Death Row Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers from a Lifer
Ronald James Dessus

No one in prison has access to the Internet. All questions are asked and answered by regular mail. No prisoner can get your email address. Every email address is kept confidential for obvious reasons.

Please specify in your email which death row inmate the question is for. We have enough hate mail thank you. I will not send hate mail to the inmates, only questions.
Webmaster - Dark Sorrow

Questions and Answers from a Lifer
Ronald James Dessus serving life without parole in S.C.I. Huntingdon in Huntingdon PA.
He will answer any questions you may have also.

Ronald James Dessus

Hi. my name is Ronald James Dessus. I have been incarcerated for over thirty-three years. I was convicted of raping and killing a 79 year old grandmother, raping her 44 year old daughter and raping her 15 year old granddaughter. I was twenty years old when this crime happened. Several others were convicted of the same crime. One has since died in prison. I always thought the Jury should have brought back the death penalty if they believed that I raped the victims. That was not the case. The trail judge called me back to court and suspended sentences on two rape charges. I did not get any time for the third rape. He recommended that the Pardon Board commute my sentence. That was not to happen. When I came to prison I had a fifth grade education. I received a two year degree from Allegheny Community College. I then graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, Magna Cum Laude w/Departmental honors and I made the Dean's list. I have gone on to acquire other degrees. I have been awarded numerous times for educating other prisoners. Unfortunately I received another life sentence for hitting prison personnel. Now I am just another life prisoner waiting to die in prison. If you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Are you really guilty of the charges you've been convicted of? Did you actually rape/kill that 79yr.old woman and rape her daughter and granddaughter? You mentioned something about other people also being involved in these crimes. Can you please tell me what role, if any, you played in victimizing these innocent people and if so, why you did it?
Emphatically no! I did not rape any of the women or the little girl. I have always believed that rape was the most horrible crime against woman and children. I got caught up with the wrong people at the wrong time. I have only myself to blame. I knew about the robbery from John Burgess, one of the people found guilty. He had stolen the little girl's key after she had left it in her door. He, Burgess came to my house to tell me about what he intended to do. On the day before Palm Sunday I had found a piece of mail in my mailbox. The bail bondman said I was going back to jail because my boss had given me a bad check after he had arrested me for punching him. I told myself that if I was going to prison that I was going there drunk. I took a bath and put on my brand new Easter suit, white shirt and tie. I then went to a friend's house. He was not at home. I then did something I rarely did. I went bar hopping and drinking. I met Burgess at one of the bars. He told me his sister was having a birthday party. I then went with him to the birthday party. Again I did something I rarely do. I began mixing drinks. After a great deal of drinking I decided to go home. I spoke to one of the girls at the party and arranged a date for Monday. I got into a cab and Burgess ran up to me and introduced me to a guy named Stukes. He said we were going to a party in West Philadelphia. When we got to West Philly they got out of the car and ran. I paid the cab fare and ran after them. When I caught up to them, Burgess was in a house. I then remember him saying something about the house next door. I left him and walked up and down the street. I did not know where I was. When the air had hit me it was like a ton of rocks falling on my body. I was in a drunken stupor. I then went back to the house. I kept saying in my mind that Burgess was going to rape that girl. I entered the house and heard a noise on the second floor. I stumbled up the steps after cutting on the lights. I then saw Burgess talking to woman. I jumped and found myself in a bathroom. I kept telling myself to get out of the house and find somewhere to sleep. I then came out of the bathroom when the other fellow was coming up the stairs and said to me, "play along". He then put a butcher knife in my hand and said to the woman I am just a passer by. I was really scared then. I jumped back into the bathroom and began thinking about a million things. When I got up I saw my face in the mirror. I grabbed hold of the medicine cabinet and took it into another room. That is when the woman came up to me and said she was poor and did not have any money. She said I looked like a good guy, would I please help her. When I then went up to the third floor and someone was raping the little girl. I pulled him off and told her to hide. The mother told me to help her mother. Would I help her mother? She said I would not want someone to hurt my mother. I began thinking about my mother and how she died in the kitchen after being stabbed to death. We both went downstairs and entered the kitchen. There was her mother bleeding and trying to get a glass of water. I tried to help her but he tried to grab me. I then pushed her and her head hit the wall and she fell down. At that time Burgess entered the room with a little girl and said that she was at the window and hollered to someone. I knew right then that I was in deep trouble. I ran out the house the back way. All I had to do was get up on the porch and go to sleep. Instead I kept running until a police car stopped me. Then I tried to run away again. I knew Burgess was going to rape them women. It was all my fault. I had pulled a robbery with him. He then tried to rape the old lady. I grabbed him off the lady. I then told myself that never again would I do something with him. Because after the robbery he had told alot of people what we did. I knew this guy didn't have enough sense to rob someone with money. I had another incident with him when he hollered at a white woman when we passed her in a car. I never got caught for that first robbery and this is the first time I ever talked about it. I am very sorry it took so long for me to answer your inquiry. They changed my library night. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask me.

