Monday, March 16
Today, Clayton was as upbeat as his family had ever seen him through the video screen.
"It looks like you took a shower this morning," his wife commented on his incredibly curly hair.
"Oh it's so much better than that!" he replied with a grin, "This has got to be the best morning I've ever had in here!"
Clayton explained to his family the world of difference that the tiny commissary items made for him after arriving yesterday. This morning he got to test out the dandruff shampoo that had arrived. Until now, he only had the single assigned small bar of soap to use to wash his entire body and hair every day; which left him with a continual dry skin problem. Now, he finally had real shampoo to wash his hair with, and the difference was visible. He also explained that the ability to use the strange prison floss and real Crest toothpaste in the morning was an inspiring experience. He felt clean in a way he hadn't managed since he was remanded more than a month ago. He was also thinking that now he might be able to work out again without the fear of being 'the smelly guy.'
Even better, Clayton was able to get a full night's rest for the first time in more than a month. The green, shaped ear plugs that arrived in yesterday's delivery worked wonderfully. Clayton was finally able to block out the all-night screams and shouts, and sleep through the night without interruption. Clayton reminded his family of the stories he had told them about the late night ruckus. He also added a new one. A few nights ago, he said that the entire segregation mod had kept themselves awake all night making animal noises. Some of them were belting out amazing Alaskan bird calls, while others were growling, howling, or screeching.
"It was like being stuck in a jungle all night," he explained.
Writing Letters to Family and Friends
Clayton informed his family that he had continued writing return letters to friends and family. He was able to respond to individuals who had mailed him, because he gets a photo copy of the front of the envelope along with the photo copies of the contents. This allowed him to see everyone's return mailing addresses. He was still waiting for mail to arrive with addresses for other individuals he wanted to write to.
So far, he had used 11 of the 20 stamps he received yesterday, even with doubling-up letters in some envelopes. He had sent out 4 of the letters for mail pick-up already, and still had a few to finish putting together. Then he explained that he had a few more responses left to write. He agreed with family that, with the limit on purchasing 20 stamps at a time, he would need to purchase stamps every week and use them judiciously to keep in contact with as many people as he could manage. Even then, his communications will be limited.
Clayton also asked his family to relay a request on his blog. "If anyone who receives a letter from me is interested in sharing the content in it, please send a copy of the letter to my wife and she can post it on the blog as well," he said. He said he had explained some additional things about life in the prison in his letter responses, and that some of that information would also be good to share in a forum like the blog.
Offer for K Mod
Clayton then informed his visitors that he had a surprise visit from a guard this morning, with an offer to be moved into the K Mod. Clayton's family was shocked to hear that he had turned the offer down. He then explained that the offer was to be moved into the K Mod into a room with 2 other inmates. He would not be assigned his own bunk, but would have a mattress on the floor which the prisons call 'boats.' It is a mattress that takes up the only available walking space in the room.
"I thought about it seriously," he explained to his wife, "I've been the guy on the floor before. Any time someone uses the sink they're dipping water on your bed. You don't have a shelf for your stuff built in like the other guys do. You don't have any real area as your personal space."
He explained that in his prior experience at MSPT being on the boats had been miserable. He had asked the guard if there was any real chance of getting a bunk space in the K Mod. The guard explained that it sometimes happened when a lot of guys got moved out at once, but that it could be months before that happened.
"They said if I am patient, it will happen eventually," he relayed. "I am okay where I am right now. I am safe, and I have the basics. If I am patient, I think it will be worth it to have a bunk."
Asking the Lord for His Purpose
Clayton also spoke with the family and friend about how he was looking at his imprisonment spiritually. He talked about the many stories he had read in the bible of people being imprisoned unjustly, and said he had come to a strong conclusion.
"God specifically allows bad things to happen to people," he explained, "but He uses it for good. I am asking the Lord to use me, and to help me understand what the point is for me being in here. Who can I help? If I am in here, I want it to be worth something."
Even though he had been convicted falsely, Clayton believes with all his heart that it was something the Lord had allowed to happen. He was a person with a history of mentoring, tutoring and supporting others. He knew how to help those in need without judgement. He feels closer to the Lord than he has in years, because he has so much of his day to focus on prayer and study.
"Maybe God just needed a guy like me in here," he said with a sigh. "I'm just asking the Lord for mercy and guidance now. I want to help who I can, but I also want to be able to retire eventually."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Clayton was transferred into K Mod much later, on April 10, 2015.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Sunday, March 15, 2015
March 15 - First Commissary Received
Sunday, March 15
To say that Clayton was excited at his visit would have been an extreme understatement. He had received his first commissary order earlier in the day, and told his wife that he had spent the entire afternoon writing letters. He already had 7 letters to respond to, not taking into account people who had already written him more than once. He was determined to get these responses out as quickly as possible.
Last night he had also received a response to the OTA form he'd submitted, requesting that postage be approved to mail postage-printed envelopes that had been ordered for him - but he could not receive - to his wife. He said it had been approved, and the postage had cost $5. Ironically, his wife reported that she had received the envelopes themselves in the mail the same night, so the response to Clayton had been significantly delayed.
Review of Commissary Items
In this commissary order, Clayton had purchased all of the varieties of paper available. He highly recommended the lined notebook; explaining that it was the superior option. He had ordered a legal pad as well, but disliked the yellow pages and explained that the sheets did not tear out easily for letter-writing. Clayton was also surprised to discover that the envelopes he had ordered were 'standard' sized and therefore, extremely small. He recommended buying the longer envelopes instead, unless you want to fold each letter several times to fit. He joked that it was an experiment in origami.
Clayton's commissary delivery also included a small photo album. He wasn't sure what to expect when he'd ordered it, and was now pleasantly surprised. The photo album has room for 36 photos up to 4" X 6", and Clayton currently only had 14 to put inside. The number it could hold was important, because prison policy seemed to indicate that inmates could only have 25 loose photos in their possession, without them being organized into an album. Clayton noted, however, that the album was fairly flimsy and the plastic sleeves could be torn easily when placing photos inside; therefore, it would be helpful for the photos to be trimmed slightly to fit easier.
