So far on this journey you’ve heard brief information on some of my personal life. Maybe you’ve realized something you hadn’t thought of, or even done some research, learning something new, etc. Simply put, I have reason to believe my autism and other disorders were used against me during my legal case and eventual conviction. I also have reason to believe that illegal actions were taken by the police and possibly others, violating multiple constitutional rights I now know slightly more about. But the legal jargon can be quite confusing. These activities and other defensive support didn’t seem as if they were ever brought up in court. As far as I could tell, given my recollection, these topics weren’t stated. It doesn’t help with having a judge openly disrespect for you. Where is the non-biasness judges out here are supposed to have?
During the legal process, I had a sneaking suspicion that the police, prosecutor, judge, and my male public defender at the time were in cahoots with each other seeing easy prey, money, and good reputation on their records. I went to see a psychologist — due to my individuals, by now, advising I should to understand myself — given I started to think maybe something may be wrong or different about me; having hopes to, in a sense, fix myself, etc. That was when I found out my multiple diagnoses, which was around five months before my arrest. I was around twenty-four at the time, having no clue how impacted I really was. But learning I had them and a few details, my life started to make a slightly more sense.
During the whole process, I felt as if I was compelled to plead to stuff I didn’t do, out of how much time I was looking at and personal reasons. The process of getting convicted surely likes to starve out people, manipulate one into false comfort, treat one inhumanely more until you cave in, or even if you don’t, they give you more time. Plus, who would believe or care about someone who was advised to plead, as far as is understood, guilty, by his public defender to the charges they faced? Who would believe that the police committed illegal acts as well as possibly disappearing evidence, forging material, etc.; given they had my property, which had been taken under duress of possible life-threatening circumstances from an FBI agent and kept for months? Anyway, anything could happen in that time with my property.
I’m not trying to defame the police. This is my viewpoint of what happened and how I believe it happened, and may now be able to prove illicit acts with the reference of Bonnie Burkhardt’s book, Manufacturing Criminals: Fourth Amendment Decay in the Electronic Age. It was quite eye-opening and activities police use – illegal ones – in it, have many similar aspects to my case. Unfortunately, I’m not savvy with the legal law stuff and plan to approach legal action in regards to my incarceration after release based on my understanding of statutes of limitations and such.
Keep in mind, I also plead so I had a chance of seeing my family and friends and getting out, rather than dying in prison due to stacked charges, which is illegal in other states and I think it’s called entrapment. They say misery loves company, and I’ve met a lot of people in life, especially in Virginia, that seem to want to cause and/or watch others suffer. This can spread to others, family, friends, or strangers, and continue all over generations.
This is my first time getting in trouble. No one is perfect. Where is the humanity? Where’s the rehabilitation? Where’s the justice? Think for a minute. People say justice, but whose is it? What does it entail? Will your family and friends be the next who fall for the enjoyment of others? Will they be scapegoats or other? I hope you pay attention to those in power and or authority and are careful out there. Hopefully, you are willing to act against the corruption, oppression, tyranny and such that seems to plague the nation from even before it was born. If you stay silent or speak or even speak out without action, things will not change for the better, and maybe someone close to you down the line or not will fall victim. That’s all.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
