29 Apr 09

Update on Two Tonys

Two Tonys - A whacker of men and Mafia associate serving multiple life sentences for murders and violent crimes. Left bodies from Tucson to Alaska, but claims all his victims "had it coming." Recently diagnosed with liver cancer, and is in chemotherapy fighting to prolong his life.

I received this yesterday from his daughter:

Two Tonys is doing good, so he says on the phone. My husband was in Tucson last weekend and they had a nice visit. Two Tonys is really skinny, but otherwise seems to be feeling OK. He calls every week and I am going to try to get my oldest son up there for a visit this Saturday. He called today - I wasn't home. That's so weird about your dream because he seems to be doing alright. Please let me know if there is any special message you would like me to tell him.

I received this letter from Jim Hogg, one of Two Tonys’ closest friends in prison:

I just wanted to drop a line and say hi. I’m here with Two Tonys, and taking good care of him. I’m kinda worried about him since I’m getting released soon. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m going to do, and you know if you don’t have family you have nothing coming from Arizona.

I remember when you moved onto my yard. Two Tonys told me to look out for you and I did! Just waited for someone to fuck with you, and “Big Jim Hogg” would have broke their backs. I was ready and willing to smash anyone who messed with you pal. I also remember all you told me about life and what it has to offer!

Well, it’s my turn to be released, and I feel so lost, and I’ve no where to go. Two Tonys worries about me, and wants the best for me. There’s not a day goes by when I don’t feel the pain I’m going to have when I say goodbye to him. I have a good heart and hope that God puts good people in my life. I’m so nervous on my release after 13 years.

I’m glad to hear you are doing great. You deserve it, Shaun!

Lots of love and respect from me, my friend.

Big Jim Hogg

ps) I still miss going surfing.


Click here for Two Tonys’ previous blog

Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

Email well wishes for Two Tonys to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
27 Apr 09

Article in Prisoners Abroad Newsletter

Prisoners Abroad is the only UK charity providing information, advice and support to Britons detained overseas, their family and friends, and to released prisoners trying to re-establish themselves in society.
Here is the article I wrote for the latest edition of their newsletter.



When I was in prison in America, Prisoners Abroad entered my short story “Amazing Grace” into the Koestler Awards. Then last summer when I was back in England, I received a phone call from their office in London congratulating me on winning a Koestler Award – the Hamish Hamilton prize for short stories. The award did much more than make my day, but I’ll get to that after I explain my situation.

I was a stockbroker gone wild in Arizona, arrested by SWAT as part of a series of dawn raids, and sentenced to 9 ½ years for money laundering and drug offences. Incarcerated in America, I started Jon’s Jail Journal, a blog that exposed human-rights violations at Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Madison Street jail, and attracted international media attention after excerpts were published in The Guardian.

I emerged from prison hoping to make a career out of the writing skills I’d developed, but I didn’t have any resources or effective connections. For months, I struggled to find professional help and guidance, all to no avail. Then I won the Koestler prize, and things changed overnight. I got to read my story to an audience at the Royal Festival Hall, where I also told the people at Koestler about my need for outside help. They immediately had me apply for their mentor program.

Meeting my Koestler mentor, Sally Hinchcliffe, for the first time, I knew she was the kind of no-nonsense person I like to work with. I’ve now had three mentor sessions, and thanks to her constructive feedback, the standard of my prose is coming along. She’s helping me improve my book about my time in the jail, and showing me how to approach literary agents. Thanks to the Koestler mentor program, I expect to be a published author in the next year or so.

For ex-prisoners looking to make a career the arts, finding help, guidance and resources is almost impossible. Koestler is one of the rare organisations
helping ex prisoners pursue their career ambitions in the arts and to become productive members of society. I deeply appreciate Prisoners Abroad introducing me to Koestler, and Koestler helping me pursue a career as a writer.

Click here for the Prisoners Abroad newsletter.

Click here to read about Koestler’s mentoring for released prisoners.

Email comments and questions to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
23 Apr 09

Prisoner Updates

Jose in San Diego wrote: I wanted to ask you what happened to a few people we were introduced to over the years. What became of “Weird Al”? Any word on “Ogre?” There was an incident in the kitchen with a fellow by the name of “Magpie” a couple years ago. He had money, but believed he could not function on his own outside. Any word on him? What about that fella “Lurch”? And "Iron Man" as well. I hope most of them are ok. Just a quick synopsis of their current standing will suffice.


