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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Nick and Phillip

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Nick: upon entry into the facility you go through the intake process whether you are sentenced or not. pre-sintenced inmates recieve an orange jump suit, towel, sheets, blanket and pillow case. you also get a jacket in the winter. everyone also receives a jail handbook and you sign for your belongings and do a medical interview. then you are sent to one of several blocks which house pre-trial inmates.
Phillip: Not sure what you mean. In jail they kept pretrial prisoners separate, we wore bright orange jump suits as opposed to khaki colored that sentenced wore. my last time in they allowed pretrial prisoners to go to Lawrence which is a pre release / minimum security place where you where you own clothes. The biggest difference is that there are little or no services for pretrial prisoners. Even getting in touch with your lawyer is difficult. You don't have case workers assigned to you so it is impossible to a access any services.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Nick: the police did not stop by i was pulled over shortly after committing a larceny of some scrap metal. a witness arrived to identify the metal in my truck as having come from a dumpster on his property. i was then taken into custody along with my friend and bailed out later that night.
Phillip: I was arrested at my home after n altercation at a bar. The state police came to my house a few hours later and arrested me. The odd thing was something like this would usually cause a summons to be issued not 4 state police to come to my residence .

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Nick: court is a long and drawn out process. the first time you show up to be arraigned and then it gets continued for several more times usually a month at a time until the case is resolved. in my case my co-defendant and i returned for 6 months until we finally struck a deal agreeing to serve one year each and i was taken back into custody.
Phillip: Court was difficult. My lawyer was ineffective I felt like there was nothing he could or would do for me ( he was court appointed) . I should point out the altercation I ws arrested for was with a relative of a judge from the same county I was being tried in. Every other judge knew about it as did the district attorneys. No one was willing to do anything that would anger anyone. I got 15 months for a fight that's should have recived probation

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Nick: i was charged with one count of possession of burglar's tools and one count of larceny over. i was convicted of one count of larceny over.
Phillip: Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for which I was convicted

Read about sentencing in the Essex CCF