Clayton received some basic hygiene supplies as well. He said he had been entirely too hopeful when ordering the anti-shank toothbrush from the list, because he simply got another 2" flimsy piece of plastic like the one he already had. He didn't recommend bothering to order one unless you truly needed a replacement. The mint floss was interesting, because it came in the form of tiny mint-flavored, single-use rubber bands. Lastly, Clayton had received: lotion for the snake-like peeling of his skin due to the harsh soap in the prison; dandruff shampoo which he had waited to buy, expecting the standard shampoo from his rejected order to arrive first; some chap stick; and 2 varieties of ear plugs. He was eager to test out the new items the next day.
Jones' Thoughts on Programs
Jones had spent the day talking to Clayton about his opinion of various programs for prisoners in Alaska. He said that the RSAT and LSAT programs he had mentioned to Clayton earlier were run by an organization called Akeela.
Jones also discussed several halfway houses around the state. In his opinion, the best house was called Glenwood and was located in Anchorage. He said that the rules at that location were much stricter, but this meant that overall you were likely to encounter less problems with other individuals housed there. He explained that in his experience, the halfway houses frequently had a higher concentration of drugs and alcohol than you would ever normally find on the street.
Jones also explained to Clayton that the best plan was usually to try and get into any programs you could immediately after sentencing. He said that many times there are waiting lists, and that funding for programs is frequently not assured; so, programs may disappear at any point. If you have not already gotten in, you would have missed your opportunity. Some of the programs in Alaska were not even originally from in state, but were instead brought to Alaska with prisoners who were returning from out of state, to provide the option for them to complete programs they were already enrolled in.
Clayton also asked Jones his opinion on issues upcoming for him in sentencing. Jones agreed that a high volume of letters of support to the court on Clayton's behalf would be important to the judge. It shows community support for the individual, and should be considered during sentencing. Additionally, he confirmed for Clayton that his security rating could potentially be changed due to his sentence. Clayton was currently rated for a medium security facility - like GCCC or Palmer Correctional - but there was a slight possibility that after sentencing the judge could affect his security rating and cause him to be sent to a maximum security facility - Seward. There would be no way to know the likelihood of this in advance of sentencing.
Jones emphasized again that Seward was actually his favorite facility. He explained that the facility had a lot more amenities built in for individuals facing long-term and life-time sentences. He told Clayton that the main meal area was very large, and that it reminded him of a marketplace in a third world country; with multiple people standing around and haggling for trades of food and commissary items each day. Clayton had seen the same haggling play out at MSPT on a much smaller scale, and said it was easy to imagine.
In wrapping up his visit with family, Clayton said that he was currently spending a lot of time in prayer. He was reading his Our Daily Bread devotional, reading his bible, and had gotten a hold of a small prayer journal to record his thoughts. He was having a lot more trouble with the other inmates when moving back and forth to his cell, but the tone of the harassment had changed to seem extremely sexual in nature. Clayton didn't have to truly interact with anyone other than his cell mate, so he planned to just continue to ignore them until they tired of the game. Meanwhile, he would still look forward to his daily visits.
To say that Clayton was excited at his visit would have been an extreme understatement. He had received his first commissary order earlier in the day, and told his wife that he had spent the entire afternoon writing letters. He already had 7 letters to respond to, not taking into account people who had already written him more than once. He was determined to get these responses out as quickly as possible.
Last night he had also received a response to the OTA form he'd submitted, requesting that postage be approved to mail postage-printed envelopes that had been ordered for him - but he could not receive - to his wife. He said it had been approved, and the postage had cost $5. Ironically, his wife reported that she had received the envelopes themselves in the mail the same night, so the response to Clayton had been significantly delayed.
Review of Commissary Items
In this commissary order, Clayton had purchased all of the varieties of paper available. He highly recommended the lined notebook; explaining that it was the superior option. He had ordered a legal pad as well, but disliked the yellow pages and explained that the sheets did not tear out easily for letter-writing. Clayton was also surprised to discover that the envelopes he had ordered were 'standard' sized and therefore, extremely small. He recommended buying the longer envelopes instead, unless you want to fold each letter several times to fit. He joked that it was an experiment in origami.
Clayton's commissary delivery also included a small photo album. He wasn't sure what to expect when he'd ordered it, and was now pleasantly surprised. The photo album has room for 36 photos up to 4" X 6", and Clayton currently only had 14 to put inside. The number it could hold was important, because prison policy seemed to indicate that inmates could only have 25 loose photos in their possession, without them being organized into an album. Clayton noted, however, that the album was fairly flimsy and the plastic sleeves could be torn easily when placing photos inside; therefore, it would be helpful for the photos to be trimmed slightly to fit easier.
Clayton received some basic hygiene supplies as well. He said he had been entirely too hopeful when ordering the anti-shank toothbrush from the list, because he simply got another 2" flimsy piece of plastic like the one he already had. He didn't recommend bothering to order one unless you truly needed a replacement. The mint floss was interesting, because it came in the form of tiny mint-flavored, single-use rubber bands. Lastly, Clayton had received: lotion for the snake-like peeling of his skin due to the harsh soap in the prison; dandruff shampoo which he had waited to buy, expecting the standard shampoo from his rejected order to arrive first; some chap stick; and 2 varieties of ear plugs. He was eager to test out the new items the next day.
Jones' Thoughts on Programs
Jones had spent the day talking to Clayton about his opinion of various programs for prisoners in Alaska. He said that the RSAT and LSAT programs he had mentioned to Clayton earlier were run by an organization called Akeela.
Jones also discussed several halfway houses around the state. In his opinion, the best house was called Glenwood and was located in Anchorage. He said that the rules at that location were much stricter, but this meant that overall you were likely to encounter less problems with other individuals housed there. He explained that in his experience, the halfway houses frequently had a higher concentration of drugs and alcohol than you would ever normally find on the street.
Jones also explained to Clayton that the best plan was usually to try and get into any programs you could immediately after sentencing. He said that many times there are waiting lists, and that funding for programs is frequently not assured; so, programs may disappear at any point. If you have not already gotten in, you would have missed your opportunity. Some of the programs in Alaska were not even originally from in state, but were instead brought to Alaska with prisoners who were returning from out of state, to provide the option for them to complete programs they were already enrolled in.
Clayton also asked Jones his opinion on issues upcoming for him in sentencing. Jones agreed that a high volume of letters of support to the court on Clayton's behalf would be important to the judge. It shows community support for the individual, and should be considered during sentencing. Additionally, he confirmed for Clayton that his security rating could potentially be changed due to his sentence. Clayton was currently rated for a medium security facility - like GCCC or Palmer Correctional - but there was a slight possibility that after sentencing the judge could affect his security rating and cause him to be sent to a maximum security facility - Seward. There would be no way to know the likelihood of this in advance of sentencing.