Ogre – In early 2008, Ogre was shipped to California to serve a sentence there. Two Tonys put it like this: “Ogre got out. Fuck him.”

Two Tonys – I haven’t heard from him in over a month. I’ve been worrying about him. Just last week, I dreamt I was in prison chatting with him, and he assured me he was in good health.
Just received this update on Two Tonys from his daughter: Two Tonys is doing good, so he says on the phone. My husband was in Tucson last weekend and they had a nice visit. He is really skinny, but otherwise seems to be feeling OK. He calls every week. That's so weird about your dream because he seems to be doing alright.

Iron Man – He is fast approaching his release date of 02/17/2010. He is working out fanatically, and staying positive as expressed in his most recent letter.

Magpie – He left Arizona after serving over thirty years, and no one has heard from him since.

Bones – This member of the South Side Posse Blood gang has five more years to serve for violent crimes. He is working as a barber for 35 cents an hour.

Bald Headed Fred – BHF has three years to serve for home invasions, assaults and kidnappings. He works in the inmate store for 50 cents an hour, and was ticketed for disorderly conduct in March.

Lurch – I wrote to Lurch but never received anything back. He has difficulty reading and writing.
Just received this update on Lurch from Weird Al: Lurch was involved, and charged with the murder of another inmate. He turned "states evidence" and testified against the others who were involved and was shipped out of state as a reward.

Max – He is still in Las Vegas. The economic downturn affected his job, and he has started his own business.

Savage (C Ducc) – This member of the Crips has four more years to serve. He has been assigned to a work crew, earning 20 cents an hour.

Xena – I suspect Xena is suffering from depression, and that’s why she doesn’t write often. She is working as an education aide for 30 cents an hour.
One of Xena's friends recently sent me his story. Dubbed by the media as "Smiling John," he is a murderer who was on America's Most Wanted. The story is a long one, and I hope to post it in the next few months. All I'll say is, it's quite unlike anything I've ever posted here before. Click here for a taste of Smiling John’s story.

Junior Bull – The son of “Sammy the Bull” Gravano was finally moved out of the state system to a federal prison.

Royo Girl – She recently broke her foot during a drunken wrestling match with her roommate. She knows I am dating Kathi, and she is dating a military man. She still intends to do a masters in criminology in Australia.

Slingblade – There is still no one helping this mentally-ill Vietnam vet effect his release. He is stuck inside, and according to the inmates, his mental condition is such, he’s beyond caring. He is a rec-field worker, earning 25 cents an hour.

Weird Al – He is on parole in Tucson. He has renamed himself Sorta Normal Al, and started his own blog, Pea Brain Speaks, which you can read by clicking here.

Here’s an excerpt from a recent email he sent me.
“You know, I got up this morning and it suddenly hit me how nice it was not to be in prison. I no longer have to wait for my door to be popped open in the morning to go outside. Being a Pea Brain, it sometimes takes me while to catch on. I'm going to try and spend the day being a little more grateful for what I have. Tomorrow I'll go back to being the greedy bastard I truly am. Hope all is well with you and yours today. Have some fun. I'm off to my gym to be punished by my personal trainer from hell. See Ya.”


If you have any further questions about these or any of our other friends inside, please post them as a comment, and I'll do my best to answer them here.

Email comments and questions to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
21 Apr 09

Guest Writer: Lifer David – Cretins in the Closet

Serving life in prison in Texas, David is the author of the blog Prison Proxy. This is his second guest post for Jon’s Jail Journal, and he once again focuses on the subject of prisoners performing acts of exhibitionist masturbation. He also responds to your previous comments at the end of this blog.

One of my former cellmates has hygienic and masturbatory issues. He got in school several months ago to take GED classes, and the other day, he got locked up (in the jail within this prison) for masturbating in front of one of the counselors.

When inmates do that in front of guards, it’s a quasi-serious case that can either go major or minor in terms of disciplinary sanctions. But when a “free-world” person is involved (in prison, there are three existential tiers of people: free-world people, officers and rank, and inmates), the offending inmate goes to jail and the case goes major.

