CountyJail.net

Find Bexar County Jail inmates...

Pre-sentencing

Interview with John, Colby, Nikki, Lea, Hoyllwood, Woody, Pat, Jeremy, Lekisha, Gary, Ricky, Warren and Raquel

JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
John: It was long, slow, and boring. You are mixed in with murders, drunks, everybody.You often get hungry, thirsty, and it just sucks.
Colby: 3 month wait to see a Judicial Court Judge 290th.
Nikki: before you are sent to a cell to spend your time in bexar co. jail, you have to go through a processing that could take up to 24 hours and it is the worst irritating, depressing, and tiring experience. The officers in booking and processing seem to be burned out, some of them are very rude and annoyed by the incoming inmates. I was taken to a little holding cell that said Max. occupancy 8 above the door, but they crammed about 12-16 of us in there. It also had a sign above the door telling us that the holding cells are cleaned every 2 hours, but I was in there for at least 10 hours, and it wasn't cleaned once! there is no toilet paper, you have to ask a guard for some and they only give you a little bit. You might get fed and you might not, depending on the shift and if you are transferred. If you are lucky enough to get fed, it is only a stale sandwhich with what looks like some old slice of turkey which I wasn't sure was even edible... and 2 soggy generic cookies with a kindergarten size carton of orange drink that I finished in 2 swallows. It was so over crowded and stinky in these holding cells, some are very cold and alot of girls are laying on the floor, and some are sleeping next to the toilet because there is no room. we all have to walk over the ones on the floor and we all have ankle cuffs on, except for the girls who are being released.
Lea: I had no pre - sentencing, picked up from my house taken straight to jail for a warrant on vilolating my probation ONCE.
Hoyllwood: I was brought into the dirtiest place I'd ever seen in my life. I was yelled at to take off all jewelry and my shoe laces. Treated like a convict over a misdemeanor, I was thrown around and yelled at my entire stay. The holding cells were cold and dirty. Everyone was mad at everyone else in the cell but the one thing they all had in common was that they were all mad at the police more. I was sat in a room full of women who had tried to kill their boyfriends, women who stole, and many more things. Next to me in the detox tank was a woman that had pee'd on herself and was crying and begging for clean clothes or anything. Across the way was a woman that I was sure didn't like me. She would lift her shirt and press her breasts against the window and give a middle finger to the people in my cell. I tried to curl up in a ball for warmth but nothing helped. When I had to use the restroom I was told that I had to ask for toilet paper. When I did, I was denied. I had to beg one of my cellmates for a piece. minutes began to feel like hours from the get go. Finally when it was time for me to see the majestry, my name was called, so I walked up and as soon and I was close enough to the officer, he grabbed my arm very hard and pulled me out of the cell. I was then shackled to other prisoners and walked to a wierd room where I was to see a judge.
Woody: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Pat: During my wait to be sentenced I was free. I then found out I needed treatment on a cancerous tumor, my doctor wrote judge, lawyer and whom it may concern. He asked if they could please give me more time so he could treat the problem so it did not progress. I faxed lawyer, judge **** ***** who has no heart, feelings, or a conscience, no one responded to my plea to life and not die or get very sick in prison. I have HIV, hep, and my immune system is challenged. I got sentenced to 3yrs tdc for 3dwi. I understand what I have done and I know the law has to be unforced, but if they only knew what I have dealt with, been through the last year and a half I don't think they would sentence the way they do. My family and friends have cried and told me they thought I have suffered enough throughout this ordeal and still am. My doctor told me to choose my life and deal with this later or go to prison and let this problem persist and it could be fatal. So I'm doing what I think is the right but wrong choice, I didn't want to run, but I also do not want to die cause of a dwi and a county run like Mexico and ununderstanding judge who's on a power trip. I am now in Europe trying to be treated but the constant fear of being caught kills me. I just wish they had some compassion to human life. It would be different if Bexar Co had decent health care in jail, guards who were not on a power trip. That's a huge thing! I been to jail in other major cities and not one place had guards like San Antonio, they are a group of immature adults that seem they never left junior high. I did meet one very nice guard, she was fed up with the way her coworkers handled and treated inmates and was ready to quit. She told me stories of such inhuman ways they treat people and get away with it. They need extra training, or hire people at a mature level and not treat everyone as they killed someone in their family. I had asked in Dallas Co why they were so nice in there, cop then said,"we treat you as we would like to be treated if we were in here." that was mature, unlike San Antonio. I know nothing will be done cause of the way the city is run, but it doesn't hurt to try. San Antonio needs to do proper investigations as well, I was bunking with a 17yr old boy who had murdered an innocent girl on the streets of San Antonio and he told me and his cousin befriended me and even told me and authorities till this day don't know. Why is it that San Antonio detectives don't do their work? Same when I was hit in the head with a gun getting in my car in a parking lot, I woke bloody, shoes were gone, wallet phone etc. including my car. Police and detective blamed me and called me if I had info. The sad part, Dallas police called and my car was found the day after I was mugged they found my car, 3 days later detective call me in San Antonio and said he had no new leads and my car wasn't found. I was so upset! I told him out of anger, if he was doing anything he'd know my car was in Dallas, I was in my car already, that Dallas called me somehow, found my number and I got my car and if he'd get his fat lazy San Antonio ass out the taco shop maybe he wouldn't have to pretend to do his job. But what can we do? Nothing will change in San Antonio till one of them decides to grow up and clean house and understand the precious thing called life. There's a reason people complain about the jail in San Antonio being like a jail abroad, cause it is. I know one day I will face my biggest fear again one day, and be in there to do my time, but I chose to live, even if in fear. Maybe one day my judge will find a heart, maybe one day Bexar Co guards will grow up, maybe one day I won't live in fear, maybe one day is like asking, when will San Antonio catch up to the rest of the U.S...
Jeremy: They took me to see a magistrate judge after I got arrested. The magistrate judge read me my charges and then he set my bail amount. Then they took me to the main jail to process me into the Bexar county jail system and wait for somebody to bail me out.
Lekisha: Its a long 3/4 weeks and the worse part is that I never knew when my court date was going to be and my lawyer never would anserw but other then that it was ok its a very long stressful procwss to just turn around and get reset abd go again
Gary: the pre sentencing was a stressful bumpy road for a lil.while it tray took a toll on me. I had a few resets my lawyer was giving me the run around after the fourth reset is when things began to go smoothly.The presentancing s a ve ry stressful part of the process you dknt know wats on the table but once you find out at presentecjn its much easier
Ricky: pre-sentencing consisted of just sitting in jail waiting for court. I was postponed several times while the D.A. office tryed to build a case against me. probation was offered several times, I finally accepted the offer. I was then m.t.r. and sentenced to prison. I went to school to pass the time while awaiting a decision from the courts.
Warren: The worst experience I ever had . I was put in a tiny cell with about fifteen people over the limit. I was treated with no respect. I had been threatens by one of the guards due to needing toilet paper. I had to stay there for over 24 hours. Firstly environment.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning? If not please give us details on how you came to be arrested.
John: No, they never came to question. They just came to pick me up.
Colby: No
Nikki: no, they stopped by to pick me up at 10 am for a warrant
Lea: They stopped by with cuffs to take me to jail, no bond on mtr (motion to revoke) my probation.
Hoyllwood: No. I was at a shopping mall and instead of questioning what happened they arrested me on false charges.
Woody: nope
Jeremy: I was out and about hitting clubs, bars, and strip joints for about eight hours straight. When three am rolled around I was, needless to say, shit-faced drunk. A girl who I had met a few hours earlier called me like around 3 AM inviting me to come over to her place. That's the last thing I remember cause the next thing I remember was waking up still drunk in jail. I later read in the police report that I was driving drunk at 3:30 AM going in the wrong direction on HWY 90 when a cop pull me over.
Lekisha: The 1st time I got arresrlted at walmart and secommnd time yrs at my home I was cauught shiloppliftinfg at walmart and who they went to my home wow it was like a5 hr thing. Getting search warrants and all they tore my room up filor no good reason for it
Gary: yes the police came to my house as cook as I slopened the front door I was in handcuffs they performed a search and trashed the place. I was taken into custody . I had maybrms about 5 police officers at my door it was very enbsrrasing my neighbors were outside watching
Ricky: I was arrested at an ex police officers house while attempting to break and enter the home. he was home and held me down at gunpoint until the cops showed up and arrested me. I was on bond for a theft at the time so I wasnt able to get released.
Warren: No they did not come to house they arrested me for being pulled over for speeding as I left a night club and passed all sobriety tests I think they did not believe I was a designated driver. I do not drink. Over all the police were nicer than the guards though.

