Letter 72

August 03, 2011

Dear Mom,

Just want to brief you on the latest here. However, before I get carried away with letting you know how I feel about the general deprivation and mistreatment here, how are you? Hopefully not too busy or stressed. It would only make sense, especially regarding those of us with upcoming release dates, to funnel us into more reintegration-oriented programs. Somewhat like mainstreaming in the schools. That is just one of my ideas, and I think many facilities already have that policy enforced. To be more on point, they are not letting me know yet one way or the another about any plans they have for me post close management.

The latest policy I know of, having the Colonel's finger prints all over it, is one that came up against overwhelming opposition from the crowd that can't leave here. The guards have started going into our laundry bags and taking all the t-shirts out. This cannot be good for those who recently arrived or those without a good chance of leaving. I would appreciate it if you could do what you can to reverse this most recent nonsense. It even precludes itself: For the entirety of the 8-4 shift, we are required to be in full dress uniform which includes wearing a t-shirt. How can we be in full uniform when part of it is against policy? Boggles my mind to think of this!

I'm hoping you are able to interpret this, as what I don't let put out there to be read and scrutinized could fill the Library of Congress. This is not a gray area, or one I'm able to infringe on every so often. This is more of a concrete hard near-law that I would be wise to avoid if possible. This is the third version of my letter, as I needed to practice restraint of pen (and tongue.)

All I want is for relative peace to surround me but that seems contrary to all these needlessly punitive/restrictive policies being invoked.

Just received you letter and was very happy to hear from you, as always. I don't have it on hand or I'd respond to several points you made in it. In any event, the day was not all bad today. I saw the guy from the education department and he gave me some work from two out of three classes I asked for. The third isn't allowed as it has a great deal of outdoor activity associated with it. Ah, now I've got it...

J has certainly kept me pacified and on the rare occasions he has gotten excitable I've been able to do the same for him. It is great that it's working out that way, I think.

Okay, to answer some points I've been ruminating about. Some parts I've left out until I talk with J, but the rest speak for themselves. First up, it's not that I'm not interested in learning Spanish so much as how time-limited I am for various reasons having to do with medicine hangovers. The main reason J has not gotten representation for his case in Tallahassee is that there is a rather "iffy" process involved. If his case is overturned they would have to re-examine every one of the Cuban Nationals held in prison in Florida and every case tried by the judge that sentenced him. That is a real nightmare, and evidently one they are unwilling to deal with. More about that further on.

The glasses work great. You don't realize what a huge handicap not being able to see is until you can't see. My vision has been restored to its former acuity, thanks to you. Regarding the closing paragraphs of your letter, one of the things hard/impossible for someone not here to understand is how narrow our focus gets. By locking us in a cell 6' by 14', our world essentially collapses to what we can see.

So now I'll see if J has any input before I close. (The following is a note from J)

Dear Sharon,

I don't mind if you send word to me through James. I know you are a married woman and your decision is the right thing to do.

About hiring an attorney from outside, in this case or any case would be wonderful, but I think that I can make the appeal go through with a little bit of money paid to a paralegal. Hiring an attorney will cost me several thousand dollars I don't have.

Now please listen to this: I'm a man who's sentence was Life or 25 years minimum mandatory, eligible for parole after 25 years. I've already served 29 years on the 25 and this means that my freedom is in the parole commissioner's hands. With a good lawyer, I can seek a conditional relief with the condition I go back to Cuba not to ever return to the U.S. The Cuban government will say okay as long as I'm going back under my own will. The ones the Cuban government rejects are the ones that the U.S. is trying to deport against their will. I would appreciate it if you could explain this to Mauro the next time you speak to him. Please let Mauro know that I have decided to put my appeal on hold until I return to open population (for reasons of time limits in the process and the fact that I am more closely supervised here in close management.) I hope to get approved for transfer to open population next month and then will have full access to the law library and all the other things I need to get it done. Another thing, while I'm ghost writing, is that when I get to the law library I want to look in the legal guide to find the addresses of all the lawyers I can mail requests to for pro-bono work to represent my case to Tallahassee before the parole commissioner. Thank you for helping me, and God bless your heart. Say "Hi" to Mauro.

That was J through me. I got so drained with the constant changing and interpreting all I could do after I wrote that is fall right to sleep. Above reads the first of his revisions in the master plan he's got for getting back to Cuba. I swear I don't know how he carries all that just in his head that way, but then, a lot of things are a bit beyond my scope. The water is off, meaning most likely a thorough "shakedown" is in the works for us. What more can they get, aside from the clothes we wear? I hesitate in asking because I'm sure there is an answer I won't like at all. As of 11:00 am, August 4, 2011, I still haven't learned if they plan to continue my confinement or what they are going to do.

There are interesting morsels of gossip going around here now. Many close management inmates know for a fact that a plan to phase out all the C.M. III inmates is in the works, which would make it silly to extend my confinement beyond six months. Those rumors likely have been distorted out of all proportion to the truth, however, and are unsubstantiated. Well, I can envision an interesting day ahead, might as well get moving. Please read this carefully, as I didn't include all that is happening here. I'll strike again soon.

Much love and regards,

James