Jones emphasized again that Seward was actually his favorite facility. He explained that the facility had a lot more amenities built in for individuals facing long-term and life-time sentences. He told Clayton that the main meal area was very large, and that it reminded him of a marketplace in a third world country; with multiple people standing around and haggling for trades of food and commissary items each day. Clayton had seen the same haggling play out at MSPT on a much smaller scale, and said it was easy to imagine.
In wrapping up his visit with family, Clayton said that he was currently spending a lot of time in prayer. He was reading his Our Daily Bread devotional, reading his bible, and had gotten a hold of a small prayer journal to record his thoughts. He was having a lot more trouble with the other inmates when moving back and forth to his cell, but the tone of the harassment had changed to seem extremely sexual in nature. Clayton didn't have to truly interact with anyone other than his cell mate, so he planned to just continue to ignore them until they tired of the game. Meanwhile, he would still look forward to his daily visits.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
March 14 - Bleeding Heart
Saturday, March 14
Clayton was very cheery today when meeting with his family and a friend for his daily visit. He'd received a letter from a friend the night before, and reading the letter had caused him to laugh so hard he nearly cried. He was also excited to report that the older man who he had feared died in the medivac emergency on March 5th didn't actually die, and was instead back in segregation.
Also contributing to Clayton's good humor, was the fact that tomorrow was commissary day. Due to an error on his account made by prison staff, this would be the first time that Clayton received any of his commissary orders since he was first remanded a month ago. He was looking forward to receiving paper, envelopes, stamps and other supplies necessary for writing return letters to friends and family. He planned to begin writing immediately.
Meanwhile, Clayton delivered his wife a message from Jones. “He says, Keep fighting! Way to go!” Clayton said. Jones apparently felt it was amazing to see someone's wife stand beside them, and attempt to battle a wrongful conviction from the outside.
Story From Seward
Jones had told Clayton a story today, however, which had saddened him and Clayton wondered how much truth there may be to it - but realized he would likely never know. Jones told him that once, while he had been serving time in the hole (isolation) in Seward, he'd learned his lesson to never do anything stupid enough to end up in long-term trouble with the prison staff. You could end up stuck with it for a very long time, and end up very miserable.
According to Jones, while sitting in his cell he could hear another man in isolation talking for days. The man sounded as if he were talking to his wife, but was instead talking to the walls around him. At some point many days later, the man attempted suicide. He had done so by stopping up the edges of his cell with towels and linens, and attempted to flood the room enough to drown using his own toilet and sink. The attempt was unsuccessful, but according to Jones the guards had chosen to leave the man to stand in the water for several days as punishment. He explained that he had been able to see the water come rushing out all over the floor when they finally opened it up to retrieve the man. He said the man never attempted to flood his cell again.
Bleeding Heart
Clayton explained that he still received all kinds of verbal abuse from the other inmates when being escorted to and from his cell for visits and showers each day, but that it was relatively easy to ignore. He also said it seemed obvious that the guards and prison staff were not used to dealing with an attitude like Clayton's.
"I'm a bleeding heart," he explained, "[The guards] in here are always telling me not to feel bad for these guys, but they're just so... sad."
Clayton's wife smiled as she remembered Clayton's own lawyers expressing their exasperation at him as he was commenting about how he felt so bad for the prosecutor on his own case; because of the kinds of lies the man was spewing out upon the jury during trial and his own foolish beliefs.
Clayton's guards also seemed to find Clayton's interactions with family odd, and had more recently been commenting to him about their surprise at how often he received visitors.
Also contributing to Clayton's good humor, was the fact that tomorrow was commissary day. Due to an error on his account made by prison staff, this would be the first time that Clayton received any of his commissary orders since he was first remanded a month ago. He was looking forward to receiving paper, envelopes, stamps and other supplies necessary for writing return letters to friends and family. He planned to begin writing immediately.
Meanwhile, Clayton delivered his wife a message from Jones. “He says, Keep fighting! Way to go!” Clayton said. Jones apparently felt it was amazing to see someone's wife stand beside them, and attempt to battle a wrongful conviction from the outside.
Story From Seward
Jones had told Clayton a story today, however, which had saddened him and Clayton wondered how much truth there may be to it - but realized he would likely never know. Jones told him that once, while he had been serving time in the hole (isolation) in Seward, he'd learned his lesson to never do anything stupid enough to end up in long-term trouble with the prison staff. You could end up stuck with it for a very long time, and end up very miserable.
According to Jones, while sitting in his cell he could hear another man in isolation talking for days. The man sounded as if he were talking to his wife, but was instead talking to the walls around him. At some point many days later, the man attempted suicide. He had done so by stopping up the edges of his cell with towels and linens, and attempted to flood the room enough to drown using his own toilet and sink. The attempt was unsuccessful, but according to Jones the guards had chosen to leave the man to stand in the water for several days as punishment. He explained that he had been able to see the water come rushing out all over the floor when they finally opened it up to retrieve the man. He said the man never attempted to flood his cell again.
Bleeding Heart
Clayton explained that he still received all kinds of verbal abuse from the other inmates when being escorted to and from his cell for visits and showers each day, but that it was relatively easy to ignore. He also said it seemed obvious that the guards and prison staff were not used to dealing with an attitude like Clayton's.
"I'm a bleeding heart," he explained, "[The guards] in here are always telling me not to feel bad for these guys, but they're just so... sad."
Clayton's wife smiled as she remembered Clayton's own lawyers expressing their exasperation at him as he was commenting about how he felt so bad for the prosecutor on his own case; because of the kinds of lies the man was spewing out upon the jury during trial and his own foolish beliefs.
Clayton's guards also seemed to find Clayton's interactions with family odd, and had more recently been commenting to him about their surprise at how often he received visitors.
In wrapping up their conversation, Clayton told his wife that he had three new verses he recommended that friends and family read: Psalms 102:18-28, Psalms 103:1-22, and Matthew 25:31-46. He also discussed different options for long-distance games he could play with his family, in addition to chess. When asked if he had access to dice through commissary, Clayton replied, "No, but back at MSPT I learned how people make prison dice." The family decided to wait on any games involving dice until Clayton could get access to a better commissary list after being moved out of segregation.
