Category Archives: Pencils

Hell on Earth

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Except that most descriptions of hell are of a much warmer place than the freezing Durham jail, the writer’s phrase otherwise fits. Sometimes inmates’ disposition might be slightly improved by having access to cleaning products, but in the dual effort of at once making prisoners invisible and infantile, there are few to be had. 

March 3, 2014

Dear Sirs,

I hope you and yours are in the best of health and that the alliance is getting stronger by the day. Your organization is a much needed cause for the community. This jail I am in is a total disgrace the way it is being run. There is no order except “out of order.” Each shift of the c.o.s run their shift with their “own rules,” rules, not as posted. Most are hateful bastards that treat us convicts and inmates as animals. Can’t even have a pen to write with, geez, what the hell. This place is an atrocity and an abomination. Continue reading →

‘They tell us to act like grown men but treat us like kids or animals’

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Dear —-,

How you doing? I’m good. Really can’t complain. You wrote me last month, didn’t mean to take so long to write back. About the books question, no I have not got them. The jail does mess up a lot of people’s mail. They find any way they can control us. Mail is some time all people got to keep hope alive. So they lose or hold our mail to keep us down.  Continue reading →

From a longtime jail resident: ‘Will inmates stand behind their statements?’

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February 12, 2014

Inside-Outside Alliance

P.O. Box 1353

Durham, NC 27701

Re: Introductions, My desire to help, and some info regarding incident I saw

—

I’m not sure 100% sure that is your name. I’m sorry if I’m off. You see, I’ve heard so much about you from Jean-Claude Rinehart (spelling?) when he shared a pod with me, but I’ve never been in direct contact with you.

I’d like to first introduce myself. My name is Raven A. and I have the unlucky distinction of being the current longest continuously incarcerated inmate of Durham County Jail. I have been here since February of 2010. That’s right, four years! Continue reading →

“Until the last beat of my heart”

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Hey Man,

HAPPY NEW YEARS

Heard you guys outside!

…Loved the new newsletter: Feedback was great!

As for me I want my name used from here on out…Fuck em’

They can’t hurt me and I’m not scared of them!! A few others feel the same way. We don’t want to hide behind “pseudonyms” if that’s the right word.

…I will carry on with my lawsuits from prison:

1) pencils (still have not heard from clerk?)

2) PayTel –40% WOW

3) Aramark 26% 10% & 10% Crazy!

Always fighting,

Jean-Claude

P.S.

Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one, armed with the hope that he will rise, even in the end.

–Nelson Mandela

 

I fight, they knock me down, I get up and fight some more, back down I go, slower to rise but rise I will to fight yet again until my last breath until the last beat of my heart. I fight for fairness and justice with my very life. I fight.

Jean-Claude Rinehart, 1/2014

“We know what they think of ‘litigious inmates’…”

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12/28/13

—-,

Got your letter and volume 3 of feedback. Thank you. I still have not heard back from the courts on my civil complaint about the pencils. I sure hope it is just due to the holidays. Since I had no way of making or getting copies I had to send the clerk of court all the originals and ask them to make a copy, assign a docket number, date/time stamp and return to me. As an indigent they (clerk of court) are supposed to do this–make copies–but hey we know what they think of “litigious inmates”…they hold us in disdain.

Hey man, the Jesus Huerta issue is bad, real bad. The Durham Police reflect their leadership. Hence, the chief should resign. Too much B.S. happening on his watch. The P.D. has a whole bunch of bad/dirty cops. Look at my case. The search warrant that was obtained last year was done with an affidavit full of lies!! My case is no where near the level of Huertas though, obviously…

…I’ll let you go.                                               Scared 2 death,

K. D. S.

 

“I wonder how much time I can take from them today?”

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12-18-13

Hey _____,

It’s nice to hear from you. I’m doing good. I have started this little workout group in here. There is six of us in total. I started it in hopes to raise the spirits, mine included. It has seemed to work, in all of us. My court dates have been pushed back, which is whatever. I have not yet got the books from you but this jail is slow. I do like to read, so I thank you for that.

I think protesting on the 31st is an awesome idea. Continue reading →

‘I overturn the ban’

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Dec. 19, 2013

Hey _____,

I’m good, man. Just chillin.

The C.O. don’t do shit to stop fights. If you tell the C.O.s they put you on reclass. And the C.O.s pick on you until you leave. Now if you get in a fight you are guaranteed to get 25-30 days on disciplinary lockback. And the C.O.s still picks on you. Now, the pencil ban is kind of crazy. I overturn the pencil ban by fishing in my vent for a dull pencil, then trade it with the C.O.s (during rec time) and they never know what happen, but now I have a sharp pencil in my room and they don’t even know it.

I barely order commissary, so everyone in the jail just need to stop ordering until they drop the prices. But aint no way with the nasty ass food they feed us, unless we starve ourselves. Which ain’t gone happen…

E.D.

‘Now on to the good stuff…’

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We don’t know if kitchen staff is deliberately putting hair in food or are not taking proper sanitary measures, and we don’t know what role c.o.’s play in this.

Hey _____,

Thank you for the books…

Now on to the good stuff.  Aside from the pencil ban, we have to deal with people in the kitchen leaving hair in the food. This has happened to me personally three times. The first time the C.O. told me to check my food when I get it.  I did not (right away) till I started eating and he told me ‘sorry for the luck, but I don’t work in the kitchen.’ So I am letting you know so you can be our voice. Thanks.

K. F