Durham utilizes crime, poverty and despair to tear at the infrastructure of America

4-18-16

Hello,

This is Jason L., sorry I haven’t had the chance to write you as often as I would have liked to. I’m trying to work my time away and I am within 24 days of release from this God-forsaken hellhole I have been caged up in for the past 13.5 months! I would like to express my thanks to you and all of the people out there fighting to have voices of men and women trapped here for various insufficient reasons. Also, thank you for posting our letter in this last issue of “feedback.” Continue reading

A conspiracy of the incarcerated

Michael Page (Chairman) states that if any of the claims about the actions and atmosphere of the Durham County Jail were substantiated—he would be totally surprised…

Let me get this straight—so it’s the members of the board of county commissioners’ belief that the numerous complaints coming from the inmates and families of inmates incarcerated in Durham County Jail are false? You mean to tell the public that different inmates of age, color, race and sex, housed in different blocks, on different floors have somehow come together in like mind and conspired to provide false claims against the jail and jailers, when these same inmates can’t even come together to agree on what TV channel to watch? Continue reading

‘Already being treated like a slave’

October 8, 2014

Hello, —-,

I’m very honored to hear from you. My name is S. B. I’m interested in your newsletter and would like to receive some books and any other materials you have to send (pod —) I support Inside-Outside Alliance due to the struggle we go through behind the revolving doors of incarceration. Continue reading

In the land of the free

10-9-13

What’s good with you? Yeah I’m sorry about the last letter, I just want and need these young guys to get it and want them to get it so bad without going through the things that these rich people that own prisons and jails have in store for them. It’s amazing that we are the only country in the world that has more people locked up than anywhere else, but this is the land of the free. Continue reading

Where is the judicial economy in that?

An old addiction got the best of the writer and ensnared him in the law’s web. Despite intense pressure and a bleak future, he won’t give in to the state’s power, and keeps on rebelling.

 Hey man! Great 2 hear from you… I received two letters from you this week. The first had a questionnaire enclosed…Can you send 10-12 of these and I’ll get the guys to fill them out! Also got stamps, it will help me write all these agencies for our attack on PayTel. Aramark commissary is NEXT! One at a time. I can possibly ‘tie’ the pencil rule into the phones like this: Both the cost of phone calls and regulation of pencils hinder our right to due process by impeding our access to courts, contact with legal representation, and chilling our sense of privacy of correspondence by having to write in the dayroom under camera and other prying eyes. No, that won’t work…best to leave the phone issue by itself, right? Of which I ask you to go to WalMart or follow directions from the PayTel website and put a $10 credit on your phone. Why? Because it gives you “standing” in the inevitable lawsuit. You will have been affected by the PRICE GOUGING and UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICE. This goes out to anybody at IOA who have either put PayTel on their phone or bought an inmate a calling card.

Lawyer came Sunday and it’s official. The state’s plea offer is 144-185 months (12-15 ½ years). Total theft and damage of the new charges is under $1,000. So where is the judicial economy in that? My lawyer says drug court is out of the question. The ADA wants me to do active time.

My original charges that I was in here for last year I still have not been to trial on, and the 12-15 ½ years includes those (that I’m not guilty of!) and the pressure from that episode is a major contributor to my relapsing!! They have no compassion. If I do not make bond I will spend the rest of my life in prison, basically.

…For now, I’ll work on the complaint against PayTel.

                                                                                                One love,

                                                                                                K.D.S.

News from “the plantation of today”

After a certain amount of time inside, an inmate might be given the “opportunity” to work in the kitchen or cleaning, not for a wage but for an extra tray of food. Aramark benefits from the use of this “free” labor at almost no cost to them.

Hello,

How are you. I’ve written to let you know what’s been going on in this Plantation of today: Continue reading

It’s the whole system!

As the letter says, the writer got out of Durham jail earlier this month. Sadly, as his dire situation hints might happen, he is back inside.

To whom it may concern!

I’m LY and I’ve been to several Feedback meetings! I’m really concerned also. It’s the whole system outside in Durham, also the Durham County jail. Racial profiling happens. They need to make money to pay for new courthouse. Continue reading

Guilty Until Proven Guilty

Dear ________,

I’m doing okay, just staying strong and keeping my head held high at all times. I been in this county jail for 22 months without a trial date. This system is really messed up. I see you are guilty until proven guilty. That’s really sad us black people don’t have a voice to fight for our freedom. Continue reading

The Shipping and Handling “Gimmick”

Hello,

What’s happening out there? I pray that God has kept you safe and in his care since we last spoke. I’m still holding on as best I can. I was ecstatic when I got Volume 2 of the Feedback issue and read my piece on the front page. That was totally invigorating. Thanks a lot for that. You and your organization are truly a blessing.

I know that you’ve asked for grievances and things of that nature, but everything is done on a kiosk. They’ve gotten rid of “The Paper Trail.” Continue reading