Friday, March 13, 2015
March 13 - Another Friday the 13th
Friday, March 13
Clayton's wife began their visit today by updating Clayton on what was going on with his close friend who had been in a car accident. She assured him that they were bruised up, but otherwise seemed okay and were now looking into their options for replacing their vehicle. Clayton was comforted by the news, and asked her to relay his love.
After his visit last night, Clayton had received three new letters from friends and family, and was very excited about them. He told his wife he was looking forward to writing response letters as soon as he was able. Last night, he was also able to get a hold of an OTA form, which was needed to authorize postage to return the ordered postage-printed envelopes to his wife. He had turned in the form as quickly as he could, and informed his wife that he was simply hoping for the best now because he'd had to leave a bunch of the information blank (like the unknown amount of postage). His wife assured him that she would be watching for them, and also waiting for a call about the property he asked to be disbursed to her many days ago.
Clayton hadn't had a shower this morning because he slept through the announcement after staying up all night reading the book version of Black Hawk Down. He joked with his wife about his new roommate, Jones, who had the same love of reading that he did. He said the #1 thing they were always asking the guards for were books. Other inmates would finish a book and push it out into the hallway when they were finished. Clayton and Jones could usually see the books lying out in the hallway or on railings around the mod.
He said it felt almost like hustling for books as they would go to the cell door and ask the guards, "Hey... hey man. Could you pass me that book?"
After his visit last night, Clayton had received three new letters from friends and family, and was very excited about them. He told his wife he was looking forward to writing response letters as soon as he was able. Last night, he was also able to get a hold of an OTA form, which was needed to authorize postage to return the ordered postage-printed envelopes to his wife. He had turned in the form as quickly as he could, and informed his wife that he was simply hoping for the best now because he'd had to leave a bunch of the information blank (like the unknown amount of postage). His wife assured him that she would be watching for them, and also waiting for a call about the property he asked to be disbursed to her many days ago.
Clayton hadn't had a shower this morning because he slept through the announcement after staying up all night reading the book version of Black Hawk Down. He joked with his wife about his new roommate, Jones, who had the same love of reading that he did. He said the #1 thing they were always asking the guards for were books. Other inmates would finish a book and push it out into the hallway when they were finished. Clayton and Jones could usually see the books lying out in the hallway or on railings around the mod.
He said it felt almost like hustling for books as they would go to the cell door and ask the guards, "Hey... hey man. Could you pass me that book?"
Clayton managed to finish 2 books yesterday, and get a hold of 3 more he hadn't read yet. He and his cell mate were allowed to have 5 books in possession at any given time, and once they had both read a book, they would pass it out into the hallway as well. Clayton also noted that the books available seemed to be an eclectic group of romance novels, thrillers, and dramas.
Getting to Know Jones
Clayton said that he and his roommate had avoided the topic of what the accusations against Clayton were, but at some point today Clayton did mention that he was looking at a probable sentence of 20 or more years.
"Holy shit," Jones had breathed, "What did you do... kill somebody?"
It was obvious that in the time Jones had spent around Clayton so far, he never expected something like that from him - as it completely conflicted with Clayton's obvious gentle nature. After learning that Clayton was potentially facing a long-term sentence, Jones began to open up a bit more bout his own experience in the Alaska prison system. He informed Clayton that in the past he'd served more than 6 years for charges related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine. Due to the seriousness of the charges and length of his sentence, he had served time in most of the prisons across Alaska, and even out of state.
He began to explain to Clayton the nature of "Good Time" in Alaska. According to Jones, an inmate accrues 10 days of good time for every 30 days they successfully serve without incidents that result in write-ups with the prison. With 12 months in a year, this translates to 120 days of good time. Clayton had started doing the math, and realized that a 20-year sentence (the minimum in Alaska for a Murder 2 charge) could result in several years of good time. Jones told Clayton he had known several people at the Seward prison who were serving extremely long sentences and had been paroled at 20 years. In Alaska, good time is tacked on to the amount of time an inmate must serve on parole instead of truly trimming time off of the sentence completely.
Jones also talked with Clayton about various programs that were available in the Alaska prisons including the LSAT and RSAT programs. He said the programs were designed as rehabilitation programs, but extended beyond drugs and alcohol. He wondered if someone with Clayton's history would be able to sign up as a mentor or tutor instead of a participant. He explained that, in his experience, any level of involvement with a program like this will usually be viewed positively by a parole board. He also explained that these programs are lengthy, and last beyond the time served in jail. There may not be bars on the windows, but if you leave the program the police are called.
Clayton was disappointed to hear that Jones didn't think the courts would consider time spent on court-approved third party during sentencing. This was of major concern to Clayton because he had spent nearly three years on third party before the charges against him were dismissed the first time, and his case had drug on for more nearly six years before resulting in a trial. Jones expressed that he had seen many men make this argument over the years, and had never personally seen a judge even take that time into consideration.
However, Clayton was encouraged by Jones' opinion on what had transpired at MSPT. After he was initially remanded, Clayton had been attacked in his cell, but refused to fight the man. At the time, other inmates had expressed to Clayton that his choice not to fight was a very dangerous decision. Jones, on the other hand, felt that Clayton had done the right thing. He expressed that for a man facing a shorter sentence that may be true, but someone facing long-term sentences should never risk a fight, and run the risk of losing their accumulated good time. When a violation occurs, and a write-up is documented, it resets the good time clock back to zero - regardless of how many years have already been served.
Overall, Jones expressed to Clayton that his preferred facility in Alaska was surprisingly in Seward - the maximum security facility. He believed that the location was much more scenic, and the way the facility operated was much more friendly to inmates serving long-term and life-time sentences.
In wrapping up their conversation, Clayton's family told him it felt odd to think that he had already spent a full month in prison. The entire experience still felt highly unreal. His family and friend looked forward to their next opportunity to visit him.
Getting to Know Jones
Clayton said that he and his roommate had avoided the topic of what the accusations against Clayton were, but at some point today Clayton did mention that he was looking at a probable sentence of 20 or more years.
"Holy shit," Jones had breathed, "What did you do... kill somebody?"