Well Ronald, I certainly hope the department of corrections didn't make you pay for your supposed college "education", because after reading your version of events I can honestly say I've seen fifth graders who could've come up with a better story! Do you really think your bit about being drunk, scared and heroically trying to save the females in that house is in any way convincing to anyone? It's the most bogus sob story I've heard from a criminal yet! And judging by the 33 plus years you've spent behind bars, it's obvious the justice system didn't buy
your version either. But what's saddest by far is the fact that after more than three decades you still can't come up with an even semi-believable story! Look pal, there's a special place in hell for people who prey on women and children, and if you haven't found it already, I pray that someday soon you will! Michael Anderson
Dear Mr. Anderson, I am sorry I could not embellish a story that would fit your imagination. I did not spend my thirty three years in prison filing fictitious petition or crying wolf. I chose another course of action. It is said the worth of a mans character can be measured not by what he does when others are watching but by what he does when he thinks no one is around. You would be surprised by the things I have done in prison. As for tax payers paying for my college degrees I can boldly say I believe I have more than paid them back I have worked successfully for many prisoners who cannot read or write well. I am doing the same thing now for the Education Department in prison. As far as hell is concerned, I was in the depths for over 21 years. Thanks to my faith in the good Lord I have my climbed my way out. My judge felt like you did. After he got to know me, may God bless his departed soul, he tried to help me. Thank you for your response to my information.

Have you ever been raped or assaulted by another inmate? Have you ever raped or assaulted another inmate? Have you ever been pressured to join in and participate in a gang rape? And since you're in for life and can never have a woman, do you willingly engage in sexual activity with other prisoners?
I have never been raped or assaulted by another inmate. I did have to fight when I first came to prison. I was very young and this is how older prisoners would try you. No I have never raped another inmate or assaulted another inmate. I did have some pressure to join some inmates who band together to rape other inmates. I fought the ring leader. This caused the gang to disband. The prison official gave me outside clearance and recommended that my sentence be commuted. I would be lying if I said I did not engage in sexual activity. I had many willing partners. Nowadays I limit my activities because of aids. I hope I have answered your questions for you, if you have any more feel free to ask.

Why did you make the unbelievably stupid decision to hit prison personnel? If you really wanted to someday get out of the joint, why would you screw yourself over by doing something so self defeating?
Hitting a prison personnel was plain stupidity. I always thought I would get in trouble with inmates. But I Hope you will understand that I was under a lot of pressure. First I had just graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. I had been accepted at Lehigh University in one of their graduate programs. I was teaching outside the prison gates. I had just been turned down for commutation. I had been transferred back to Graterford from Camp Hill where I was supposed to teach. I was working day and night teaching in the ABE school program. The pressure had increased when I returned from Camp Hill because I could not understand why prisoners would not do everything possible to get out of prison. On top of it all I was under alot of pressure from inmates to bring drugs in from the outside. I had tried my best not to get transferred to Graterford. Last but not least there was alot of racial tension between the teachers and the inmates as well as the staff. The prison personnel I hit was a teacher whom I was having alot of difficulty with. I had written the commissioner several times about him. My getting in trouble with the prison personnel cost me a great deal. We both had got into an argument that day. It was more a fight between us and several other teachers. I received another life sentence for that incident and I am sure it is the reason why I have been in prisons so long and count towards me never getting out. If you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

