1-5-2016
Happy New Year 2016

I'm writing to wish everyone a happy new year. As for myself, as I sit in my cell, I wonder what it's like to start a new year off on the right foot. This is my 22nd new year in a row that I've started off in a prison cell. After the first decade I've done in prison, all the years are a blur.

Each year that passes, I wait for a law to change in California that will allow me my freedom. So far nothing.

I was sentenced to two different sentences, and my sentences were doubled under the 2nd strike law. So until this strike law is restructured or thrown out altogether, I'm stuck with a doubled sentenced. By the way, one of the sentences that was doubled was a life sentence so I'm pretty much screwed.

Look, I'm hearing that the three strikes law will be on the November ballot. To be placed on the ballot, first people have to get enough signatures for that to happen. Once they get enough signatures, then it goes to whoever for review of the signatures. Then after that, it gets a proposition number; then it's placed on the ballot for the people of California to vote on.

Obviously, I don't know much about how someone gets all these signatures approved nor how it gets its proposition number nor how it is placed onto the ballot. I'm stuck in a cell and don't have all the information on this three strikes law that's going to be on the November ballot for voting. Some of this information is in the prison's law library and it states that any person who has a strike on their record before 1994 will have their strikes dismissed or thrown out. That's what this vote is about.

I have a strike from a robbery from 1992, so I need this vote to pass so I can get my 1992 strike thrown out. That 1992 strike was used against me to double the two sentences that I was convicted of in 1994. I hope everyone is following me on this so far. It's my life; it's not complicated.

Many, many people have strikes from before the strike law was invented. California's district attorneys and judges have used strikes against its citizens that people have had before this stupid three strikes law was even a law. The three strikes law was voted into law in 1994, and judges/district attorneys are looking into people's pasts and saying, "Let's use this 1974 plea bargain conviction. Call it a strike and use it against its citizens." So that's why this three strikes law is going to be on the ballot in November 2016.

I have no problem letting anyone know what I'm in jail/prison for. I was convicted of a murder and few other charges in 1994. The judge sentenced me to 25 years to life for the murder, but he looked into my past and used my 1992 robbery as a strike. And this murder is an obvious strike so the judge doubled my sentence under the second strike law and gave me 50 years to life for one murder. He also doubled my other charges and gave me 18 years for those, for a total sentence of 68 years to life. Now that I have explained my sentences, you understand how the judge doubled my sentence by using a strike against me that I got in 1992.

This vote is about what they done to everyone in California. Lots of people got life because the district attorneys/judges have used strikes against us that were strikes before 1994. It's crazy.

I get a robbery in 1992, do my time, and now in 1994, you make a law called three strikes and double my sentence. I was young, stupid, and made very, very poor decisions; but you doubled that due to a robbery I had on my record from 1992. I can't do 68 years to life. The judge killed me. Do you want to know what kind of parole date I was given on a 68 years to life sentence? It's 2055.

If this vote goes through in November and the people vote to get rid of all strikes used before the three strikes law was invented in 1994, then I can ask the court to dismiss the strike I have from 1992 and the court will have to put my sentence back to 34 years to life. Look, I have 22 years in. I can then be allowed to go in front of the Board of Prison Terms for possible release on parole.

Anyone reading this knows about the three strikes law will fully understand this post. If you're an attorney in California and you're reading this or have a family member or friend in California who knows an attorney, can you help me find out if we have enough signatures to get this onto the ballot? Does anyone out there who lives in California know about the three strikes being put on the November ballot? I may get lucky, and you know about this law being fought in November.

The worst part of all about this is my friend at the time actually done the murder that I'm in prison for right now. I get 34 years to life for a murder I didn't even do, and then this strikes law doubles my sentence to 68 years to life.

I'm going to end this first 2016 post with the thought of even though I know in my heart that I didn't kill anyone, do you think I should have this amount of time? How many years of my life do I have to give to this prison cell? Wouldn't it be better on me if the state just excuse me instead of me suffering with a sentence that no human can even do? How many years do I have to do before they let me out? I don't have the sentence of life without parole (LWOP). The jury refused to covict me of that and the judge dismissed the LWOP charge. But he sentenced me to 68 years that I cannot possibly do. This is what California does to its citizens.

For Christ sake's, I don't even know how to use a cellphone.

I'm trying to find out any and all information on this three strikes vote that's happening in November 2016.

I don't even know who reads my posts. Some people take time out of their lives to read these long novels I post. Maybe this year, I will find a friend who likes to write and will actually send me letters to my cell. I've never even seen my blog due to the rule that inmates aren't allowed any computers, phones, etc. I will be in my cell wondering about who will respond to this five page post.

If you want to write to my cell, here's my address:
Donald Tinsley H-71715
California Medical Facility
P.O. Box 2000
Vacaville, CA 95696

Talk to me,
Donny

P.S. It takes over a month for me to respond to anything you put on my blog, so please be patient. I will respond.