by Sam Dodson | May 19, 2009 |
Friday, May 15:
I’ll get back to my comparison of the jailers’ work program to the private market in this post. First I want to update some of you on my health. A couple of weeks ago I finally received commissary which included some drinking containers. As a result I’ve been drinking a lot more water. I was fairly dehydrated before, and as a result my weight went from 160 to 162. I’ve been extremely disheartened by the games and procedural rules the NH courts have been hiding behind. The jail has started calling me by my legal name despite the fact that I have never acknowledged it. Of course not knowing it is the reason they claim to be holding me.
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by Sam Dodson | May 19, 2009 |
Thursday, May 14:
I received more good news from Ivy today. I’m sure it’s been widely reported already, that when faced with responding to Ivy’s Demurs, Rivera, the KPD arresting officer and prosecutor, dropped the disorderly conduct and theft charge (a thinly veiled attempt to shut me up by stealing my camera). Even if I had not been in jail for the last 30+ days, responding to his baseless charges and accusations requires a considerable amount of time and money. That’s of no concern for Rivera, as the government designed and subsequently government subverted “justice” system works to shield bureaucrats, who act improperly or violate their laws, from prosecution or even consequences of their actions.
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by Sam Dodson | May 18, 2009 |
Wednesday, May 13:
Yesterday I wrote about the “MPR,” the group of prisoners who work, and specifically the work release program where some are allowed to leave for outside jobs. While I’m sure all of their rules exist for a reason, government involvement typically results in a never ending series of unintended consequences. Despite the best of intentions, government solutions often end up missing the forest for the trees. The MPR is no exception.
The idea is a simple one. Take prisoners about to be released, and acclimate them to a structured work environment similar to what they may encounter once released. Unfortunately, the punitive authoritarian environment makes this objective impractical if not impossible.
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by Sam Dodson | May 18, 2009 |
Tuesday, May 12:
I was reclassified earlier in the week and sent down to the gymnasium, aptly renamed the MPR because housing prisoners in a gym is considered inhumane. There are 27 metal cots, 4-6 of which are typically empty. There’s one bathroom, no shower, a multi-function workout station, and a door that leads to a fenced-in yard. The door is opened sometime in the morning and closed sometime after dark.
The prisoners here don’t seem to care much about the room. They don’t bother cleaning the tables after eating, trash is often left lying around, and the bathroom 20+ guys use is pretty disgusting. The last group had a sense of community. Here the prisoners are primarily in their 20s, many are self-centered, immature, most hold a very negative outlook, and at least two can’t read. The guards (same people) are much more talkative and friendly down here compared to upstairs. The vast majority of their crimes stem from a drug problem exacerbated by the drug war and punitive government system.
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by Ian | May 15, 2009 |
Listen live at 7pm Eastern as the Motorhome Diaries‘ Jason, Pete, and Adam appear on Free Talk Live to tell the story of their roadside attack and abduction at the hands of the criminal gang of men and women calling themselves the “State of Mississippi”.
UPDATE: Here’s tonight’s archive.
by Ian | May 15, 2009 |
Motorhome Diaries‘ Jason Talley says:
The #MHD crew has been released from Jones County jail. I was pepper sprayed and choked for refusing to give ID.
Sounds like the story is yet another horrific example of government tyranny. How many more of your friends and associates must be abused before you take action? Have you stopped paying federal taxes? Have you joined the Free State Project and moved to New Hampshire? Have you considered moving to where Pete and Jason are planning to move after the diaries are done?
Also, I’d like to thank all the great bloggers who stepped up and covered this story so quickly. I wish our other activist friend Sam could have gotten such a quick rush of attention when he was arrested for recording video in a public court lobby and imprisoned indefinitely without trial for invoking his right to remain silent. Sam has now been in jail over four weeks and is on a hunger strike. Please scroll through FreeKeene.com to read his blogs and get the story, or visit sam.jailedactivist.info and freesamdodson.com for more on his situation.
I will be inviting the MHD 3 on Free Talk Live tonight to tell their story.
