Innocent on death row in Texas since 27 years

Welcome to the website of Max Soffar!

 an innocent  man who lives on death row in Texas now in his 29th year..

This site is to inform about where to find recent and updated information about his case. There have been too many sites that were not kept updated and therefore we want to supply the most recent information. right here.

 Due to circumstances that will be described in some of the reports in his case, Max has made a confession, or rather 3 of them in connection with an armed robbery in a Bowling center in Houston, TX during which 3 persons were killed and one severely injured. This occured in 1980. He made up 3 different stories and used only facts that were either available throught the media or that were told to him.There was not even a lawyer present when he was questioned. At that time he was in a very bad state, being a drug addict and did not realise the seriousness of the situation he got himsself into by this. When he later recanted it was too late and he ended up being charged with murder and was sentenced to death. Max has tried to prove his innocence ever since, has been granted a new trial in 2006, due to inadequate defense,  but was sent back to death row again.. Many of the facts that were offered by his defense to show his innocense were simply not heard by the court. Yes this is possible as you will learn when reading more about his case. Now he has to undergo the same procedure like after his first trial, he must go through all the appeals once more. We, his supporters, would be glad if you took the time to learn that being innocent does not prevent you from things like this happening even to you. In spite of all the years of suffering and living with this wrong accusations Max  is still strong. His faith keeps him that way and the dedicated attorneys and organisations and people that he came across along this long road and that were and still are helping him in his fight for justice. People that studied his case and can see very clear that Max has not committed that crime. In fact, there is another person that had admitted that he has committed that crime. But Max is still on death row and his attorneys are still fighting to prove his innocence. Max realises that he is blessed to have them and appreciates all of them so much. Without them he might not even be here anymore. Not everyone is blessed like that and it is a well known fact that so many people on death row are poor  and cannot afford a good lawyer. They have to make do with court appointed attorneys and they often don’t have the knowledge and the funds to set up a good defense. This was Max’ problem at first and it took 25 years before he was given a new trial due to his previous inadequate defense but 25 years later, this can never be the same anymore because so many things happened inbetween. All that happened after that trial was, that Max has to suffer even longer while he has to put in all the appeals again after he was sent back to death row. . We will see how it will work this time and if Max will have a fair chance to prove his innocence.

We are waiting, hoping and praying for that to happen.

Life on death row in Texas, is something beyond imagination.Even the most detailed reports about it can only give a brief glimpse into this kind of life. In Texas, USA. After some people managed to break out of the previous prison some years ago, all death row inmates are now housed in the Polunsky Unit. They are living there in isolation in single cells, very small with only a small window up high and have to spend 23 out of 24 hours inside this small cells. The only time they leave there is to be escorted somewhere (handcuffed) like to take a shower, to go to recreation or to other appointments or to the visiting room. There are so many descriptions explaining the cruel treatment of the prisoners on death row that right now we will leave it at that. Surely Max will give his own comments as this page is growing. For now here is an extract from Max’ private page at myspace to give you a small idea:

“I am dead no more. My voice no longer silent to the false accusations. Now my accusers can no longer speak without a response from me. I have lived like an animal, locked in a small space since August 5. 1980 for nothing but false accusations

I want to speak to the people that have tried to contact me and could not do so for so long. For any number of reasons you could not reach me, that will not be the case any longer. I will get all the messages now, so let me hear from you. Or if you’re just someone new wanting to write me, that would be great as well. I like to pass my time with writing and reading, that is all there is to do in that crypt I am in. No other social existance. The isolation is maddening after 5 years, or 10, or 15, 20?? I have lived nearly 3 decades in a crypt for the crimes of another. Death borders one’s life and mine is in this crypt.

So this is why I need people to write to me, to distract me from the cruelty they bestow upon me here in this place. I want you and everyone to know how it is like for me, here on death row..”

Max will surely  appreciate words of support and encouragement because they mean a lot to him. Can you imagine only being part of this time on there how traumatizing that must be. But to keep your sanity at a place like that is so hard and a daily fight.

If you would like to contact Max you can do so under the following address:

Max Soffar # 000685

Polunsky Unit

3872 FM 350 South

Livingston, Texas 77351

USA

Or you could write a mail which will be printed and forwarded to Max as he does not himself have access to the internet.If you would like him to write back be sure to add your postal address. Or your email address and his reply will then be mailed to you.

Here is the Email address:

maxsoffar@freenet.de

Thank you!.

Update:

Max lost his appeal before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

In their opinion dated 11/18/2009 the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals just dismissed the more than 32 points raised by Max’ defense attorneys. It is just to prove how justice is denied so often in the USA and proves how important it is that the death penalty will be abolished. There are innocent men still on death row and Max is one of those who spent far too much time there already. close to 29 years of his life were stolen from him already.

Please read the statement of the ACLU which gives more detail here:

Justice denied once again. David Dow of the Texas Innocence Network puts it like this:

“This case presents a textbook example of a miscarriage of justice. From a false confession to two unfair trials and death sentences the problems with Max Soffar’s case show the grave failures of the criminal justice system. With the court’s ruling today Texas comes closer to executing another innocent man.

Max Soffar intends to appeal his .conviction and death sentence to the U S Supreme Court. as well as to pursue all other and additional appeals.

A copy of this decision is offered on the ACLU website here

Gone, but never forgotten! A good bye to my “Daddy”

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