From The Cell

As you know my son is in prison. As a quick update his state charges no longer apply and his federal appeal is moving forward as expected.

He recently sent me a couple of letters that I found amusing. He said I could share them with you. As always no names will be used. If I need to change anything I will let you know that I changed it.

*******

They tried to move a child molester in my 3 man "cube". I told him he could stay the first night but had to find another place to stay the next morning!

Well the next morning I go to work. I come back at lunch time and all his stuff is still there!

So I take his blankets and sheets off his bed and put them on his locker.

I go back to work and come back at 3:00 PM. His stuff is still there!

So I push his locker out in the hall and put all his stuff in a couple of bags and put it on and beside his locker.

He waits until about 15 minutes before the 4:00 PM mandatory count and comes to the cube. I tell him he doesn't live here any more!!

He said he tried to get moved but they wouldn't move him. I said trying and doing are two different things!! Then I told him if he tried to come into the cube I was going to knock him out!!!

He left and went straight to the guards. Everyone was saying I'm crazy, they never saw anything like that before, and I'm going to the SHU "the hole". (Note from Emma: I believe SHU means Solitary Holding Unit)

I said I don't care, I'm ready to go to the SHU. I already packed all my stuff too.

I told everyone, "I will not live in the same cube as a baby raper lives!"

Well I was expecting to go to the SHU but at the end they just moved him and never even tried to talk to me.

*****

This is so funny. I just put my other letter to you in the mail bos but I had to send you this.

I told you how I got rid of the Child Molester. Well I was a little rougher than I told you in the letter.

Well the counselor  wasn't real happy with me. Everyone in the whole prison, even other housing units, were talking about what I did.

Well the child molester was a white guy and I made him admit what he was!

Well today I'm in the "white TV room" (everything is segregated "by choice" in federal prison) the other guy that shares my 3 man cube comes and tells me we are getting a new guy. He says he is a blck Muslim that has a pass for a bottom bunk so they are moving him to our cube.

Well I told everyone White, Black, Spanish, everyone that I WILL NOT LIVE WITH A CHILD MOLESTER! And I will check everyone's paperwork that lives in my cube!

In federal prison only whites can check white guys' paperwork, only blacks can check black guys' paperwork and so on.

Well this guy came and talked to my cube mate and when he found out I was the other guy in the room he wouldn't move in!

He told everyone that he was here on a gun charge but never let anyone see his paperwork!

Now all the black guys are telling him he has to get his paperwork!

He basically told on himself by not moving into my cube!
*****

From Emma: As you can see life in prison is still primitive in many ways. I find the segregation appalling as does my son. The prisoners tend to police themselves which means that you must be strong to survive. Of course the guards are there too but if I may be so irreverent as to compare it to a playground where children have to decide what behavior is acceptable parents only watch to see that violence is not tolerated. Guards simply are there to keep things from getting out of hand.