In 1984, Frankie committed a brutal and violent crime. During a drug and alcohol induced psychosis, he attacked and killed his former in-laws, and held his ex-wife hostage at the Rogers, Arkansas, police station for several hours, wounding her and a police officer. After five years of anger, misery and remorse, Frankie found Buddhism.
Frankie came to live a simple religious life in a harsh prison environment. He worked daily toward leading a more positive life. From this, Frankie became a peaceful leader on death row. He was sought out by other prisoners for help with spiritual issues. He was an example to all (inside and outside of prison) that life is what you make out of it. By giving Frankie a commutation of life without parole, Frankie, through his example, could have given the death row inmates a glimmer of hope for themselves. Positive change can lead to a quality life even within the prison walls.
In 1993 Frankie saw an article in the local newspaper about the Ecumenical Buddhist Society in Little Rock. He wrote a letter and Anna Cox, the society's president, began corresponding with Frankie. Soon others were writing him. Frankie kept in close contact by mail with several sangha members for the last few years. His letters were warm, upbeat, encouraging and always contained some teaching relevant to the reader's life. As an artist, he generously shared his calligraphy and origami flowers, birds, animals, mobiles, etc. with the sangha members. He designed the EBS sweatshirts and T-shirts that were sold by the society. In addition he organized a much larger donation of original works by other prison artists to sell at the EBS auction fund raiser in the fall of 1994.
Frankie became a student of Buddhism after receiving a copy of the Dhammapada from a disgruntled guard while Frankie was in solitary confinement. Frankie had requested a Bible, the only book allowed in solitary confinement. This was approximately seven years before his execution. Prior to this experience, Frankie had frequently been in solitary confinement. However, after he began his Buddhist practice, he was successful in almost completely avoiding the hole. In addition, he became a friend to other prisoners, reading to the illiterate, mediating difficult situations between fellow inmates, and inmates and guards.
Frankie went by the name Si-fu in prison. He had many nicknames, but received this one after friends told him that he acted like a man called Si-fu in a movie they saw. This character was "always quoting the Buddha. So everyone laughed and started calling me Si-fu." In 1992 Frankie petitioned the court for a legal name change and the request was granted. Frankie says, "I sometimes teach Tai Chi to others who want to learn and Si-fu means teacher so it all worked out."
In late May, 1996, just before Frankie's scheduled execution, a Zen priest, Rev. Kobutsu of New Jersey, gave Frankie the Jukai ceremony and the dharma name of Ju San.
As of August, 1994, Frankie had only practiced his Buddhism through the study of books. He said,"I've only had books to work from. I've never had one conversation with another human being about being Buddhist. I just read books and tried to apply what they said to my practice. It has changed my life profoundly." Frankie was allowed a small shrine in his cell with a Buddha. He was also allowed candles and incense, which is very rare.
As for his practice Frankie said,"I have to practice real early in the morning - like 3 or 4 AM while it's real quiet and I do Tai Chi on the yard. I'm not sure if I'm even practicing correctly. But I keep on. It's only me so far so who's to say I'm meditating wrong."
In February of 1995, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, while teaching in Little Rock, made a trip to Tucker, Arkansas, to visit Frankie. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche is a Dzogchen master of Vajrayana Buddhism and has a retreat center, Pema Osel Ling, near Santa Cruz, California. This was Frankie's first real contact with a recognized Buddhist teacher. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche then made a second visit to Tucker Prison on May 22, 1996, one week before Frankie's scheduled execution, and gave Frankie the Phowa empowerment, a brief teaching, and then did the practice with Frankie.
Members of many Buddhist sanghas from all over the world, and many others as well, wrote letters on behalf of Frankie. These included H. H. the Dalai Lama, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe Wangmo, Anna Cox, Rev. Kobutsu, Sandi Formica, Dr. Jay McDaniel, Dr. Lucy Sauer, Judith Elane, Ven. Eido Shimano Roshi, Robert Aitken Roshi, ex-Gov. of New York Mario Cuomo, Philip Kapleau Roshi, ex-Gov. of Ohio Dick Celeste, and many others.
Frankie was scheduled for execution May 29, 1996, but was granted a stay until July 11, 1996, by the governor at that time, Governor Tucker. On June 17,1996, Governor Tucker announced that the execution date had now been set for September 17, 1996. An appeal had been filed with the Supreme Court but Frankie's lawyer was not optimistic. Governor Tucker stepped down from his office in July of that year. At that point, the primary hope and efforts for a commutation to life in prison without parole for Frankie were placed in the heart of the new Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, a Southern Baptist minister.
Governor Huckabee chose to move the execution date up to August 8, 1996, and upon that date, Ju San Si-fu Frankie Parker was executed by the State of Arkansas. Frankie was supported on that day by the love of his family; the heartfelt spiritual support of the local Ecumenical Buddhist Society members; the presence of Zen priest Kobutsu, who travelled from New Jersey to be with him; and the many people who regretted to see Frankie Parker sent to his death. He continues to be loved and remembered.