Of course, handling the issue with the seriousness it deserves is right and proper. The masturbation problem is, to my knowledge, predominantly in prison culture. As young teens, it was a grossly embarrassing subject, and as adults it’s at the very least a pretty private one. Yet, here in prison, it somehow morphs into an honorable thing, for the vast majority, especially when exhibited to women!

So, it’s no surprise that free-world women who come to the school here to teach (and are more desperately needed than I can convey) will find masturbating cretins lurking in broom closets. Ironically, the only cure to this cultural problem is in more teaching!

Just last night, the female correctional officer on our wing was under a barrage of exhibitionist attacks. “Put it up!”, “I’m writing cases!”, “I don’t want to see you doing that!”, she kept pleading. Once, she even said, “Put your hands up!”

Put your hands up? That would be comical if weren’t actually happening! I mean, imagine some little doubled over devil who, locked in a vice of ignorance as he is, has hands with minds of their own, and simply won’t stop that juvenile jitterbug! Put your hands up (you dirty rascal), I suppose is a logical retort.

When she arrived at my cell, my cellie and I had our ID cards ready for her perusal (it was her duty to check them). Shockingly sweet (given all the screaming she’d just done), she simply said, “Thank you” and checked the cards. And with a smile, happy as she was to have a respite from the storm, even if it was merely the eye of the hurricane, she said, “Bless you.”

And with that, I immediately went to sleep. Just another day at the office.


Lifer David responds to your comments:

Responding to your comments about my Justice League of America post and your problem with my use of the term rape, you guys are correct. I, due to forgoing looking up the word intercourse, wasn’t aware that it necessitates physical contact. Hence “sight rape” is a contradiction in terms. My apologies.

Of course, actual rape is most often the logical end of such unabashed flagrant sexual harassment, and my awareness of this fact colored the rest of my argument.

That said, responding to anonymous “spin” is the last thing I want to do in any of my posts. And everything in existence either promotes life or death, to vastly varying degrees. Some rap music, due to the poisonous metaphysical views contained therein, does “kill” its listeners everyday. When I was but a wee impressionable lad of 16, I started using prescription drugs because my favorite rap artists validated said activity as “cool.” Did these pills not kill me daily?

Moreover, the Justice League of America is cheating the nurse out of the respect she deserves, and poisoning their own consciousnesses by acting grotesquely, and without integrity, intelligence, and honor! There’s no spin to that, buddy, as reality will so judge.

Thanks again for your comments!

Click here to read more from David at his blog Prison Proxy.

Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

Email comments and questions for Lifer David to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
18 Apr 09

From Frankie (Letter 12)

Frankie - A Mexican Mafia hitman and leader of prison "booty bandits" who has been proposing our gay marriage ever since he saw me rubbing antifungal ointment on the bedsores on my buttocks at the Madison Street jail. He was there on murder charges he subsequently beat.

April 5-09

Englandman,

What’s up fool?

Let’s get something straight. I’m the man in this relationship, and I’ll deee-cide! You’ve got your freedom and you want to wear the pants, it doesn’t work like that, my friend.

What happened with me? I lost your mom’s address, so I’ve been waiting on you to write, and it took long enough.

Anyway, where should I start? I don’t know if you heard, but come September, D.O.C in Arizona is releasing 9000 inmates, felony class 6, 5, 4, & 3’s drug offences, cuz AZ ain’t got the money to take care of us. I fit that law.

As for any adventures here in Buckeye prison, I honestly gave them cheetos [transsexuals] up. I’ve been going to school for my G.E.D.. I’m write-up free for 2 ½ years. My P.I. score [Public Institutional score] is 25-21. That’s the lowest I’ve ever been. I’ll be going back to Tucson prison really soon, in the next month or two.
I want to see Two Tonys before he dies. I’m going to give him a message to take with him to the grave.