Hello Mr.Dessus! I'd like to know if time has changed how you feel about living in confinement. In other words, does one ever really get used to being denied the basic freedoms of life most of us out here take for granted? How have your views changed and evolved over the past three decades regarding this subject? And last but not least, is the loss of one's basic freedoms a significant punishment even for the most violent and hard-core offenders? Thanks for your time! Larry.
Thank you for such thought provoking questions to start out the New Year. Speaking for myself, confinement has not changed how I feel. I miss so badly the little things that most people give little thought. For instance it was Christmas and I miss buying gifts for others. I miss buying my Christmas tree and decorating it. I miss going shopping and buying my own food. Now if you are asking if my thoughts have changed since my incarceration then my answer is yes. I was a bigot when I came to prison. I thought I had reason to be a bigot. When I began working with the Jaycees I changed my life and my attitude. I had changed everything about myself except how I dealt with pressure. after 10 years of incarceration I was under a new kind of pressure that I could not deal with. I struck a prison employee and I received another life sentence for that. Then I had a nervous breakdown which lasted for over twenty three years. I am only now getting over it. I had one foot out the door before slamming it shut in my face. I was a changed man. The prison system changed. Then it changed back to what it was before. The prison system is more punitive now. Over the past thirty years my attitude has not changed. I believe I should be made to pay a small amount for room and board. I believe I should be able to pay a small amount for victim compensation. I should be made to be more responsible for my crimes and living everyday off of tax payers hard earned money. I don't think the loss of a person's basic freedoms is a significant punishment for any crimes. All crimes to me are violent. We should not be treating one defender different than the other.
It was up to the individual how much time he or she would do based on his or her behavior. The system was working. Now we are classified as violent and non violent criminals and the system is not working. Who are we treating with today's program? Are we treating the prisoner or are we treating the crime? Are we punishing the crime or the convict? We know who the violent inmates are because they are violent in prison too. Young offenders I believe should not be mixed with older hardened criminals. I believe tax payers like yourself are being short changed. Jumping on an offender and giving him or her a long time does not do it. I think each offender should be evaluated every five years and given a prescriptive programs in accordance to his or her behavior. Those who conform should be given good time. Given a chance I believe most prisoners will conform. The way it is now, it does matter much what you do. Many prisoners don't have anything to look forward to on the outside. So those basic things we take for granted is not missed by the average prisoner. What we are doing now is punishing the crime and not the person.

You know Mr. Dessus I don't know what else to say except that as a black man I am continually embarrassed by your kind. It is not so much that you personally are in prison, but more the significant amount of young black men that have come to regard time in jail as part of the inevitable course of their lives. Look around you, African Americans are disproportionately represented in the
criminal justice system, and are usually there for the most violent crimes against other minorities. It is bad enough that you worthless morons want to simply throw your lives away, but do you realize that your criminal actions have an impact on law-abiding minorities in the broader community. Most law-abiding minorities can't even drive two blocks without being pulled over by the police, because you and your kind have so severely tarnished black people's collective credibility. It tears me up to see that in America today because of your kind black people in general are regarded as a criminal class always to be under suspicion. The best thing for all is perhaps for you to remain where your are, at least you are already part of the statistics which seems to be the most that a large amount of our African bothers will ever contribute.
I am sorry you don't feel good about yourself because I am one of the statistics who make up the disproportionate number of African Americans in prison. You should have watched 20/20 on Feb. 18 and maybe then you would have realized that conditions exist that make it possible for so many young black men to miss out on life. Actually your letter does not deserve a response, but that is life and you have to play the hand you are dealt. You must be a miserable individual.