It was obvious that in the time Jones had spent around Clayton so far, he never expected something like that from him - as it completely conflicted with Clayton's obvious gentle nature. After learning that Clayton was potentially facing a long-term sentence, Jones began to open up a bit more bout his own experience in the Alaska prison system. He informed Clayton that in the past he'd served more than 6 years for charges related to the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine. Due to the seriousness of the charges and length of his sentence, he had served time in most of the prisons across Alaska, and even out of state.
He began to explain to Clayton the nature of "Good Time" in Alaska. According to Jones, an inmate accrues 10 days of good time for every 30 days they successfully serve without incidents that result in write-ups with the prison. With 12 months in a year, this translates to 120 days of good time. Clayton had started doing the math, and realized that a 20-year sentence (the minimum in Alaska for a Murder 2 charge) could result in several years of good time. Jones told Clayton he had known several people at the Seward prison who were serving extremely long sentences and had been paroled at 20 years. In Alaska, good time is tacked on to the amount of time an inmate must serve on parole instead of truly trimming time off of the sentence completely.
Jones also talked with Clayton about various programs that were available in the Alaska prisons including the LSAT and RSAT programs. He said the programs were designed as rehabilitation programs, but extended beyond drugs and alcohol. He wondered if someone with Clayton's history would be able to sign up as a mentor or tutor instead of a participant. He explained that, in his experience, any level of involvement with a program like this will usually be viewed positively by a parole board. He also explained that these programs are lengthy, and last beyond the time served in jail. There may not be bars on the windows, but if you leave the program the police are called.
Clayton was disappointed to hear that Jones didn't think the courts would consider time spent on court-approved third party during sentencing. This was of major concern to Clayton because he had spent nearly three years on third party before the charges against him were dismissed the first time, and his case had drug on for more nearly six years before resulting in a trial. Jones expressed that he had seen many men make this argument over the years, and had never personally seen a judge even take that time into consideration.
However, Clayton was encouraged by Jones' opinion on what had transpired at MSPT. After he was initially remanded, Clayton had been attacked in his cell, but refused to fight the man. At the time, other inmates had expressed to Clayton that his choice not to fight was a very dangerous decision. Jones, on the other hand, felt that Clayton had done the right thing. He expressed that for a man facing a shorter sentence that may be true, but someone facing long-term sentences should never risk a fight, and run the risk of losing their accumulated good time. When a violation occurs, and a write-up is documented, it resets the good time clock back to zero - regardless of how many years have already been served.
Overall, Jones expressed to Clayton that his preferred facility in Alaska was surprisingly in Seward - the maximum security facility. He believed that the location was much more scenic, and the way the facility operated was much more friendly to inmates serving long-term and life-time sentences.
In wrapping up their conversation, Clayton's family told him it felt odd to think that he had already spent a full month in prison. The entire experience still felt highly unreal. His family and friend looked forward to their next opportunity to visit him.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
March 12 - Confusion Over Forms
Thursday, March 12
When Clayton arrived at his visit today, he was visibly flustered and depressed. On March 10th he had received a notification from the prison that postage-printed envelopes his wife had ordered for him through the U.S. Postal Service - after being advised that it was permitted by staff - had been received and rejected by their mail department. The receipt had a simple statement that inmates were not allowed to receive postage from outside the prison, and given him the opportunity to mail the property out to someone, or have the prison destroy it. Clayton had completed the attached form, requesting they be mailed to his wife, immediately.
However, today he had gotten a response to that cop-out form saying he hadn't completed the necessary additional form called an "Offender Trust Account" (OTA) form, authorizing and unknown amount of postage - and therefore without it the envelopes were slated to be destroyed. Clayton explained that the original notice had said he only had 3 days to indicate his choice for distribution/destruction, and it had already been 2 days before he even got the notice back.
Clayton stressed that he didn't even have an OTA form, nor know what was one or how to get it. He explained that there was a metal mailbox on the wall in the hallway when returning to his cell from visits. It had metal file-folder-like compartments all around the outside with forms sticking out them various directions. Traveling to and from his cell was usually his only opportunity to grab a form if needed, and sometimes various forms were out. He was worried about annoying the guard by fumbling around without knowing what he was looking for, and his wife advised him to ask the guard if they could point it out to him - hoping the guard he had today would be kind. Even then, Clayton fretted about whether his wife would receive the valuable envelopes due to the delay.
Meanwhile, he had received 3 additional letters the night before from friends and family, and had been excited to read them. He hoped to write back whenever he finally received the required supplies from commissary.
Medical
Clayton had also learned more today about how medical worked at the facility. In the last couple of days he had gotten the opportunity to see the prison nurse, due to the persistent hive-like bumps he was getting on his arms. They had given him some anti-itch creme to use in a small paper cup, and he had been using it minimally, not sure when it would run out. However, now the cream was coming in the small paper cups daily. When he asked about it the staff explained that his 'prescription' would be good for 6-months, and the medicine would continue to come on the daily med cart. Clayton's account would be charged a $5 medical co-pay for the visit with the nurse, and wouldn't need to pay again unless he needed another visit for medical.
Clayton's wife could also see that he was continually wincing as he sat and talked with her, and finally asked him what it was about.
"It's just this [hand]cuff on my right arm," he explained with a grimace, "It's collapsed way too tight on my arm and it hurts."
She asked if he would prefer to cut the visit short for the day so he could get them off quicker, but his response was adamantly negative. He said that the visit was "worth a little pain."
Never Learned My Lesson
Clayton was happy to finally get an opportunity to shower today, after it not being offered for the last couple of days. However, he joked that he hadn't learned his lesson from Andy's example days before. When you take a shower in the segregation unit, they bring you fresh clothes and lock you in the shower cell. You strip out of the old clothes and toss them out into the hallway for staff to take care of.
"Immediately check the size!" Clayton stressed.
Although he had made sure to have new clothes from the guards before giving up his old ones, he hadn't bothered to do so. Therefore, he was now wearing pants that were three sizes too big for him, and had to be tied on at the waist. He emphasized that individuals should wait to shower until they had their new clothes already, and check the size right away. Waiting for later is too late. Now he needed to take a shower the following day just to try and get properly-fitted clothes.
Also this morning, like every morning, Clayton was given the opportunity for recreation or 'Rec' at the same time he had an opportunity to shower. Once again, he had chosen not to take it, for fear of becoming sick. The guards had cheerily announced that it was a mere 10 degrees outside, and although Clayton could see the sun from a window high in the main room, he knew that usually clear days in Alaska were also the coldest.