Well, last week I came real close to getting into trouble. I’m walking the yard with a friend, and a fuckin cheeto, a black one, said something disrespectful.
I kept walking, but what I heard kept messing with me, so I told my friend, “You heard what that cheeto just said?”
He said, “Yeah, but he wasn’t talking to us.”
I said, “But he was talking about Mexicans,” and right there and then I decided to go and check this cheeto. So I go back where the cheeto’s at and I tell him, “If I hear that type of shit come out of your mouth again, I’m gonna bust it.”
And the queer said, “I don’t think so.” (No disrespect to all you queers out there, but some of you guys are full of shit. Ha ha!)
So I go to hit him in his mouth, but he jumps like a cat and throws a girl punch, and hits me in my arm, and takes off running to where the guards can see.
The next thing I see all my homies right there, and I tell them, “Bring the queer where the guard can’t see. I’m fuckin this boy off!”
My homies tell me, “This cheeto ain’t worth the trouble. He will tell on you. Better yet, right now, when we get back, we will send someone in his room to fuck him up.”
So I left it alone, and before we went in from rec, the cheeto comes and apologizes, and I felt sorry for him, and didn’t smash him, only cuz it was none of my business what he was talking about, and I felt I was in the wrong, so I accepted his apology, and he ain’t been to rec ever since.

Oh, you need to find me an I.D. card or a passport with someone that looks like me, cuz it’s not much longer and I’ll be walking out of these gates, and coming to England to show you who’s wearing the pants in our relationship.

Oh! Tell Kathi to find me a lady friend who’ll write to me.

I’m going to close for now. Tell Two Tonys I send my love and regards, and that I’ll be seeing him soon, and if he’s suffering, I’m going to help him leave this place.

Much Love & Respect,

Frankie

Click here for Frankie’s previous letter.

Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

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Shaun P. Attwood
16 Apr 09

Dawn of a New Adventure (Part 2)

The company I am working for speaking to schools about drugs and prison has finally added me to their website.

Click here to see my web page at The McLellan Practice.

They’ve also sent out some advertising to 250 schools, so I am hoping to get some bookings before the school year ends.

The McLellan Practice deals mostly with private, independent, and public schools, but I would like to tell my story to state schools as well. My coworker, Emma, has advised me to advertise to the state schools on my own. She speaks to a dozen state schools about being HIV positive. So I’m going to have to get a directory of sixth-form college addresses, and do a mass mailing to the ones in my local area. Emma said I also have to set myself up as self-employed, and I need my own website, which the state schools can book me through. I had a website out of America, but the company hosting it went bust, so I’m unsure where to turn for that, and the costs involved. It’s like I’m starting my own business from scratch.

If you are a member of a private, independent or public school and wish to book my speech, please email: enquiries@mclellan.info

If you are a member of a state school and wish to book my speech, please email: writeinside@hotmail.com

To read Dawn of a New Adventure Part 1 click here.

Coming next: a letter from Frankie describing how he almost smashed a transsexual.

Email comments or questions to
writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
13 Apr 09

Jail Mail (by Andrea)

Andrea - A 29-year-old Scottish woman writing from a maximum-security prison in England. She suffered years of domestic violence, and was arrested for the attempted murder of her most recent boyfriend after he punched her in the face. She pled guilty to wounding, and is scheduled for release in 2010.

The unwanted attention started on the prison van heading towards my new home. Sitting quietly in a small compartment, I heard a male voice say, “What’s your name?” I replied, and a conversation began that lasted the whole journey. To be honest, if we hadn’t arrived when we did, I would have fallen asleep.
As my feet hit the prison ground for the first time, I heard him shout for my prison number. “No,” I said, as I didn’t know what it was yet. I never got a chance to see what he looked like, but as I made my way out of the van, he got a good look at me.

A week later, I received mail from him and a couple of other prisoners. I had no clue who they were. At first, the letters were nice to read, and gave me the ins and outs of prison life, which was a great help.
But things soon got out of control! As the days and weeks went on, I received daily letters from what seemed like most of the men’s side of the prison. My mind was blown by the contents of these letters: funny, sick, perverted…Now I know what they get up to at nights! Let me say for vivid imaginations, England 10-4 Scotland.

My details got passed around like tobacco. I received photos of some of these blokes. And cards. But mostly the contents of their vivid imaginations! One in particular who still writes, told me how he got caught tossing off in his cell. He must have been mortified. I mean, how could he ever look the officers straight in the face again? I wouldn’t!

As time went on I stopped writing to them. I just couldn’t take it any more. It was just too crazy! Writing filth to a person you’ve never met is too personal in my eyes.
I have kept contact with a handful of them, the ones who talk sense, mostly long-term prisoners.
-
Click here for Andrea’s previous blog.

Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

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Shaun P. Attwood
10 Apr 09

T-Bone v Cannonball (by T-Bone)

T-Bone - Radiating power and strength, this deeply-spiritual massively-built African American towers over most inmates. He is a prison gladiator with more stab wounds than Julius Caesar. A good man to have on your side.

I woke one morning in ’06 to a sunny day, expecting to be left alone by all of the dopies and wannabees. But in prison there are always those who take kindness for weakness and mellowness as softness. Why? Because they have messed-up thinking, to put it mildly. Shaun knows my code: don’t put your hand or mouth on another man unless you are absolutely sure. When I say mouth, I mean speaking ill about him.

I did a lot of joking with a man called Cannonball. I should have known that he was using me to promote his image of being a tough guy. He did bulldog quite a few guys out of dope, and I personally didn’t care, but when he forced a youngster to give him a blow job, it made me sick. Then he went too far, and cornered the kid into giving him his store and threatening his family with a bunch of lies.
I reacted by cussing him. He didn’t like it and went on the rampage. It was funny watching him try to motivate someone to take me on.
It didn’t work, so he came up to me and the youngster and some other guy, and said, “I heard you’re a rat.”
I was more than shocked. I was at a loss for words at that moment, so I let him take two steps back, and said, “Who’s saying that?”
He knew I had every right to smash him, but he was counting on my spirituality. He said, “I’m not telling you, period!”
Now here’s the catch, I made a choice and God knows I didn’t have to do anything. Yes, Cannonball called me something in here that’s worse than being called a punk, but I thought of the youngster standing there looking at me, wanting help. I told the youngster to go to his cell and pray. I followed Cannonball to his cell and asked him, “Who called me a rat?”
“Get outta my house!” he yelled. He had a dirty needle in his hand, and I knew he had hepatitis C.
I said, “Cannonball, there’s gonna be blood for all of the crap you’re pulling here. I’m gonna check you story out to see what’s up.”
I went to three guys (you know them, Shaun), and each one said it wasn’t me who people were talking about, so I went back to Cannonball, and said, “Who said what?”
He got mad and cussed me loud enough for several people to hear, and went to get a weapon.
I tried to let it go, but I made a choice to stand up, so I did. I went back to his cell. He wasn’t there. I came around to C pod, and he was going into Bald Headed Fred’s cell. I followed him up there, and heard him disrespecting me to BHF. I went in, and said, “You need to stop molesting the youngster.”
He said, “What’re you his daddy?” Then his cellmate, Ogre came in, and he really started to act tough.
I said, “Man, you’ve been given several opportunities, to stop and leave, but you just won’t quit.”
Reading me, he tried to kick me in my privates, but he didn’t know who he was messing with. Wham! Wham! Wham! Just that quick and it was over. Right hand. Left hand. Right hand. He was on the floor, out cold. Then Ogre acted like he was going to try something, but looked me in the eye, and saw something he didn’t like, and it wasn’t fear. I gave him a chance to sit back down and he did.
Cannonball was on the concrete, mumbling, “Sir, yes. Yes, sir. Sir, yes. Yes, sir,” and I left.

Cannonball was hospitalised. I was locked down for two months, and was it worth it? Yes, to help someone who was weaker, and no, because I could have gotten more time because the guy told the C.O.’s who did what, and I was fortunate the C.O.’s didn’t like the guy, so I didn’t get charged for it. But hear me, this is a choice I made to help others. I could have walked away from him saying something about me because everyone knew what I’m all about, and his words had no weight, and they still don’t because I am outnumbered 30 to 1, but God has my back.


I’d like to add some details to T-Bone’s story.

When this fight occurred, I was in my cell in the building adjoined to BHF’s. My cellmate, Long Island, revealed some details about the fight, which I wrote down, but obviously couldn’t post to the Internet at that time.
Apparently, a punch from T-Bone detached one side of Cannonball’s lip, which ended up dangling down his chin. Also, Cannonball’s head hit the toilet with such force that water splashed onto the wall, restoring some of the wall to a cream colour.
When Cannonball regained consciousness, Ogre said, “Goddam celly, you’ve been fubarred!” – fucked up beyond all recognition. They dressed Cannonball in a hat, shirt, jacket and sunglasses to get him back to his cell undetected by the guards. But as he had a mangled lip, a squashed broken nose, a broken cheek, and a broken jaw he had to be hospitalised. For his own safety, when he returned from hospital days later, he was rehoused to an adjacent yard. I saw him wearing a neck brace with a face so swollen black and blue, he looked like he’d survived a severe car crash.

