Uncensored 1/30/05

This is my first time contributing to UNCENSORED, so please bare with me.

I have been having problems with TDCJ since I arrived in April 2003. Mostly because of my youthful age. I was 19 when I got here and am now 21, and the fact that I look as if I should be a model for Calvin Klein, not a Death Row inmate.

So some of those with a lower than average I.Q. translate these traits as a weakness.

I am fully aware of what it takes to survive in ‘the system’, as I lived 2 ½ years on the most violent juvenile farm in Texas! So when pushed, I push back. Though I never initiate.,

Well, on September 16, 2004, the court placed an order to seize costs for court on me. This bill had a grand total of $209,292.32. The order state that the prison inmate trust fund was to add up the proceeding six months deposits (03/16/2004-09/16/2004) and charge me 20% of the amount from that time period. Then charge me 10 % of each months deposits until the total bill is paid.

I would like to add that I am the ‘ONLY’ inmate on Death Row with this bill.

Well, the TDCJ inmate trust fund has misunderstood the court order. They have placed the bill on my account as I have to pay 20% of the ‘total’ bill being $40,000+ before they only remove 10%.

So this means I can not go to commissary until I pay forty thousand plus dollars.

Needles to say, it won’t be too soon.

Well, I have been on level I being a passive prisoner. I had a media visit planned from Sweden. I was the only person in my case that refused to talk to the police or testify, and I was the only on that got the death penalty.

Well, this media visit was a chance for me to tell my side of the case and to get help in my appeal. This was a very special visit for me.

When it came time for me to go to the visit, the officer told me that they have ‘direct orders’ not to let me take any paperwork to my media visit. So I was unable to take important legal papers, that prove my innocence, so I could show the world and tell my part.

Now to make matters worse, I was only allowed 20 minutes. Not even the minimum 45 minutes allowed for a media visit.

It was cut short by a prison representative. So my chance to tell my side was blown.

The reason for this happening is because one of my neighbors in a cell next to me killed himself. He was allowed to do so at the incompetence of TDCJ.

So they, by law, are guilty of his death or I might as well call it what it is ‘Murder’.

Well prison official were worried I was talking to the media about this fault of theirs instead of my case. They were paranoid that they would be exposed. So they screwed my chance!

This proved to be too much for me. So today I refused to exit the dayroom, which is where an inmate gets his one hour recreation. It is just a large cage with a table and pull-up bar.

A few minutes later Sgt. Thompson comes to speak with me. I tell him my problems and explain that I will not exit the dayroom.

He leaves and Lt. Griffith arrives to talk to me. I once again repeat my problems and the fact that I will not leave the dayroom.

He than goes to get a five man team to remove me from the dayroom.

After 30 minutes, they, being the team, finally show up.

Sgt. Thompson is armed with a 37mm grenade gun and a can of military grade pepper spray. The grenade guns are supposed to be used in an open environment, such as outside. The dayroom is inside of the Pod.

Thompson then fires the grenade at me! It explodes and gas goes everywhere. It felt as if a propane torch was shoved down my throat with acid thrown I my eyes.

I walk around getting used to the gas, when all of the sudden, I see them getting ready to use the pepper spray.

I then ask them ‘Why the hell you gonna gas me with that shit?’

I then get very pissed off, because I become aware that they are trying to cause me intentional harm.

So I grab a bottle full of water. When Sgt. Thompson sprays me, I throw the water bottle at him. It hit the dayroom bars and exploded.

I started to yell and cuss. I can’t remember what all I said, but I informed them all of their ‘less than man status’.

The gate opened and the 5 man team rushed me.

The floor was slick from pepper spray and baby oil, which I placed to make the team fall down. I can’t run because I will fall, though, only because of the gas as I was standing in the only dry spot. But Sgt. Thompson put a quick end to that.

Well, the first man on the team is like 6’6” and about 300 lbs. I am 6’ even, 184 pounds. Not a good match up. More so, when he has a shield and 4 goons behind him, I decide to play brains over brute and dive for his feet!

He falls, I fall, we all fall! I know from experience that they will start punching me. so I try to get a few blows myself. Keep in mind they have body armor on! So my blows only land on bullet proof vests and helmets. It is purely for psychological reasons that I even fight back.

Then the punches come and one asshole place his hand in the gas on the floor and thought it would be a good idea to rub it in my eyes. He was pressing his fingers in my eyes so hard that I have bruises on my eyelids! I didn’t even think that was possible.

The bruises are mostly on only around my eyes. Though I do have a large bump on the back of my head from a well placed knee.

They then stripped me in the puddle of gas! Meaning my entire frontal was cover in pepper spray. ‘Everywhere!

This was done in front of 14 men in their cells that overlook the dayroom. It was an attempt to dehumanize me and hurt my pride. I am far too secure with myself to allow this to affect me as they wish.

They then place my boxer back on me, place all restraints on me and pick me up.

We then leave and head on down to F-Pod.

Did what I did change my screwed up media visit? No! But that is not the point.

The point is to stand for what I believe in. ‘If a man doesn’t stand for something, he will fall for anything.’ By showing that I will go to an extreme over an even that I was wronged by places in mind that it is not wise to do this again.

I guess I will now just kick it with Mr. Cartwright and see what the future holds.

I thank you for your time in reading this.

I leave as I came.

Very truly yours,
Clinton Young AKA
‘Great Balls of Fire’ ;)

All contributions are most welcome! Thank you!