JM: What was court like? Please give as many details as you recall.
John: Stressful and short and humiliating. They put me in shackles for a misdemeanor.
Raquel: I went to court about 5-6 times before I was actually sentenced. This is not the norm, just my experience. The holding area is very cold. You just wait for long periods and you get a cold sandwich and either an apple or orange to eat while you wait. Very boring- just like being in jail.
Colby: In my bright orange
Nikki: I waited in a locked room next to the court room for an officer to get me and take me inside the court room, I had on ankle cuffs.
Hoyllwood: Embarrassing. I was cold and shivering and I was the only female in the line-up. All the other guys were making me feel really awkward and you get no chance to explain your situation at all.
Woody: never made it
Pat: Rude women guard on a power trip in the 175th who needs extra training or another job.
Jeremy: Crowded. That's the first thing that comes to mind when I think about court. Crowded and noisy cause everybody that's waiting to go to court is talking about how much time they might get or talking amongts themselves about how they got arrested or how they almost were able to get away.
Lekisha: On my first case the very first time I got time served was never reset the second I ended up bonding out due to getting reset am currently still going to court. Don't jlknow what is going to happen but have gotten reset 3 times already for that case an I'm sure there will be more
Gary: I was woken up at about 5:30 am to get ready for court at about 6 they called mecout out of my pod and off u was when your at the court house they put you inside a holding tank.then when it is time to go into thecl court room they handcuff all the inmates together once you are. in thr court room you will see alot of people from thr free world as well.as police officers and lawyers and das
Ricky: the first time in I was in court it was scary, I didnt know what to expect. everybody tells you different things when your in jail. after getting postponed a couple times it got easier. when I got sentenced, I went before the judge and got scared again because I knew my freedom layed in his hands.
Warren: Court was scary. I had no idea what was going on I thought I was gonna get the book for a Mia understanding the judge seemed as if it was no that big of a deal. It's my life. The prosecutor tried to make it seem worse of a crime than it was.

JM: What were your original charges? What did you end up being convicted of?
Pat: Dwi3 3yrs tdc
Jeremy: My original charge was driving under the influence of alcohol, but I pleaded down and my charge got reduced to public intoxication on a public highway.
Lekisha: Class c misdeamenor theft 50- 500 Credit card debit card abbuse state jail felony
Gary: Possesion of narcotics clss a feloney
Ricky: after all was said and done I was convicted of felony theft $1,500-$20,000 and burglary of a building.
Warren: Possession of weed was the offense and I was charged and found guilty of possession

Read about sentencing in the Bexar County Jail