Click here for T-Bone’s previous fight story.

Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

Email comments for T-Bone to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
08 Apr 09

Question Time

I am grateful to T-Bone for the following questions.


How’s your work going? Are you speaking to the youngsters yet? Let them know about me, and I’ll try to get you a picture so they can see your B.G. [bodyguard].

One of the reasons I moved to London was to jumpstart my job speaking to audiences of youths in schools and colleges. My boss is based out of London, and he said if I moved to London it would make it much easier for him to send me to the schools as most of his business is in the southern counties of England. However, it’s not the case that he can simply send me out to the schools to talk about prison and drugs. He has to advertise my story to the schools and the schools have to book me to speak. In his office last week, I met Emma Cole, who is putting together a blurb on my story for the schools, and adding my story to their website, which I expect to be up in about two weeks time. Emma is HIV positive, and speaks to the schools on that subject. I’m looking forward to starting the job, and to being a positive influence in the lives of some youths, but there’s nothing I can do until the advertising is done, and I get some bookings.
When you make it to England, I would love to introduce you to the schools, and to many other people. It’s one thing to read about you, but entirely another to meet you in person. The first time I saw you, I thought you belonged in a gladiator movie. It takes some time to get used to being around a man of your size. I’m sure the youths would be impressed not only by your physique, but also the size of your heart.


How’s your family?

Mum and Dad are doing fine in my hometown up north. I visited them over Mother’s Day weekend last month. I introduced them to Kathi, and they like that I’ve found a kind-hearted woman. My sister and her husband visited me last Sunday. We had lunch in a pub overlooking the River Wey, which weaves by some golden sands. I also gave them a tour of the house I’m staying at. They’ve since flown back to Dubai for work.


Do you have any idea when you’ll get to the final draft of your book?

Green Bologna and Pink Boxers is at 91,198 words. The bulk of the draft is down. I wrote hundreds of letters from the jail, and I’m now going over those letters for added details. The polishing comes next. I expect the entire draft to be in a presentable form later this year. My mentor, Sally Hinchcliffe, wants me to concentrate on getting the draft done, and then to start polishing it up from the beginning, applying everything I am presently learning. Sally seems pleased with the progress I’m making. And just yesterday, I received a positive email from a literary agent who had read chapters 1 to 3, requesting to meet me in London.


How’s you love life?

Kathi visited for two weeks last month, and I’ve booked to go to Germany for two weeks commencing on May 16th, which is Kathi’s birthday. We haven’t known each other for long, but so far she has been wonderful to be around. She is caring, generous, happy, intelligent, and lives simply. She’s not a partier, or likely to lead me astray. She doesn’t do drugs, but likes her beer. Such a German!


And most importantly, how is your state of mind?

I am happy to be in the right place to be bringing my projects to fruition. I like the house I’m in, the town of Guildford, and my landlord, Mike Hotwheelz, who spoils me with his homemade smoothies and Indian curries. I am attending various classes at the gym – just last night I did some yoga, tai chi and light weightlifting – and all of this exercise is really keeping me in a good mood. My only worries have been over money, but other than that, I’m doing what I love to do, writing.


Have you been drinking or drugging?

Definitely no drugging. I did drink a few pints of cider when Kathi came, but not enough to feel the effects the next day. Hammy wants to visit Guildford, and there’s no way I can keep up with his power drinking.


So what are the U.K.’s laws on felons coming there for holidays?

I really don’t know. I’m hoping that one of the blog readers will post a comment with info on that. I know that you have to get a passport first, and that’s at the discretion of the Passport Authority, who can deny felons, but usually do so only if the crimes are extremely serious like international terrorism. I don’t know what checks they run for felons coming from America into Europe. It would be terrible if you arrived here, and they put you on a flight back to America.


Please tell me some of the ways they make fish and chips in merry old England?

