Albert "Ru-Al" Jones

When I was found guilty for a crime I didn't commit, it was a reality check and I knew my life would never be the same. But through it all, God was protecting me while navigating this new place. This was the point in my life where I was starting to grow spiritually, thus giving the name "I'm in God's Confinement"

There are over seven hundred fifty men and women on California’s death row in San Quentin and Chowchilla State Prison. The state is tasked to feed each condemned inmate to hot meals and one bag lunch each day. There is no other death row in this country, or the world, that feeds so many people who are sentenced to die. In this book you will read about many amazing meals that are being prepared behind these walls. You will laugh at some and others you will have to taste for yourself. The condemned inmates put a lot of love and joy in to cooking because it could be our last meals.

I wanted to write this book on Religion and Faith and why these guys chose the Religions that have made them the men that they are today and how it helped them to deal with their lives in here on Death Row or on the Streets and the impact that they made on others. I wanted to let these guys speak from their hearts and minds and for the world that reads these guys' testimonies. Because I know that we are being judged by the outside world. But in here, our Faith has come to us in a way that no one can take away. So I asked these guys to open up and talk about their Faith and I'm putting it on paper just the way they gave it to me, because they felt every word in writing their testimonies

Never in a million years did I ever think that I'd be a College Graduate. I did this with a learning disability, also under some very harsh conditions. I was able to stay focused. This is something that no one can take from me.
— Albert "Ru-Al" Jones

This nightmare shouldn't have never happen. Chino prison bused in 121 men with COVID-19 to a prison that had no cases, it didn't take for long it to spread and 28 men; with 19 of them on Dead Row. I'm so blessed to be alive because I had that killer virus in my body. – "Ru-Al"

For 25 years on San Quentin Death Row, I have been cooking some restaurant type meals in my cell; therefore, I like to consider myself a prison chef.

I take the prison meals and mix them with the food that I get from my food care packages and canteen. I cook meals that don't just taste good, but also make one's stomach very happy. I have been cooking like this for the past 25 years, as if these were my "Last Meals."