#3204H-001 Bunk 41
Kenosha County Jail
March 28, 2004:
After finishing my job Thursday, I drove through half the
night, slept in my van the other half and arrived in the courtroom at
10:00 a.m. I had fears of what was going to happen next. I tried to calm
my fears by reasoning with what I thought were facts. I understood that
if I had not made a payment of support for 90 days, I would have violated
the laws and therefore be guilty.
But in reality I already paid about $18,000.00 in
less than two years and yet in the court I was notified I was over $11,000.00
behind. Read the SCREWED KENOSHA STYLE article for more information on
these figures. In September judge Mary K. Wagner told me by the December
court day I had three choices. I was either supposed to be current on
child support (which was impossible) or have a different job or have
proof of 10 job applications for every week until then.
I had complied to her rules. I shut the faltering business
down. Let the equipment go for the amount owed on it and stared looking
for a job. It amazes me to see what is out in the job scene for an untrained
High School Graduate. I saw over 95% of all jobs that I could have a
chance at were for $10.00 an hour or less! Anything over that is rare
and usually filled or I was under qualified. I got myself an $8.75/hr.
meat cutting job. I immediately applied for a court hearing to adjust
my child support. Mary Wagner denied everything.
I was in a trap. I was supposed to pay about $250 a week,
but I was only making $300 a week. I did my best by paying about $50-$60
weekly. In January Wagner told me to get a different job. Where can an
untrained labor type of person get a $40,000/year job? That was my task!
I couldn't. According to the laws of Wisconsin I was legal, but
according to judge Wagner I was a criminal. Does Kenosha have a judge
or a god that makes her own rules?
Within 10 minutes judge Mary K. Wagner said my $60 a week
attempt didn't qualify and sentenced me to six month in the Kenosha jail.
I asked if I could have a couple hours to get my van off the street and
take it to the bank that owns it. She allowed it. I took it to the bank's
impound lot.
I am amused at some of the irony following. I got the sentence
of six months. I could have run, but I voluntarily walked into admittance!
Arrests the police have a standard procedure, but when somebody willfully
walks in and request to be put in jail causes a confusion. I waited in
the lobby while they tried figuring out what is going on. After half
an hour I finally get my police taxi to take me around the block to the
other side of the same building and still no handcuffs. From that time
on the irony begins. Handcuffed to every destination; from finger printing
to signing forms or even using the phone. You get cuffed. Ironic that
I was free, but walk in willfully hold out my hands for the cuffs...
so I won't escape!
At first I was in the holding pen. That is a room mostly
concrete and cold about 10 x 12 with a stainless steel toilet and drinking
fountain, out in the open. You can sit on the toilet and watch both men
and women officers and inmates walk by through the window in the door.
I watched a young boy get beaten into submission. He was
either high or drunk and thinking he was though. I admired how the police
used the right techniques and force to break him down. I watched that
17 year old fight back, arrogant in his toughness. After his sub doing
and the door slammed shut isolating him in his own room, he slams against
the window with profanities and gestures. What a transformation though
within a half hour, he went from a fighter to begging officers to explain
why he's here, then to denial that he is not a bad kid (he played in
sports) to busting down and crying at the window.
It amazes me how human nature is, that we all are innocent.
I'm not a bad person. I never stole anything. If I did, then well I never
robbed a bank or I never killed anybody or if I did, well at least I
am not a mass murderer. At the judgment what will it be? God I went
to church. I never killed anybody. I'm not a bad person. I once helped
somebody, etc.
Then I consider, am I doing the same thing? I got all the
debts and lots of them. I couldn't find a higher paying job. I couldn't
work two full time jobs and never see my two boys. I couldn't support
them and myself and pay $250/week. Am I stating facts or am I pleading
"I am not a bad kid, I played sports."