Clayton had heard other inmates discuss what Rec was like in the segregation unit at GCCC, gleaning what information he could. They had discussed being locked into individual chain-link-walled cells with awnings over them outside, locked in next to each other but kept distinctly separated. It was not clear whether any of them were given coats; and he assumed that, like the showers, they would have to wait for the guards to retrieve them even if they became cold. With Clayton's tendencies towards pneumonia and bronchitis, he elected to avoid the entire possibility, but his wife could see the frustration from not knowing showing on his face.
Always More to Learn
Clayton learned recently that there was another gang in the Alaska prisons. Previously, he had learned about the 1488 white supremacists gang. This gang, instead, used NB as its symbol, blended into a single image. It stands for Native Brotherhood, as far as he's been told, but is open to Alaska Natives, American Indians, Samoans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and maybe more. Both Andy and Jones had explained at separate times that neither gang was good, and both seemed to rival each other within the prison politics.
Clayton also learned that he should have a '30 day review' coming up sometime soon, as he will have spent 30 days in segregation and it was apparently required. He was looking forward to the opportunity to speak with someone in the staff about his current situation, but was happy for now to continue to see friends and family through daily visits.
Clayton's wife also mentioned before closing out of their conversation that one of his best friends had been in a major car accident just before she had left for her visit. She was worried about distressing him further, but knew he disliked being out of the loop and hoped to give him time to ask questions. She had managed to determine that their friend not injured enough to need hospitalization, and friends and family were making sure they were being taken care of. Clayton was shocked, and distressed that he was unable to help, but said he was glad that she had decided to tell him honestly what was going on. He said one of the worst possibilities was being left in the dark while things were happening with his family and friends.
"I would rather know," he expressed with a sad smile.
However, today he had gotten a response to that cop-out form saying he hadn't completed the necessary additional form called an "Offender Trust Account" (OTA) form, authorizing and unknown amount of postage - and therefore without it the envelopes were slated to be destroyed. Clayton explained that the original notice had said he only had 3 days to indicate his choice for distribution/destruction, and it had already been 2 days before he even got the notice back.
Clayton stressed that he didn't even have an OTA form, nor know what was one or how to get it. He explained that there was a metal mailbox on the wall in the hallway when returning to his cell from visits. It had metal file-folder-like compartments all around the outside with forms sticking out them various directions. Traveling to and from his cell was usually his only opportunity to grab a form if needed, and sometimes various forms were out. He was worried about annoying the guard by fumbling around without knowing what he was looking for, and his wife advised him to ask the guard if they could point it out to him - hoping the guard he had today would be kind. Even then, Clayton fretted about whether his wife would receive the valuable envelopes due to the delay.
Meanwhile, he had received 3 additional letters the night before from friends and family, and had been excited to read them. He hoped to write back whenever he finally received the required supplies from commissary.
Medical
Clayton had also learned more today about how medical worked at the facility. In the last couple of days he had gotten the opportunity to see the prison nurse, due to the persistent hive-like bumps he was getting on his arms. They had given him some anti-itch creme to use in a small paper cup, and he had been using it minimally, not sure when it would run out. However, now the cream was coming in the small paper cups daily. When he asked about it the staff explained that his 'prescription' would be good for 6-months, and the medicine would continue to come on the daily med cart. Clayton's account would be charged a $5 medical co-pay for the visit with the nurse, and wouldn't need to pay again unless he needed another visit for medical.
Clayton's wife could also see that he was continually wincing as he sat and talked with her, and finally asked him what it was about.
"It's just this [hand]cuff on my right arm," he explained with a grimace, "It's collapsed way too tight on my arm and it hurts."
She asked if he would prefer to cut the visit short for the day so he could get them off quicker, but his response was adamantly negative. He said that the visit was "worth a little pain."
Never Learned My Lesson
Clayton was happy to finally get an opportunity to shower today, after it not being offered for the last couple of days. However, he joked that he hadn't learned his lesson from Andy's example days before. When you take a shower in the segregation unit, they bring you fresh clothes and lock you in the shower cell. You strip out of the old clothes and toss them out into the hallway for staff to take care of.
"Immediately check the size!" Clayton stressed.
Although he had made sure to have new clothes from the guards before giving up his old ones, he hadn't bothered to do so. Therefore, he was now wearing pants that were three sizes too big for him, and had to be tied on at the waist. He emphasized that individuals should wait to shower until they had their new clothes already, and check the size right away. Waiting for later is too late. Now he needed to take a shower the following day just to try and get properly-fitted clothes.
Also this morning, like every morning, Clayton was given the opportunity for recreation or 'Rec' at the same time he had an opportunity to shower. Once again, he had chosen not to take it, for fear of becoming sick. The guards had cheerily announced that it was a mere 10 degrees outside, and although Clayton could see the sun from a window high in the main room, he knew that usually clear days in Alaska were also the coldest.
Clayton had heard other inmates discuss what Rec was like in the segregation unit at GCCC, gleaning what information he could. They had discussed being locked into individual chain-link-walled cells with awnings over them outside, locked in next to each other but kept distinctly separated. It was not clear whether any of them were given coats; and he assumed that, like the showers, they would have to wait for the guards to retrieve them even if they became cold. With Clayton's tendencies towards pneumonia and bronchitis, he elected to avoid the entire possibility, but his wife could see the frustration from not knowing showing on his face.
Always More to Learn
Clayton learned recently that there was another gang in the Alaska prisons. Previously, he had learned about the 1488 white supremacists gang. This gang, instead, used NB as its symbol, blended into a single image. It stands for Native Brotherhood, as far as he's been told, but is open to Alaska Natives, American Indians, Samoans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and maybe more. Both Andy and Jones had explained at separate times that neither gang was good, and both seemed to rival each other within the prison politics.
Clayton also learned that he should have a '30 day review' coming up sometime soon, as he will have spent 30 days in segregation and it was apparently required. He was looking forward to the opportunity to speak with someone in the staff about his current situation, but was happy for now to continue to see friends and family through daily visits.
