Hi there readers!
I know you haven’t heard from me in a while, but I’m still in regular contact with Daniel Wozniak. We talk on the telephone often, so I get continual updates from Dan about his life on the infamous San Quentin’s Death Row.
The truth is, there hasn’t been much to share with you.
No News is… No News
One day Daniel and I spent half an hour talking about the various possible sandwich combinations one could create when given three pieces of bread, a decent sized tube of peanut butter, a decent sized tube of jelly, and a banana.
His personal favorite option is: three “stick” (or half) sandwiches with peanut butter, jelly and three slices of banana on each.
Lately, the convicted murderer of Sam Herr and Julie Kibuishi has been living an existence that seems more tedious than terrifying.
But Wait! There’s News
Now, though, there’s a chance the tedium might be reduced.
All condemned inmates recently received a ten page informational packet about a new protocol being introduced to death row this year: CITPP, or, the Condemned Inmate Transfer Pilot Program.
Consequences of Proposition 66
You might remember that in March of 2019, California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, put a freeze on executions. He promised that none would take place while he was in office. But the Governor’s actions didn’t change the law in California, or the fact that the 2016 election saw the passing of Proposition 66, which was essentially intended to speed up the state’s execution process.
Work for Prisoners, but Not at San Quentin
According to Daniel, there is another lesser known aspect of Prop. 66 that allows condemned inmates to be assigned jobs behind bars. Prison work doesn’t exactly pay well, but it gives a person something to do that’s worthwhile and fills the time.
Death row prisoners don’t have the opportunity to work at San Quentin, where the mainline is a level two security prison, but condemned inmates need to be in at least a level three security prison in order to work. To solve this problem, inmates would need to be moved to other prisons. Enter CITPP.
Placement is voluntary, and Daniel Wozniak is planning to volunteer.
Still on Death Row, Just Not on “Death Row.”
There are a couple stipulations for entering the program.
For one, inmates with disciplinary infractions are disqualified. Some inmates who have been on death row for decades, and don’t know any other life, might not want to leave. Daniel said he wouldn’t be surprised to see inmates deliberately “getting into trouble” to avoid being eligible for the new program.
Two, once an inmate is accepted to the program, he can’t just change his mind and go back to San Quentin any time he wants. That said, technically the inmate is still awaiting a death sentence. If all appeals were denied and an inmate was facing the needle, he’d be moved back to San Quentin for the deed to be done.
I wonder if this change would be upsetting to family and friends of victims. Does the punishment of a death sentence seem less effective if the inmate is no longer segregated and mostly confined to his cell?
Where Will Daniel Wozniak End Up?
There is a good possibility Daniel Wozniak will be moved to a different facility within the year.
There were quite a few location options listed in the CITPP information packet. Even though Daniel might have a preference as to where he’d end up, I don’t know if the inmates really get any say in that decision.
How a Move Might Affect Access to the Truth
It is likely Daniel would end up quite a bit closer to Orange County. That would make visits easier, but if our conversations are recorded, as they were at the Orange County Jail, it also could also limit his ability to be “completely honest” with me regarding the truth behind the murders of Julie Kibuishi and Sam Herr.
At San Quentin, Daniel can speak openly during our visits, and he has told me his story to the best of his recollection.
There is a great deal in Daniel Wozniak’s story that I actually believe, but definitely not all of it. I often still have “questions of clarity” because it is a complicated and convoluted tale. If he’s moved to a prison where he can no longer speak without fear of being recorded, my opportunity to get more of the story from his perspective may be seriously limited.
It’s important to me that I finish this book, because if even ten percent of Daniel’s version of events is true… well, let’s just say it’s scary to think that other people may have gotten away with murder.