PRISONER EXPRESS

How I got here

What I'm about to say may sound unreal. Believe me, I wish it wasn't real, but it is! I'm in prison for a crime I did not commit. If you don't understand how that happens, I'll do my best to explain it.

I'm not familiar with any other Criminal Justice Systems, just Harris County, Houston, TX. It is so full of political corruption. I'm surprised no one has gone against them. It would be very hard to defeat them. I was accused and arrested in 2000 at the age of 42 for the first time in my life. I was able to hire a lawyer, somewhat overpaid, but I knew I was fighting for my freedom. With absolutely no evidence against me, my attorney was able to get me 10 years Deferred Adjudication (some form of probation) with 38 stipulations. Of course, it is designed so that successful completion is impossible. The Probation Officer and Judge in my court kept adding stipulations as they pleased. Of course, it became harder for me to meet their demands, so after 6 months of dealing with the stress, I violated. I knew it would happen eventually, so did my Probation Officer. She enjoyed watching me struggle with all the stipulations. I was arrested in 2002. I don't know about the rest of the United States, however, in Harrison County, Houston Texas, if you're a minority and poor you really don't have much of a chance.

Attorneys only do so much. In other words, when your attorney feels they've given you your money's worth of defense, they're basically through defending you. If you have more money, then everything changes. Of course, the Assistant District Attorneys know how to work the system, so they wait. Patiently waiting for you and your attorney to give in. They then leap at the prey (the accused) with a certain amount of years. The Assistant District Attorney started out offering me 40 years. I ended up with 12 years. Remember, I still haven't been found guilty of any crime!

On the advice of my attorney I plea bargained. My attorney, knowing the state had a weak case, advised me to plea guilty. I plead guilty to a crime I didn't even commit.

In Houston, TX and maybe most large U.S. cities the more money you have the better your defense will be. Some people don't really believe that until it happens to them or someone they care about!

So here I am in Amarillo, Texas, miles and miles away from my family doing a minimum of 6 years on the 12 years I signed for. I won't even see the parole board until 2008. It is a long time, but what can I do? My Direct Appeal was rejected. I stay busy reading, writing, drawing, and sleeping. I don't have many friends in here. It's almost impossible for me to make friends in here because most friendships are just game (hussle). That's all some inmates know, how to be cruel!

It's a sad and lonely life, but I pray daily and ask God to help me make it. God is the only one that matters in the end, anyway. As long as God and I know the truth, nothing can come between us. Believe it or not!