Ronald can you tell me what goes on everyday? From how they wake you up till you go to sleep? Like give me a full day at the prison if you wouldn't mind? I would like to hear how it is in prison. Or maybe if you had time you could tell me if you have a schedule to follow every week or everyday?
thanks
Personally I have a schedule to follow weekly. My day begins at 5:30AM. I get up and wash and say my prayers. Then I stand for 6:00AM count. All inmates have to stand for count at this time. I lay back down for a quick nap. At 7:00 they call for breakfast. I rarely go to breakfast. I then go to the pill line about 7:15. I come back to my cell and catch the morning news. At 8:00 it is work line. Everyone who has a job report to their jobs. My job is mopping the block floor. At 8:30 I go to the library to answer any letter I receive or type a petition for someone. At 9:30 I go to school to tutor inmates who cannot read or write that well. I stay there until 11:00. At eleven I go to lunch. After lunch I go to my cell and study Greek. I am working towards a two year degree in Religious Education, that usually takes an hour. At 12:30 I watch the Young and the Restless. One of the characters on the show writes me once a month. After the show at 1:30 I usually go to sleep until 2:30. That is when the mail comes. I rarely get mail but I am taking three bible study courses. At 3:00 it is time for showers. After showers I go to the pill line again. At 4:00 it is standing count again. During count I watch Rosie's talk show. At 5:00 it is dinner. After chow I usually take out a book and read and listening to the television. At 9:00 it is count time. After count I usually go to bed after saying my prayers. Sometimes I watch television until 10:30. That is my schedule for the week. We have a pretty good school program that meets the needs of the students. We are allowed to go to the yard at 9:00, 1:30 and at 6:30. There you can lift weights or play handball or cards or baseball. At night they have a softball game. They have many programs for the prisoners to take part in like aerobic and health programs. They have a college program but they don't call it a college program because lifers are not allowed to attend. They have several computer programs. As far as programs are concerned I have taken all there is to take. So I have to create things to do. Starting in May I will start on my book titled, " The Little Book Who Did Not Cry Wolf". I started it in 1977. My first manuscript was lost by the prison personnel. A woman who I was writing sent me a copy of my manuscript twenty years later. I think I have a publisher. I write poetry and have been published in many publications. That is about it. Actually it could be a boring week if an inmate does not schedule something for himself. That is like planning to do his time and not let time do him. I hope I have answered your question to the fullest. If you would like to know more please feel free to contact the webmaster and I will try to answer any questions you may have.

If you really are COMPLETELY INNOCENT of all the things you've been convicted of, then WHY hasn't any appeals court granted you a new trial? Honestly now, just about every convict in your predicament vehemently claims they are innocent, and seeing how you attacked a correctional officer it certainly appears that you have an uncontrollable temper and aren't truly interested in ever being released from prison. Any compelling reasons why we should believe you're anything more than the average con-artist/sociopath?????
You would think that a person who is well educated and had one foot out of the door would know how to control his behavior. If you were in prison and in my shoes I think you would have gotten in a fight too. This guy had pushed me to my limits and I have tried everything to keep myself away for this particular person. As far as court of appeals hearing my case, I did not appeal my murder conviction in the beginning. My attorney did not want me to appeal for fear that I would receive the death penalty. I appealed all the felonies in my case in hope of overturning them, then they would have to overturn the murder conviction. My felonies were remanded back to the lower court for an illegal sentence. Seven years later my trial judge called me to court and suspended my sentence on my rape cases and recommended that my murder sentence be commuted. A year after that I got into trouble and received another life sentence. I appealed that case to the Supreme Court and I appealed my first conviction. They had taken four years to answer my appeal. During that time I was sick after leaving the hole. They had drugged me while I was in the hole. After those four years I withdrew my appeals in both cases. I was mentally sick after the drugging for 23 years. I file a Post Conviction Act in 1990 but it was denied in less than thirty days. I filed another Post Conviction Hearing Act in 1995. It was denied after two years. I then filed a Notice of Appeal to the Superior Court waiting for their decision as to rather or not I receive my appeal rights. No higher court has ever heard my case. In the beginning of my case it was thrown out of court. The DA needed more evidence. Some inmate said he heard me talking about my case and they used him to reindict me again. I just found out four years ago that he went to his hearing on the third of the month and I went on the 10th. So we could not be in the cell together unless we went to court the same day. Needless to say his 14 robberies were dismissed. I am sure once the higher courts review my petition I will be granted a new trial.

If you could go back in time, what specifically would you change about your past?
If I could go back into my past the one thing I would change my attitude towards police officers when I was twenty-years old. I knew keys had been stolen in my crime and was going to be used to rob the people. I would have told the police instead I spent 34 years in prison for not doing what I thought I should have done in the beginning. If I could change one thing in my past my second thing would be to have had the courage to seek out help when my mother was killed. I had to go it alone and I did not know where to go. Those are the two times in my life that I wish I could change if I had a chance. The fact is I had the chance and now for not doing the right things those changes have become my nightmare.

