaking For My Friend

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For the past 5 years, I have been visiting inmate Mark Lankford at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution (IMSI) as a spiritual advisor and a friend. During this time, I have learned to know Mark to be a committed Christian and a good friend. My observations of his lifestyle and my examinations of the situation that placed him in prison have led me to believe that he is an innocent man who is being punished for a crime that he did not commit. How does a society continue to practice such injustice against a person, particularly when evidence has been presented to show innocence? Are we afraid to hear the truth? How do we as Christians react to this kind of injustice? These are questions that I have struggled with during my relationship with Mark. Mark has gone through the appeals process many times during his incarceration with obvious little success. He continues to be housed in solitary confinement and the state treats him as an enemy and wants to kill him, even though he has proven to those that manage him that he can be trusted and has worth as a person to society. One year ago, he was granted a hearing to determine if he had received effective assistance" during his original trial. Again, despite showing a great deal of evidence proving that the system was at fault for an injustice, the system denied his motion and he continues to serve a death sentence. After this decision was rendered, Mark's attorney filed a reconsideration motion. As of this writing, there has been no response by the judge concerning this motion.

If this motion were denied, Mark's last hope would be to convince 2 out of 39th [?] Circuit Court justices to grant him a new trial concerning his case. Recently, the 9th Circuit Court ruled that inmates sentenced to death by a judge's decision need to be re-sentenced under a jury decision. This gives many death row inmates, including Mark, hope that their cases will be reviewed with the result of less harsh sentences or maybe even release. Mark has been informed that he is now classified as a death sentence offender, but to date he has not been moved from the solitary restrictions.

Many friends of Mark, as well as his attorney, continue to look for ways to help convince officials in decision-making positions that an injustice has been done. After the hearing decision was rendered, Mark's brother Bryan wrote a letter admitting his guilt in committing the crime that Mark is being held for and proclaiming Mark's innocence. A copy of this letter has not been able to be submitted to authorities in the proper arena, leaving Mark frustrated again with how to proceed. Please continue to pray for Mark as he seeks ways to serve Christ in an environment of hate. Also, please pray for me and other advocates of justice as we try to find peaceful ways to intervene on Mark's behalf. If you would like to join this cause, or would like to learn more about Mark's case, please contact me.

Rick Bollman
First Mennonite Church, 1220 5th Street N, Nampa, Idaho 83687
Phone 001 208 / 4 66 91 74
USA TODAY September 3, 2003

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