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Pre-sentencing

Interview with Bee, Anthony and Clarence

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Bee: I was sitting in court fighting my case for exactly a year. I only had a public defender which I think was the most horrible thing. I told everyone that I was tricked into admitting the crime. I told them that if they reviewed the tape they would see that I was only doing my job and that I should be able to beat my case. My public defender told me that no matter what I did I couldn't beat my case. For exactly a year I tried to take my case to trial because I know I didn't do anything but in the end my public defender told me he talked to the state's attorney and if I didn't accept their plea that I surely would be going away for a long long time. About 7 years in prison and then some Fed time.
Anthony: I spent about 3 days in processing waiting to go to classification. then i finally made it to classification and since i wasnt in any gangs and it was my first arrest it went pretty quick. I got put up on the 6th floor with all the gang members i was in there for 8 days before i took a plea deal to be released.
Clarence: There wasn't a pre-sentencing process, I was incarcerated immediately after the court session. The only pre- sentencing process I went through is when you're initially processed in the jail. They go through the normal fingerprint band background process along with asking about any health concerns you have. Also, they check on your mood, to see the type of person you are.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
Bee: I didn't have the police come by. They contacted the C.I.A. and had them come by randomly to question me and try to get information from me that I didn't have.
Anthony: no I was pulled over in antioch, ill i was pulled over for following to closely which i was only a passenger in the car but as we were both young adults they decided to search the car and at first they didnt fnd anything it wasnt till the 6th time searching me that they finnaly found the gram of heroin in my coin pocket and hand cuffed me and arrested me
Clarence: No - I was arrested on a driving offense & went to court for it, after which I went to jail. I was driving on a revoked license and was stopped by a policeman due to speeding. After noticing I was driving illegally, he took me to his small city jail, afterwhich I was taken to court.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
Bee: Every time I went to court I was there a few hours because they were so crowded and my public defender treated me like I was just a number to her. Because she had to help so many people she never got to say anything to me besides "Hi, you're here so hopefully we'll get your case called very soon!" I still always ended up waiting on the other cases. Also I am of mixed race but my darker heritage is more apparent. All the young white boys would get called and they had cases for D.U.I and attempted murder. If they had a financial prevailing family in the community then they were able to go home. Their case was dismissed as long as they gave an apology to the party they offended.
Anthony: court was scary at first this was the first and only time ive have ever been in a real court room ive had a few seat belt tickets but never anything serious i remember being brought into the court room in my county blues and being tottaly ashamed to be seen by my parents like that i went to court a few times before the state finnaly came to me with there offer for me to plead guilty to possesion to the gram of heroin and they would drop the possesion of the 2 oxy contins and the possesion of parephenalia and would give me 2 years 410 probation and 6 months of house arrest
Clarence: Initial thought were - Scary; fear of the unknown (even though you have an attorney, you are still more or less on your own); Intimidated by the system; Embarrassed. The court is filled with people and you have to wait quite a while until your case is called, so waiting is a big thing.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Anthony: I was orriginally charged with possesion of 1 gram of heroin, possesion of 2 oxy contin possesion of parephenalia and i was convicted of the gram of heroin
Clarence: Driving on a revoked license.

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