I'm so glad I found this website! I really hope you can help me. I'm a single mother raising my 16yr.old son, Byron. In short, he's involved in gang related activities and has been since the age of 7. He's been busted numerous times, arrested numerous times and even sent to three different youth detention facilities in our state. Yet his attitude and violence just seems to get worse and worse. Even while in detention he did drugs and led gang assaults upon other children. He even laughed and spit in the face of staff members when they tried to break up the fights. These days he's back at home and still getting into trouble. I just don't know what to do anymore. He's become so damn arrogant during this past year that nothing I say matters. I've even shown him the scared straight videotape but he just sits there and laughs at it. When I tell him about how I've heard young men are repeatedly raped in prison, he just laughs and says such things happened years ago but hardly go on today. He believes that human rights groups, whom he calls "sheep", have made prisons alot safer in the 90s and that male rape only happens in HBO movies. I am writing this message to both inmates here because I would like to know for myself exactly how much of this stuff still goes on in prisons today, so I can give my son the most accurate information and have a reliable source to back up what I saying. Anything you guys can tell be about the reality of prison life is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! Thanks in advance, Joanny Adams.
You seem to be a loving mother who is desperate to help her son. I will try as best I can to help you. What I think is that your son needs some face to face contact with an older man who has been through the system. If you like I can arrange for you and your son to visit me and I will have a heart to heart talk with him. He is passed Scared Straight. For your information up until about this year young boys were still being raped in prison. The Department of Corrections has come out with new policies to combat it. You can now be charged with sexual abuse. But they can never stop the predators who prey on young inmates. They used a lot of psychological pressure. They will give him drugs and if he cannot pay for it with cash then they ask for sexual favors to pay the bill. You might be unlucky and get double cell with a sexual predator and not realize it until it is too late. I have been incarcerated for thirty-four years, This is no place to be. I wish I had listened to my mother. It is too late now. What your son doesn't realize is that he is building a record that will be used against him when he becomes an adult. Almost everyday a young eighteen year old comes into this prison. He is immediately sized up to see where his head is. One came in today and he was approached before he could move in his cell. These young kids are coming in these prisons with alot of time because of their attitude. They cannot scare the judge. Many of them are like your son. Another tactic they use is asking the young inmate if he wants someone to help him with his petitions in court. They act like they are your friend and then put pressure on you to have homosexual activities. If you go the guard then you are marked for life as a snitch. Being forced into sexual activities is only part of the problems in prison. The counselors are loaded with work and cannot take time to talk with you. The things you son takes for granted now he will want if he comes to prison. Almost every night I tell myself that I must have been the dumbest person in the world to get involved with the men I did come to prison. I pray every night to God asking him to deliver me from this heavy burden. With your son he might be sent to one of these old prisons and that will be horrible. If he is sent to one of the new prisons that will be just as bad. I will tell your son he don't want to become a grown man in prison because that is where he is headed. I went to school and got my college education while in prison. I wish I had gotten it on the outside. One of the questions I received is what would I change in my life if I could go back in the past. I would wish I was 16 again. I would be the best teenager in the world. I would have my mother and other siblings again. I could go to school and do pretty much what I want. Yes I believe your son needs an older male to talk with. I would hate to see him come to this place. May he not forget that he could be stabbed to death in prison. If you want to know anything else feel free to ask me and I will try to help. If you like for me to talk with your son personally give his name and address to the webmaster and I will add him to my visitor's list.

As the number of decades you've spent behind bars seem to roll on and on and on, what would you say is the most difficult part about being in prison?
The most difficult part about being in prison now is waking up everyday and realizing that you are no closer to go home as you were decades ago. It is also difficult being an older person. I cannot get used to the young prisoners calling me old head. Another thing is most difficult is knowing most of your family has passed away and you have no one to turn too for comfort and those who are alive have grown apart from you. Everyday in prison is centered around waiting for mail to come from the courts or from anybody. Prison for me has become one depressing experience.