Clayton's wife also mentioned before closing out of their conversation that one of his best friends had been in a major car accident just before she had left for her visit. She was worried about distressing him further, but knew he disliked being out of the loop and hoped to give him time to ask questions. She had managed to determine that their friend not injured enough to need hospitalization, and friends and family were making sure they were being taken care of. Clayton was shocked, and distressed that he was unable to help, but said he was glad that she had decided to tell him honestly what was going on. He said one of the worst possibilities was being left in the dark while things were happening with his family and friends.
"I would rather know," he expressed with a sad smile.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
March 11 - Barbie Girl
Wednesday, March 11
When mail is received in the prison, the staff copy the front of the envelope and its contents and give only the photocopies to the inmates. This allows the individual to see their return address, so they can send a response. All original letter materials at GCCC are disposed of by the prison, with the exception of greeting cards, which are stored in the person's personal affects until the person is released or distributes them to someone on the outside. The only form of mail that comes through to Clayton in its original form is photographs, after the paper has undergone testing to ensure it isn't laced with drugs.
His wife had spent the day looking for order-by-mail cards from magazines Clayton might like to receive a subscription to including: National Geographic, Smithsonian, and others. She hoped to send him the cards so that he would be able to order a subscription himself - as prison policies indicated were necessary.* His wife hadn't even realized there was a Smithsonian Magazine, but Clayton cheered with delight saying, "Did you know I was a card-carrying member for years?!" Considering her husband had also participated in chess and math clubs, and was an avid Battle of the Books participant, she wasn't really surprised.
Clayton also noted that his roommate had finally opened up a bit more that day. He explained to Clayton that he was only scheduled to serve 7 more weeks for his sentence to be complete. He was electing to serve the entire sentence - instead of getting out early - to avoid what he explained was the 'trap' presented by probation.
Jones explained that he had served fairly extensive time in prison before, and expected his upcoming release to take place as they had in the past. When released, he would be released wherever he was initially processed, which in his case would be Anchorage. He was looking forward to being released with no job, no transportation, and no family of any kind. He was unmarried, and would be completely on his own. The prison would cut him a check for the tiny balance of his account, and return his personal belonging which fortunately included a coat. He told Clayton he would just try to avoid the drug crowd if he could, and try to get by.
Clayton spent the rest of his visit catching up with family, and the various events and misfortunes they were navigating without him. He asked them to communicate to his friends and lawyers that he was thinking about them, and managing one day at a time. Currently he would continue using the concordance in his bible to explore the use of various words throughout the Bible.
*AUTHOR'S NOTE: The family has since learned that magazine order cards are not permitted to be mailed to inmates - or apparently order forms in general. Mail including these items will be rejected - with a note to the prisoner that they can be mailed back to someone or destroyed. However, the mail does not seem to always return to the sender.
During his visit today, Clayton expressed that the day had mostly been "slow and boring." The guards had not called for showers yesterday or today. Clayton wasn't sure why, but he had just gone another day without. He also had not managed to get the phone today to make a call out to family, which had left him disappointed. Today was yet another family birthday he was missing - for two different family members at once, and he had hoped to call and wish them happy birthday. He'd spent most of the day sleeping, but had been encouraged by receiving a letter from a friend the night before.
When mail is received in the prison, the staff copy the front of the envelope and its contents and give only the photocopies to the inmates. This allows the individual to see their return address, so they can send a response. All original letter materials at GCCC are disposed of by the prison, with the exception of greeting cards, which are stored in the person's personal affects until the person is released or distributes them to someone on the outside. The only form of mail that comes through to Clayton in its original form is photographs, after the paper has undergone testing to ensure it isn't laced with drugs.
His wife had spent the day looking for order-by-mail cards from magazines Clayton might like to receive a subscription to including: National Geographic, Smithsonian, and others. She hoped to send him the cards so that he would be able to order a subscription himself - as prison policies indicated were necessary.* His wife hadn't even realized there was a Smithsonian Magazine, but Clayton cheered with delight saying, "Did you know I was a card-carrying member for years?!" Considering her husband had also participated in chess and math clubs, and was an avid Battle of the Books participant, she wasn't really surprised.
Barbie Girl
Clayton relayed an amusing story about the day's only real entertainment so far. One of the female guards who works in their module had come in this morning in an apparent good mood. Clayton described her traveling through the halls singing Aqua's Barbie Girl at the top of her lungs. Clayton said she seemed very happy as she traveled around the cells singing. Then, she seemed to pause for dramatic effect before shouting, "HAHA suckers!! Now you've got that stuck in your heads!"
Getting to Know Jones
Clayton also noted that his roommate had finally opened up a bit more that day. He explained to Clayton that he was only scheduled to serve 7 more weeks for his sentence to be complete. He was electing to serve the entire sentence - instead of getting out early - to avoid what he explained was the 'trap' presented by probation.
Jones explained that he had served fairly extensive time in prison before, and expected his upcoming release to take place as they had in the past. When released, he would be released wherever he was initially processed, which in his case would be Anchorage. He was looking forward to being released with no job, no transportation, and no family of any kind. He was unmarried, and would be completely on his own. The prison would cut him a check for the tiny balance of his account, and return his personal belonging which fortunately included a coat. He told Clayton he would just try to avoid the drug crowd if he could, and try to get by.
Clayton spent the rest of his visit catching up with family, and the various events and misfortunes they were navigating without him. He asked them to communicate to his friends and lawyers that he was thinking about them, and managing one day at a time. Currently he would continue using the concordance in his bible to explore the use of various words throughout the Bible.
*AUTHOR'S NOTE: The family has since learned that magazine order cards are not permitted to be mailed to inmates - or apparently order forms in general. Mail including these items will be rejected - with a note to the prisoner that they can be mailed back to someone or destroyed. However, the mail does not seem to always return to the sender.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
March 8 - Book Balance Error Explained
Sunday, March 8
Today Clayton finally received a statement of his account from staff outlining the error that had been made on his books. Shortly after his arrival at MSPT on February 13, the entire balance of his account (nearly $100) had been subtracted for a "medical co-payment" in error, even though the only interaction Clayton had with medical at MSPT was a mandatory TB test. The error was not corrected until after Clayton and his family inquired about the balance of his books on March 2. This was the cause of Clayton's first commissary request being rejected, but there appeared to be no method of getting supplies to Clayton any faster according to staff at the facility. He would just have to wait 2 more weeks.
