Paranoia - Part Three

August 8, 2006


Officially it has been 28 days since my sentencing date. If this were a rehabilitation program I would be “graduating”/rejoining society today. Unfortunately as the Judge made perfectly clear this is not a rehabilitation program, this is the consequences of my actions. It would be nice to dream of my release but right now I will settle for the transfer to the next stop.

I was speaking with one of my trustees and asked them how long it typically takes to get sent to State Prison after sentencing. His reply was one to two weeks and he wanted to know how long I have been waiting. I told him almost one month and he looked at me in disbelief. He said, “one month there must be something wrong and I should put in a “kite” (request for information) to classification to see what was going on because it shouldn’t take one month for a transfer. I need to give a little background on “kites” before I go further with this story. Over the past few weeks, rather since the time of my incarceration, there have been some controversies over “kites” to rat out other inmates which obviously cause problems. I have been reluctant to fill out any “kites” for fear of a misperception. I have only filled out one kite which was the kite requesting my special meal and daily vitamin. We all know I was denied but before depositing the “kite” in the mail drop I ensured a trustee knew the information in the “kite” because I showed them the “kite”. I didn’t want to be known as someone who writes many “kites”. I just want to do my time and go home to my family.

Now I received the blessing from the trustee for this “kite” I knew there shouldn’t be any problems. Taking the queue from my previous “kite” which was too long and was not read, I composed a three sentence letter which basically stated, I have been here almost a month and have not been transferred to State Prison when can I expect to be transferred? I wrote the “kite”, had the trustee review it, and dropped it in the mail slot. At a little past 8:00 pm this evening, I received a call over the intercom to come to the front slider. I thought this was the call to fill out the paperwork from my impending departure to State Prison. I was wrong (again) it was not. It was an officer standing out front with a DNA kit. All felonies regardless of violent or non-violent committed by individuals in the State of California must submit to a DNA sample. I was wondering when they were going to administer this because on the day my cell mate was sentenced, he was immediately ask to give a DNA sample. Maybe the “kite” I submitted reminded someone that I was missing the DNA sample but as I approached the officer, he asked me if I were sentenced today. I replied, “No four weeks ago”. I am fairly certain the officer did not read the “kite” by his asking of this question. As I replied to the officer about me being sentenced four weeks ago I asked him when I should expect to be sent to State Prison. He replied in a very unassuring term “either tonight or within one week”. I got the impression he didn’t really know just like everyone else I have asked in the past. The office swabbed the left side of my mouth and I submitted a right thumb print.

That was it and now my DNA is in a huge database stored most likely in Sacramento along with Charles Manson’s and other notorious California felons. After submitting the DNA sample I felt good. No, not because anyone can mention me and Charles Manson in the same sentence but because it was one step closer to being back to my family. As I walked back into my cell I told my cellmate I was happy to submit my DNA sample for that very reason and he completely understood.

My cellmate was sentenced 8 days after me but he has one more court appearance before he is eligible to be transferred to State Prison. He received a two year term and is also very anxious to start his sentence so he can complete it sooner as opposed to later. I thought it would be nice if we were transferred at the same time because at least I would know someone.