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Piece Description
CURRENT DATE PEG: In the early morning of January 9, 2005 acclaimed prison journalist Wilbert Rideau was granted freedom after 44 years behind bars. Rideau co-produced and narrated this documentary in 1988; Dave Isay has written new sample intro text to make it easy for stations to feature the documentary in recognition of Rideau's release. The Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola Prison, is a sprawling old plantation on the Mississippi River. It was named, long ago, for the birthplace of the slaves who were brought here to work the land. Now, Angola holds more than five-thousand prisoners, mostly African Americans. It still has the look of another time: long straight lines of black men march to work along the levees with shovels over their shoulders. They are trailed by guards on horseback, shotguns resting in their laps. It used to be that a life sentence in Louisiana meant a maximum of ten years and six months behind bars. But, in the 1970s, the state's politicians changed the definition. A life sentence in Louisiana now means just that. Unless they're pardoned by the Governor, inmates today know they will never again see the outside world -- that they will die inside Angola prison. Tossing Away the Keys is their story.
3 Comments
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Review of Tossing Away the KeysI simply cannot stress enough how much this piece needs to be aired. The rating "very much" offers not even an inkling of the necessity for all people to hear this piece--Governors, Presidents, all people. I haven't heard anything so real in quite some time. This piece simultaneously made me cherish my freedom and wish I could give some part of it to let these men out of prison. In the current absense of systematic reform to let some of these men out of prison, the radio can at least bring their stories to fellow-human beings. In at least this way, they will not die forgotten, a fear they discuss in the piece. Exquisitely produced from the recording to the editing, from the interviews to the singing, to the poem, to the narration, to the background of prison noise. This is one of those rare pieces of documentary art that touches deep the mind, heart, and spirit of the listener. |
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Review of Tossing Away the KeysFrom the first sounds of prison guards calling for inmates to 'wake up' the piece captured my complete attention. The story touches on the crossroads of life sentencing and the inevitable elderly issues that occur. It's amazing to hear an elderly inmate speaking with wonder of the 'superhighways' he's heard of, the television being the only connection to the ourside world. What they must think of us with only that window. It breaks your heart to hear an old black man (most or all of the inmates interviewed are black)wondering whether the Cosby show accurately portrays life on the outside. The stories of men running - fruitless, tragic efforts though they are - still inspire the listener to root for the inmates. I've never been able to get my mind around the concept of life imprisonment. It's more alien than death somehow. This piece manages to capture the horror of lost hope, the intricate psychology of the older prisoner, and the tragedy of the young. It's impossible not to draw a mental picture of Morgan Freeman when you hear the narrator's voice. It's cadence and timbre are both reminiscent of the actor in the prison film Shawshank Redemption. Great variety of interviews, voices, sounds, music and information. It's a great piece, and I hope that somehow it speeds Mr. Rideau's pardon and release. |
Timing and Cues
INTRO:
In the early morning of January 9, 2005 acclaimed prison journalist Wilbert Rideau was granted freedom after 44 years behind bars Tried and convicted for murder in in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1961, Rideau was re-tried this year because of the exclusion of African Americans from his jury . Last week he was convicted of the lesser crime of manslaughter and set free.
During his 44 years in prison, Rideau came to be known as "the most rehabilitated prisoner in America." He taught himself how to write on death row, became the award winning editor of the prison magazine "The Angolite," and a nationally recognized expert on prison reform.
In 1988, he co-produced and narrated a radio documentary "Tossing Away the Keys," with inmate journalist Ron Wikberg and radio producer Dave Isay. It was the first-ever broadcast collaboration between prison inmates and "free" journalists. "Tossing Away The Keys" looks at the phenomenon of "natural life" sentences- life without the possibility of parole. Louisiana was the first state to enact these sentences. At the Louisiana State Penitentiary, the nation's largest maximum security prison, you will find men who have served some of the longest sentences in American history. This 1988 documentary- narrated by inmate Wilbert Rideau-- looks at what happens when you lock people up and toss away the keys. ...
OUTRO:
"Tossing Away the Keys" was recorded at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, Louisiana in 1988. It was produced by Dave Isay, Ron Wikberg and Wilbert Rideau, The music was performed by the Angola Gospel Superiors. On January 9th, prison journalist Wilbert Rideau was released from prison after serving 44 years behind bars. For updates on other men whose voices you just heard in this program, visit SoundPortraits.org and click on 'Tossing Away the Keys"
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Bill McKibben
Posted on January 24, 2005 at 06:04 AM | Permalink
Review of Tossing Away the Keys
This is a great piece of radio, one of the finest half hours around. I remember it when it was first broadcast, and now would be the perfect moment for stations to replay it. It's an almost unbelievably sad and powerful story. But they'll need to have an intro (or maybe better a new ending) a couple of minutes long to explain how it was that Rideau finally managed to get out. It would also work very well with coverage of Sister Helen prejean's new book on the death penalty. (She and Rideau are old friends). Anyway, what a piece!