INTERVIEW WITH JOHN M.

QUINTANILLA
by
CHRISTOPHER YOUNG

I met John in 2006 when I first arrived on Texas Death Row. He always
expressed his point of view about the inhumane conditions and the sensory
deprivation housing we are subjected to. Recently, he was charged and
convicted of procession of a homemade weapon, even though he had 3 officers
(including the officer that found the weapon) that testified that the weapon
wasn't his. Since then, the conviction has been overturned on appeal. When
this injustice was served John took it upon himself to become physically and
voically active against the numerous injustices on Death Row. Meet John
Quintanilla:

Christopher Young
Introduce yourself for the People.
John Quintanilla
First off, I want to thank you for this opportunity. My full name is
John Manuel Quintanilla jr. I'm from Lavaca, Texas but was living in
Victoria, Texas. I'm 32 years old born on December 9th 1976, yes a
sagitarius. I've been on death row for 4 and a half years now,
though I've been locked up for about 14 and a half years. I'd have to
say these 4 and a half years have been the worse.

Christopher
Since you've been on death row a while tell us the difference in how
it was when you arrived and how it is now.

John
Since I've been on death row the difference of the way things were
then, as to how things are now is really hard to explain. I mean for
the most part it's the same thing, day in and day out. Except that
when I first got here I heard of this guy or that guy being executed,
now its like I know these people and sometimes I think “Damn, that
was a really cool dude” or “I know he wasnt a threat to anyone in
prison” Some of these men you can actually see change and
humbleness in them. So the difference is now I'm aware that Texas
is murdering people innocent or guilty, rehabed and reformed.
Texas doesn't care, they want theirs.

Christopher
What's your views on the death penalty as a whole.?

John
I used to be Pro-Death penalty! I didn't care. I thought and believed
anyone convicted of certain crimes deserved to be killed. Then I
remember going out to visit and seeing someone I didn't like walk in
to the visit area, and though I really disliked this dude cause of his
crime, I knew he had an execution date. I seen his family when my
visitor left and was waiting on an escort guard, I saw a woman leave
the booth from her visit, with the guy. She was crying and being
comforted by a younger son or nephew. I'm not sure but at that
moment I realized that more than the convicted suffers. The family
of the inmate suffers. So I don't believe anything that makes
innocent people victims cannot be called justice. I't's as if this
procedure is to punish the family for being family to the inmate.

Christopher
I feel that. But do you think you were Pro-death penalty because
you didn't care or because you didn't know? I know a lot of people
just don't pay attention to our situation, but does that mean they're
pro-death penalty.?

John
Actually, I was pro-death penalty. I mean, sometimes I'd hear about
someones case and you hear some really sick details about some
child or infant rape, and it's like I felt that dude should get worse
than the needle. But then you hear of someone else who is here for
walking in on his wife sleeping with some other man, and he flips
out and kills both of them. I don't believe he should be executed.
When does certain things fall under crime of passion or multiple
homicide. There's just too many flaws and too much room for error
for a punishment to be so final.

Christopher
Where do you see the death penalty in the next 5 years?

John
I believe it will still be going strong. It's too much of a tool for
politics.

Christopher
You've took it upon yourself to become a voice for the “living
condition reform movement in Texas prisons”? What changed your
attitude? What is the importance of this movement?

John
I believe that we each as individuals should take responsibility for
our surroundings, for our future, and for our actions. This is our life
rather we like it or not. So until the death penalty is abolished, we
have to stand up, speak out and let people know we're still human
beings and should be treated as such. We are already locked up in a
cage, our freedom taken from us, but are still supposed to be
allowed certain commodities, and priviledges. We are still people.
Texas prisons are always taking some of the little priviledges we do
have, so I believe they should reinstate others or compensate with
other priviledges. If an individual wont stand up for what they're
supposed to have, does that mean they're not supposed to have it?
So thats why I chose to speak up and stand up.

Christopher
We live in an isolated environment, can you tell us how detrimental
this environment can be to a persons psyche.

John
By living in this isolated environment and being locked up 22 hours
a day with nothing to think about but your impending death is an
oppressive thought that shatters peoples hopes, dreams, it slowly
destroys what compassion they may have. These conditions destroy
our humanity. You separate people and keep them in cages long
enough and they forget how to be social, curtious and polite. We
forget what its like to be human and start acting like animals and it
makes it absolutely impossible to reform. But thats the reason Texas
sentence us to death. So if they were not reformable they definitely
arn't now.

Christopher
Whats your main goal concerning your personal situation? And
wheres your case at in the courts?

John
My main goal is to go home! I want to prove my innocence, but we
all know Texas doesnt care whether youre innocent or guilty. So I'm
trying to encourage my attorney to help me prove to the appeals
courts that I was wrongly convicted and that my constitutional
rights were violated. At the moment, Im in the federal courts, so I
hope that the judge will look at my appeal.

Christopher
What can people do to help?
John
Letters of encouragement are always welcome, financial help is
also. I would like to put together a defense fund, but im scared of
failure or hoping things will work out and then everything busts.

Christopher
I appreciate this opportunity. Would you like to say anything else?

John
I appreciate you. If there anyone out there who would like to help,
you can. Theres many ways and sometimes the smallest ways are
enough to make a difference. Id like to thank you all for your time
and consideration. You can contact me directly at:

John Quintanilla Jr 999491

Polunsky Unit
3872 Fm 350 South
Livingston
Texas 77351