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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Cami, Tombstone, Tonya, Jay, Fred, Alice, Patrick and Strawberry

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Cami: The presentencing process is conducted by a probationary member and is focused on the type of correctional discipline you need according to your prior infractions with the law and your current case. Depending on your own ability to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner.
Tombstone: I didnt go thru the pre-sentencing;I was transferred back from a Federal facility for a civil trial,there
Tonya: Judge gave me time served but court isn't showing any record of judge's decision, but yet they released me. Why are they still showing I have warrent when I served my time out
Jay: Once arrested and booked, I'd have to wait a business day or two to be arraigned. At the arraignment arges or violations and asked to enter a plea. would set a court date, usually a month out el or needed to be appointed counsel. The first court I went to was district court were then I applied for youthful offender they denied me so I waived it to circuit court.
Fred: I sat in jail for 16 months before being sentenced. I wasn't able to get a fast and speedy trial or any information regarding my case. I was locked down for 18 hours a day. We would come out eat our meal and would have to go back in our cells
Alice: pre-sentencing I was in drug court. I was sentenced for two weeks and came back to court to receive my sentencing for 2 months in county and then prison. I sat in the county for two weeks and then 2 months to wait until adoc called for me to come to tutwiler.
Patrick: NOne, they just sentance you , they may have come by and ask some goffy questions like did you finish high school, do you do drugs, but nothing that meant anything to anyone, just goverment works, acting real tuff and like they have to do somehting. I saw no value in it.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Cami: No, I did not have any police officers stop by my house for questioning.
Tombstone: No
Tonya: I was transferred from Blount County Jail to Jefferson County
Jay: Yes I had detectives come to my house but I was never there they always talk to my mom and dad they told them just wanted to ask me a some questions about a robbery I already knew what they wanted though so I went to the other side of town to hide out for awhile but my mom and dad talked me into turning myself in so that's what I did
Fred: I left my house and went to a gas station down the street. I saw the police following me so I pulled in and went inside the store to pay for gas and buy a pack of cigarettes. When I walked out of the store I heard alot of screaming and look around and I was surrounded
Alice: no I was in drug court and altered my urine sample. It was considered a failed drug test and a personal offense to the judge Shante Owens. She immediately sentenced me to jail and rescheduled a court date to make an example of me in front of those pleaing into drug court and sentenced me to 5 years in prison
Patrick: By Court Summons, they just left a notice on my front door and the courts made a big deal about a none violent, none theft none drugs case, it gave them something to do and was a big joke,I thank tehy should have to follow the law or be jailed themself.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Cami: I was the last person left in the courtroom. The judge took a recess before he called my case, so the suspense was very stressful. I was very nervous the entire time, but being the only one left in the courtroom it made the sentencing seem a bit more personal.
Tombstone: Very embarrassing,they take you in leg irons,& jail smocks,handcuffs too,but they take those off before you go into the courtroom
Strawberry: Very nerv racking...i had to wait a long time in lockup to see the judge.
Tonya: its court
Jay: Well it was a pain in the ass like I said earlier I first went to district court then I couldn't afford no attorney so I got appointed one and he wasn't telling me to much of nothing so after I waived it to circuit court I went back and forth to court about four more times my lawyer said he was just trying to buy more time. To get more stuff together until they finally came with a plea bargain
Fred: Scary. It was the longest day of my life. I just sat in the jury box while my lawyer talked to the judge. I wasn't able to speak to the judge for myself or say anything to the district attorney. I just had to sit there and hope my lawyer was working for me
Alice: she waited to try my case last so that everyone who plead into drug court saw that she was serious about tampering with a urine specimen if on drug court and that it is he quickest way to get a prison sentence. i had been accepted into a rehab to be paid for by my family but she shot the offer down with no regard for my famili.e's feelings as she took what I did as a personal slap in the face
Patrick: crowded and they do not obey the written laws, lots of blacks, very few white, it takes forever to call your case and you sit and nothing happens and they do nothing, the whole process is a big scam and I have no respect for anyone that works for the goverment.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Tonya: failure to appear on a traffic violation
Jay: I had four counts of first degree robbery but ended up pleading guilty to one
Fred: Distribution of a controlled substance. Distribution of a controlled substance
Alice: my original charges were a posession charge for an empty bag with methamphetamine residue and I was asked to work for the police as a confidential informant but when I respectfully declined, the police gave me a felony posession charge and I took drug court which I failed and as a result got a 5 year prison sentence. i did 6 months and am out on parole until march 2014 in which will be my end of sentence
Patrick: False indodent and harrasing communications

Read about sentencing in the Jefferson County Jail