Jarvis Jay Masters
Encyclopedia
Jarvis Jay Masters is an American criminal currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison
in Marin County, California
. He arrived at San Quentin in 1981 at the age of 19 convicted of armed robbery
and was moved to death row in 1990 after being convicted of murder for his part in the killing of a prison guard.
During his time in prison, Masters became a Buddhist and started writing about his experiences from that perspective.
The California Supreme Court
has read Masters's habeas corpus
petition and decided it stated a prima facie case for granting a new trial. On February 14, 2007, they issued a very strong and unusual order to California state prosecutors to respond to Masters’s claims in the petition. The order to show cause
requires the Attorney General to show why Masters is not entitled to a new trial for eight reasons. Masters’s lead lawyer, Joe Baxter, called the California Supreme Court’s Order to Show Cause “unique and breathtaking in its scope.”
On April 11th, 2008, the California Supreme Court ordered an evidentiary hearing. Joe Baxter, Masters’s lead lawyer said the court's order "allows us to prove his innocence on many different fronts and allows us to prove he didn't have a fair trial."
to come to the prison to give Jarvis a Red Tara
empowerment. He has been practicing ever since.
in his poem, "Recipe for Prison Pruno."
His two books are:
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men in unincorporated San Quentin, Marin County, California, United States. Opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in the state. California's only death row for male inmates, the largest...
in Marin County, California
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
. He arrived at San Quentin in 1981 at the age of 19 convicted of armed robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
and was moved to death row in 1990 after being convicted of murder for his part in the killing of a prison guard.
During his time in prison, Masters became a Buddhist and started writing about his experiences from that perspective.
Death penalty case
In 1985, Sergeant Howell Burchfield was stabbed to death at night on the second tier of a cell block. Three men were tried for Sgt Burchfield's murder. Andre Johnson was tried for stabbing him while Lawrence Woodard was tried for ordering the murder. Masters was accused of sharpening the piece of metal that was used in the murder. Masters was on the fourth tier at the time of the murder. Of the three men, only Jarvis was given the death penalty. The other two were given sentences of life without parole. Jarvis Masters has been on death row since 1990.The California Supreme Court
Supreme Court of California
The Supreme Court of California is the highest state court in California. It is headquartered in San Francisco and regularly holds sessions in Los Angeles and Sacramento. Its decisions are binding on all other California state courts.-Composition:...
has read Masters's habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
petition and decided it stated a prima facie case for granting a new trial. On February 14, 2007, they issued a very strong and unusual order to California state prosecutors to respond to Masters’s claims in the petition. The order to show cause
Order to show cause
An order to show cause, in most Anglo-Saxon law systems, is a type of court order that requires one or more of the parties to a case to justify, explain, or prove something to the court. Courts commonly use orders to show cause when the judge needs more information before deciding whether or not to...
requires the Attorney General to show why Masters is not entitled to a new trial for eight reasons. Masters’s lead lawyer, Joe Baxter, called the California Supreme Court’s Order to Show Cause “unique and breathtaking in its scope.”
On April 11th, 2008, the California Supreme Court ordered an evidentiary hearing. Joe Baxter, Masters’s lead lawyer said the court's order "allows us to prove his innocence on many different fronts and allows us to prove he didn't have a fair trial."
Finding Buddhism
In the early 1990s, a member of Masters's legal team, Melody Ermachild Chavis, began talking to him about Buddhism and they began studying together. About a year later, she arranged for HE Chagdud Tulku RinpocheChagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche was a teacher of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. He was known and respected in the West for his teachings, his melodic chanting voice, his artistry as a sculptor and painter, and his skill as a physician...
to come to the prison to give Jarvis a Red Tara
Tara (Buddhism)
Tara or Ārya Tārā, also known as Jetsun Dolma in Tibetan Buddhism, is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements...
empowerment. He has been practicing ever since.
Writings
Throughout his incarceration, Masters has been writing essays about his time in prison and on death row. Masters is credited with publishing the classic recipe for prunoPruno
Pruno, or prison wine, is an alcoholic liquid variously made from apples, oranges, fruit cocktail, ketchup, sugar, and possibly other ingredients, including crumbled bread. Bread provides the yeast for the pruno to ferment. Pruno originated in prisons and jails, where it can be produced cheaply,...
in his poem, "Recipe for Prison Pruno."
His two books are:
- Finding Freedom: Writings from Death Row, Padma Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-881847-08-X
- That Bird Has My Wings: The Autobiography of an Innocent Man on Death Row, HarperOne, 2009. ISBN 0061730459
External links
- Campaign to Free Jarvis Jay Masters
- "Death row inmate writes about where things went wrong" from The Rockdale CitizenThe Rockdale CitizenThe Rockdale Citizen is a newspaper serving the community of Conyers, Georgia and Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. The Citizen publishes five days a week, Tuesday through Friday and Sunday, serves as the legal organ for Rockdale County, and is available online. It is a member of the Georgia Press...
- "Death Row Produces An Internet Philosopher" and "'That Bird Has My Wings,' by Jarvis Jay Masters" from San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
- "Wardens walk fine line on religious materials for inmates" from Religion News ServiceReligion News ServiceReligion News Service is a news agency about religion, ethics, spirituality and moral issues. Based in Washington, D.C., RNS has a network of correspondents around the world, providing news and information on all faiths and religious movements to the nation's leading newspapers, news magazines,...