After a few hours I walk in handcuffs to my new home. The
main room is about 50 x 60 feet with about 50 bunks. On one end of the
room are two doors leading into a small lunch room and the other to a
bathroom. The bathroom has several sinks, urinals, showers with insufficient
curtains and two toilets sitting out in the open. There is a system to
hang 10 pleats of toilet paper over the hinge of the entrance door before
you use the toilet. Most of the time the inmates respect each other that
way and don't enter. I really appreciate that.
The dining room has eight stainless steel tables with stools
anchored to the floor. There is a box with books and games in one corner.
I tried reading one book. About the time you get interested in the book
you realize the next two chapters are missing. In other parts of the
book more pages are missing. The games appeared to be the same, incomplete.
If I could only regresses to a child I would be in my glory!
I go back to my bunk. When a new inmate arrives they get
a spot on the floor. After someone leaves they get assigned a bunk. I
have a top bunk now and I am bunk #41.
The inmates are segregated to the male gender of the human
race. Sometimes I miss snuggling up with the cows and the calves, like
I used to. The human creature is a lot more cruel. Dogs will never laugh
at you because of your difference in the distinction of character & looks.
Animals are kind in comparison to humans.
Who are these people that I am locked up with? First of
all I don't have much in common with anyone yet. I think somebody stole
or was involved with a robbery. But most of them are drug or alcohol
related.
How can I relate to them? I have always despised drugs.
I only seen weed maybe a half dozen times in my life and I think cocaine
once. I never used it or even touched it, but my ex-wife had smoked some.
But she has the children and I am the one in jail. I never have been
drunk and maybe drank one gallon of alcohol in my life, totally. I never
had a hangover, I don't know what it's like to throw up and have
a pounding headache, but my ex does. But she has the children and I am
in jail. The worst thing about being locked up this particular weekend
is that I haven't seen my children for a month and my one time a month
was the day of the court (Friday noon) until Saturday night. Instead
of enjoying the highlight of the month I spent it locked up.
Listening to the stories of how drunk they were, how much
everyone could drink, of all the different kinds of vegetation that people
put in their body to get a distorted feeling in their brain or how many
pounds or tons someone grew, is completely foreign to me. Hearing people
talking about things that they will do when they "get out" is strange
to me. Why go right back to the things that got you here?
The inmates are bored with too much unused energy. There
are no gyms. They walk round and around the room for exercise. There
is no music. TV is available and set to whatever the officer put it at.
There is talking, yelling and screaming all day long and into the sleep
time. I am glad that I can sleep through a thunder storm without waking
up. Jail would be the pits if I couldn't. There are several just-about-fights.
Nobody wants to take the first swing because of the threat of the "hole."
I understand the "hole" is a solitary confinement room.
It might be 6 x 6 foot room with a bed and a toilet and very bright lights
for 24 hours a day. Except for the bright lights that almost sounds attractive.
Solitary has never been a problem for me. If I had to choose to be put
on a deserted island or on a high-rise in New York for a year. The choice
would be easy. I love my children, my family, and friends, but there
are a lot of people that seem to enjoy hurting others. Some misinterpret
what you said and relate it to others in a false way to cause divisions.
There are a lot of rules in jail. There is a time to getup
and a time to go to bed. During the day the bed has to be made in a military
fashion and can't use the blanket in the daytime even if you are cold.
There are a lot of rules. However there are 24 hours to sit and think
and sleep about all these rules. Time just ticking by waiting to be released
wouldn't be so painful if a person could get the attitude to not care
about all the outside commitments. Thinking about the people you borrowed
money from (both business and personal) is agony knowing you can't do
a thing about it and actually falling further behind. The interest doesn't
stop.
I just amuse myself at what I need to do when I get out.
When I get out I will walk the streets carrying a sign advertising my
website. I will only change my course if there is a drastic change in
the settlement agreements, child support, placement and jail release.
In final thought I don't think this place is very nice
comparing to home or Best Western or the Radisson, but it is too nice
for a criminal. You sleep on a 3 inch mattress and not concrete. They
offer a lot of good food. It is not a concentration camp. It is a very
nice place compared to that.