Today Clayton finally received a statement of his account from staff outlining the error that had been made on his books. Shortly after his arrival at MSPT on February 13, the entire balance of his account (nearly $100) had been subtracted for a "medical co-payment" in error, even though the only interaction Clayton had with medical at MSPT was a mandatory TB test. The error was not corrected until after Clayton and his family inquired about the balance of his books on March 2. This was the cause of Clayton's first commissary request being rejected, but there appeared to be no method of getting supplies to Clayton any faster according to staff at the facility. He would just have to wait 2 more weeks.
The only other medical interaction Clayton had experienced was his initial medical check-in after arriving at GCCC. Ironically, he now needed medical for another reason. He had filed a cop-out form for medical earlier in the day because he was breaking out in itchy bumps, like hives, all over his arms. He assumed he must be reacting to something used in the laundry by the facility, but had no way to be sure.
The statement of his account had also arrived with his new commissary form for this week. He had completed it right away, and already turned it in before his family arrived. His family also learned from facility staff, that the only people authorized to put more money on Clayton's books were his 10 approved visitors. It apparently did not matter whether they had managed to actually visit him yet; only that they were one of the approved 10. This complicated requests of many individuals wanting to help provide for Clayton, but the family assured them that the funds would get deposited through these friends and family if desired.
Daylight Savings Time
Clayton commented during his visit that he felt completely disoriented about the time. Lunch had come early today, and been very disappointing. It consisted of 2 pieces of bread with a blob of peanut butter. The soup it was partnered with appeared to be chicken soup, but the contents did not taste or feel like real chicken. When he decided to cut into one of the blobs out of curiosity, he was shocked to find that it was blue inside! He had stopped eating entirely.
Dinner had also come much earlier than normal, at 3:30 pm, and he now worried about the long night ahead without another meal. Clayton's family then explained to him that the time changed today due to Daylight Savings Time, and he realized that everything was happening an hour early only because no one had changed the clock in the main room.
“I’m starting to see why people order food and stock it away now,” he explained.
The Fishing Show
Clayton told his family it overall had been a pretty boring day. He had gotten the opportunity to talk with his new roommate, Jones, a little bit more. Jones was a little awkward about Clay praying over his meals, but otherwise they were getting along well.
They were both apparently fans of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time book series and Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth book series. Jones was incredulous that Clayton was able to finish more than 2 books in a single day. During the day they had together managed to get their hands on several new books. The first came when Clayton requested permission to pick up an abandoned book in the hallway when being moved back to his cell. Later they were also able to get 2 more abandoned books passed to them by guards.
Other than the books, the only real entertainment that day had been a man spontaneously breaking out in song singing Alicia Keys Girl on Fire, and the opportunity to observe an elaborate group fishing effort by the other inmates. From his cell, Clayton could see a man standing in the law library, fishing from it while the guards were gone. Instead of fishing for something from a particular cell, the man was assisting other inmates in making sharp angles with their lines to get into cells they normally could not manage on their own. For those not participating, it became a free show of sorts.
Clayton was disappointed that he still hadn't gotten the opportunity to visit the law library. He had submitted a cop-out requesting it, but had never gotten a response back. Meanwhile, a bunch more of the men in segregation had gotten in trouble for fishing and actually getting caught. Clayton could tell because all of their linens were taken away, and so there were now a bunch more men standing around in their underwear.
“That’s what you get," Clayton joked. "They shouldn't be doing that.”
Clayton also mentioned to his wife during the visit that the other inmates seemed to be tiring somewhat from the constant harassment when he would leave his cell to visit with her. They would comment about him 'going to see his girl,' but otherwise leave him alone. However, being away from family was becoming difficult.
“My heart’s been sore because I want to be there for people, and I can’t,” he explained, "Even then, I'm really trying to be thankful to these guys [guards] back here. They have a thankless job.”
Clayton ended his visit struggling to stay positive, but looking forward to tomorrow's visit.
Clayton commented during his visit that he felt completely disoriented about the time. Lunch had come early today, and been very disappointing. It consisted of 2 pieces of bread with a blob of peanut butter. The soup it was partnered with appeared to be chicken soup, but the contents did not taste or feel like real chicken. When he decided to cut into one of the blobs out of curiosity, he was shocked to find that it was blue inside! He had stopped eating entirely.
Dinner had also come much earlier than normal, at 3:30 pm, and he now worried about the long night ahead without another meal. Clayton's family then explained to him that the time changed today due to Daylight Savings Time, and he realized that everything was happening an hour early only because no one had changed the clock in the main room.
“I’m starting to see why people order food and stock it away now,” he explained.
The Fishing Show
Clayton told his family it overall had been a pretty boring day. He had gotten the opportunity to talk with his new roommate, Jones, a little bit more. Jones was a little awkward about Clay praying over his meals, but otherwise they were getting along well.
They were both apparently fans of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time book series and Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth book series. Jones was incredulous that Clayton was able to finish more than 2 books in a single day. During the day they had together managed to get their hands on several new books. The first came when Clayton requested permission to pick up an abandoned book in the hallway when being moved back to his cell. Later they were also able to get 2 more abandoned books passed to them by guards.
Other than the books, the only real entertainment that day had been a man spontaneously breaking out in song singing Alicia Keys Girl on Fire, and the opportunity to observe an elaborate group fishing effort by the other inmates. From his cell, Clayton could see a man standing in the law library, fishing from it while the guards were gone. Instead of fishing for something from a particular cell, the man was assisting other inmates in making sharp angles with their lines to get into cells they normally could not manage on their own. For those not participating, it became a free show of sorts.
Clayton was disappointed that he still hadn't gotten the opportunity to visit the law library. He had submitted a cop-out requesting it, but had never gotten a response back. Meanwhile, a bunch more of the men in segregation had gotten in trouble for fishing and actually getting caught. Clayton could tell because all of their linens were taken away, and so there were now a bunch more men standing around in their underwear.
“That’s what you get," Clayton joked. "They shouldn't be doing that.”
Clayton also mentioned to his wife during the visit that the other inmates seemed to be tiring somewhat from the constant harassment when he would leave his cell to visit with her. They would comment about him 'going to see his girl,' but otherwise leave him alone. However, being away from family was becoming difficult.
“My heart’s been sore because I want to be there for people, and I can’t,” he explained, "Even then, I'm really trying to be thankful to these guys [guards] back here. They have a thankless job.”
Clayton ended his visit struggling to stay positive, but looking forward to tomorrow's visit.
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