Would you rather spend the rest of your life in prison, or would you have preferred a death sentence to end the misery of confinement once and for all?
I honestly wanted the jury to bring back the death penalty if they believed I committed all those crimes. When they did not bring back the death penalty I said I would go to prison and amassed such a good record that they would have to question my crime. I did just that and my judge dismissed my sentences for rape and recommended my sentence be commuted. The commutation board did not follow his request. A year after being denied commutation a second time I got into trouble and received another life sentence. I did not kill anybody. I had a fight with one of the rotten prison personnel. Now that I have done thirty-four years I don't want to think. I believe if there was a pill I could take that would cause instant death I would take it. I believe I am useless to anybody now. I had a lot of hope in my younger days while in prison. There seems to be no hope now for lifer's in prison. There will never be another governor like Milton Shapp.

What is it like to have sex with other guys? Having been in prison for 30 some years now, do you consider yourself to be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or simply making the most of a lousy situation???
Homosexuality in prison makes for strange bed fellows. To give you a little insight of homosexuality in prison, homosexuals are classified as passive, the takers, the aggressors, and the giver. Most prisoners who participate in homosexuality in prison are aggressors and do not classify themselves as homosexuals. Many of them would not participate in homosexual activity on the outside. I will tell you this much. There is nothing like being with a woman. When I did it, it was a way to relieve tension. I did fall in love with one of my mates but he wanted it both ways and I was not into that. For the last two years I have been having an affair with Rita, my right hand. The homosexuals in this prison have many partners and that may lead to aids. You will not find too many aggressors admitting to the fact that they have had homosexual relationships in prison. I think you can say like you said they are making the best out of a lousy situation. I guess I would classify myself as bisexual in prison, even though I don't participate nowadays because of aids.

When you first entered prison three decades ago as a convicted rapist and murderer, did you face additional harassment from fellow inmates because of your status as a "sexual offender"?
I thought I would be harassed when I first came to prison. Normally when you are young and your case is printed in the newspaper, convicts know who you are before you get there. I have a unique case. Originally my case was dismissed. An informer told the DA he heard me talk about my case. This guy had 15 robberies. The DA reindicted me. When I was in the county prison the head of the KKK came to me and told me what to look out for during trial. Everything he told me was true. I believe that when the prisoners found out that a convict testified against me they could identify with what happened to me. When I came to prison I did not suffer the fate of so many young prisoners who come to prison. During that time they were raped and made into a jailhouse punk. Prisoners did not like rapists during that time. I did have three fights during my first year. Young prisoners are always tried to see if they will fight back during that time. My biggest problem came from the staff. I always thought that I would have problems with prisoners. When I received my second life sentence it was prison personnel who had always harassed me. I have filed several complaints against him. The reason I was tried for assault by a life prisoner was because of the rape against me. Now things are different. People who did not read my case have problems with me because of my case. I believe if I was to go to trial now I would receive the death penalty. I was found guilty of raping a 79 year old grandmother, her 44 year old daughter and her 14 year old daughter. The inmate who testified against me said, "He was in a holding cell with me and heard the following exchanged." A guy was supposed to have said to me, "Hey Dessus, you are going to get the electric chair for your crime." I was supposed to have said, "I don't care, I made my rounds on all three bitches." To commit a crime of that nature is one thing, to brag about it, then I believe the person should receive the death penalty. I only found out twenty years later that he went to his hearing on the third and I went on the tenth. We were both scheduled for hearings at the same police station but not on the same day. Especially on the day the 3rd of May when he went for his hearing. The other guy whom he said he was with did not testify because he told me that Brandon, his name, made up what he testified in court. Had I not gotten into trouble I probably would have been home over twenty years ago. My trial judge recommended that my case be commuted. he would not have suspended my sentence if he thought I had raped the victims. I hope I have answered your question for you.

"No man can justly censure or condemn another because no man truly knows the heart and soul of another. Evil thoughts and inclinations exist in every man from his days of youth on up. Some men eventually act upon such thoughts and inclinations in deeds, others exercise them by casting their thoughts on others to do their bidding for them, but just as a blade is not truly a blade until it is sharpened, neither is the devil truly devilish until he appears to be one who is upstanding and respectable"

Email Dark Sorrow