What I learned driving with my client today!

Today I drove my client from Nampa, Idaho to Minidoka County Courthouse in the middle of Rupert, Idaho. On our long drive together, I turned off the radio  and actually talked and listened to my client. He was 27 years old, had a girlfriend, and two girls. He has been to prison and in the past 1/2 year he has been my client on a few cases. We have gotten to know each other well, but I wanted to share some of his insights.

What is prison really like?

My first question was...what is prison really like? I thought that would be a good one to ask. He looked at me and said...do you really what to know what it is like? He said "its not too bad" its just "a waste of fuckin time." Interestingly enough I already knew that. He told me that the programming is ment to help you, but also the programming is forced. By forced I mean that many people are told that they aren't participating unless they are betraying their cellmates weekly with information to the guards. He told me that ratting them out is essential to "success" and if you don't you are looked at as uncooperative.

One of the shocking things to me was that he told me that their was an extreme drug problem in prison, so if you wanted to you could always find drugs or a cellphone. That is, if you had the money, you can buy anything. He said a lot of people would just boot leg Play Station games and get high all the time.

Another thing he told me was "pedophiles deserve every thing they get in prison." He told me that Pedophiles are treated horribly in prison, but it is not because of some high moral code among inmates. He says that 1/2 the mistreatment is from gang violence, but the other half is because the government treats them special...they get their extra yard time, sometimes can work, and are able to have nicer segregated facilities. However at lunch and breakfast, the inmates would have to "pay" to be left alone by giving their food to other inmates, simply because they are pedophiles.

Idaho Detention Center, original picture by Idaho Department of Corrections. https://www.idoc.idaho.gov/content/locations/prisons/idaho_state_correctional_institution.

What is a Defendants view of the Justice System? 

The Defendant found the justice system to be a "joke" and constantly expressed that it was "broken" to the point where common people needed to intervene. He felt most plead deal compromises only served to accomplish "some justice" not "true and pure justice."

At first I thought he was only sympathetic to the plight of the accused, and was simply tainted because of his current legal situation. However, at one point he saw a person who did not check into probation for a year and then pleaded to be let go during Xmas to be there for his daughters first b-day/holiday, and then vowed to check into jail the following day. He looked at me and said, "that judge better throw his ass in jail."  

Photo from https://usaherald.com/can-federal-judges-legally-sentence-convicted-criminals-prison/ 

What he thought of the Judge?

One of the things he mentioned was that he thought the Judge was "fair." The Judge enjoyed my client. He appreciated his honesty and thought he was very open. He told me that if all Judges were like that then their wouldn't be a need for people to revolt against the government, because he could tell that the judge took his time and was patient and forgiving but also harsh at times.  

What he thought of the Prosecutor?

The Prosecutor at one point during our Pre-Trial Conference got up and explained why one person got one sentence and another person got another more lenient sentence. My client appreciated that. He told me sometimes he felt that other bigger cities have Prosecutors that go from one case to another so quickly that no one can understand why one person gets one sentence and another person gets another. 

The Prosecutor was more than a teacher. You could tell that the Prosecutor was truly seeking change rather than a conviction. At one point the Prosecutor said that because the client told the truth to the P.O. that he was going to test dirty he would agree that the Defendant not spend Xmas in jail but would report on 1/1/2019 instead. The Defendant mentioned that all prosecutors should be like that and it is when they loose their heart they become corrupt. 

What he thought of the Bailiff?

The Bailiff was huge. He thought he could outrun him, but said "if he caught me, he's going to be breaking some ribs." He told me "he looks cool, hes just doing his job." 

What he thought of the other Defendants?

He thought that the other Defendants were poor. Most of them worked at fast food places, and since he was a business owner, he felt like he was different, which he was, but regardless, he felt like people were equal in the Courthouse, but its nice to afford private counsel rather than the Public Defender.