When your neighbor is Death Row

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/15/5 | Joan Ryan

[SmithL]

The furniture is movie-set white inside Marika Sakellariou's home. She is wearing all white, too, down to the French manicure on her hands. Her hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail, evoking the look of the ballerina she once was. A Realtor now, she could be the poster girl for Marin County life, with her Wolf range in the kitchen, late-model Mercedes in the driveway and million-dollar view of San Francisco Bay from her back deck.

But she has an unusual neighbor.

About 500 feet down the street from her pale blue cottage is the front gate of San Quentin State Prison.

. . . "I felt I needed to find out who was out there,'' she said. "There were so many young people. People were freezing to death trying to make a point. I was very, very touched. How many of us would put ourselves in this kind of discomfort to make a point? That really moved me. I thought, 'Marika, why aren't YOU speaking out?' I felt horrible that somebody was being executed down the street from me. It felt barbaric. Archaic.''

[SmithL]

Here's a hint, Marika: You were making a profit off of the execution.

[ErnBatavia]

I'm sure Mike Farrell is condo shopping in the neighborhood...

[michaelbfree]

So Marika, if you don't like living next to a prison, then leave...or STFU....

[RedStateRocker]

The smartest idea I've heard of in a while is to close and sell San Q, take the resultant money and build a much better, safer (for everyone guards, prisoners and neighbors), and larger facility somewhere in Nevada or the Mojave. The prison occupies one of the most spectacular views in one of the most expensive areas in the entire world.

[Semper Paratus]

I felt horrible that somebody was being executed down the street from me. It felt barbaric. Archaic.''

Did she miss seeing the prison when she was shown the house?

[daviddennis]

Your comment doesn't make any sense unless people read the whole article, so I will just note that Marika rented her driveway out to a news van.

It just goes to show how desperate Californians are for real estate that houses go right up to the gate, and people buy them!

D

[floozy22]

"I felt I needed to find out who was out there,'' she said. "There were so many young people. People were freezing to death trying to make a point. I was very, very touched. How many of us would put ourselves in this kind of discomfort to make a point?

Cpl. Jeffrey B. Starr - Died in a firefight in Ramadi on April 30 during his third tour in Iraq. He was 22. "Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I'm writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I'm pushing my chances. I don't regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, It's not to me. I'm here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark."

[Jigsaw John]

People were freezing to death trying to make a point.

Oh yes, there had to be 2 feet of snow with a nasty ice storm in San Quentin the other night.

[ichabod1]

LEt dem toch dose tings.

[McMom]

I felt horrible that somebody was being executed down the street from me. It felt barbaric. Archaic.''


Kinda makes ya wonder if "Tookie's" victims would feel the same way...

[ncountylee]

Actually because of fog, that is possible.

Spent a week with a friend almost as close and only saw the prison on two days.

[Dallas59]

"I felt horrible that somebody was being executed down the street from me. It felt barbaric. Archaic."

All the while destroying the climate, contributing to Global Warming and killing thousands of people by driving an internal combustion engine...a Mercedes...

[CollegeRepublican]

I thought this was going to be about Dr. Dre and Suge Knight and Death Row Records. Oh well.

[goodnesswins]

People in San Francisco, standing outside at night...and she calls THAT "discomfort." Another spoiled brat American.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I don't know Marika, but if she's the one I'm thinking of I used to work with a couple of her sisters many years ago. They were beautiful girls from a very nice, very hard-working, very talented Greek family. Her comments show how even good people who end up living in places like Marin County get sucked into the liberal mindset.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I used to live a mile from San Quentin. They ought to tear the old wreck down and make the death penalty protestors trek all the way up to Pelican Bay.