The traditional English way is to deep fry battered cod. When I was a child, the fish ‘n’ chips shops (chippies) served fish ‘n’ chips in sheets from old newspapers. As a regular at Appleton Chippy, I was addicted to fish fingers and chips. I used to coat the fish fingers in salt and Daddies Sauce (similar to your A1 Steak Sauce).

Coming next: T-Bone v Cannonball

Email comments to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
06 Apr 09

From T-Bone (Letter 9)

T-Bone - Radiating power and strength, this deeply-spiritual massively-built African American towers over most inmates. He is a prison gladiator with more stab wounds than Julius Caesar. A good man to have on your side.

3-19-09

Hey Brother,

What’s crackin over there across the big pond, and please tell me some of the ways they make fish and chips in merry old England?

Shaun, I miss you, man, and guess what? The City of Phoenix is really getting it for allowing some guy to run raves in the warehouse district downtown where you threw some of your raves, and your situation was mentioned as an example during the newscast. They talked about the sex and drugs associated with raves, and that the City of Phoenix should have known better than to allow people to party like that.

I know I haven’t been writing to you like I should, but I’ve been giving quite a lot of time to staying “sucker free!” How’s you love life? How’s your work going? How’s your family? And most importantly, how is your state of mind? Have you been drinking or drugging? Are you speaking to the youngsters yet? Let them know about me, and I’ll try to get you a picture so they can see your B.G. [bodyguard] who kept that fact to himself. As for me, I am strong. I don’t need or want any poison (drugs).

Speaking of Strength and Honor, I had to put this guy on his back after he said something that wasn’t too smart on his part. And you won’t believe the amount of dope that’s here in this place. OZ’s [ounces] Shaun, I mean OZ’s.

So what are the U.K.’s laws on ex felons coming there for holidays? As you know, I am out of here this November, or maybe sooner. That’s what’s on my mind, and working. And, man, I can’t wait to taste the fresh air. Wow and hoorah!

Please be careful and stay away from crazy people. Sat Hi to your folks, and you had better send me some pictures, my Brother, and know that you are on my mind, and yes, Shaun, you’re in my heart, my friend. Be strong and hold your head up high. Look North and think about how the Picts came running out of the hills to fight the Romans. Determination and Fortitude. Strength and Honor. Each one, teach one.

Steel embrace,

Yours,

T-Bone

ps) Thank your readers for their prayers. They have my respect and heart. Tell them I said to stay strong and live right. To be happy and of good courage

Click here to read T-Bone’s previous letter.

Coming soon: My response to T-Bone’s many questions and T-Bone’s next fight story.


Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

Email comments for T-Bone to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
05 Apr 09

Supporting Prisoners

In a sham on the taxpayers of Arizona, the State of Arizona is slashing spending on education to spend more on prisons. Misty, author of the blog Arizona Prison Widow, wants her fellow taxpayers in Arizona to take a stand on this issue. Like Misty, I support a reduction in prison sentences to address Arizona’s budget crisis, and I am appalled by the planned cuts in prison education.

Misty is calling on residents of Arizona to email the following message to the list of Arizona representatives by copy and pasting the message and the email addresses into one email:

Subject: Cut the mandatory time served for inmates in our state prison system

Recently, there has been talk of a budget proposal to reduce the mandatory time served for inmates in Arizona. I completely support this proposal, and I strongly urge you, as a representative of the taxpayers of Arizona, to implement this plan by whatever means necessary. There is too much spending in corrections and not enough on education and other important agencies. It's time that the mandatory minimum time served of 85% be reduced for those qualified inmates.

spierce@azleg.gov; ahale@azleg.gov; rgould@azleg.gov; jharper@azleg.gov; sallen@azleg.gov; pgorman@azleg.gov; jwaring@azleg.gov; callen@azleg.gov; rburns@azleg.gov; lgray@azleg.gov; bleff@azleg.gov; jnelson@azleg.gov; rmiranda@azleg.gov; dmccunedavis@azleg.gov; kcheuvront@azleg.gov; llandrumtaylor@azleg.gov; mburtoncahill@azleg.gov; rpearce@azleg.gov; cgray@azleg.gov; jhuppenthal@azleg.gov; jtibshraeny@azleg.gov; tverschoor@azleg.gov; rrios@azleg.gov; aaguirre@azleg.gov; malvarez@azleg.gov; amelvin@azleg.gov; jgarcia@azleg.gov; paboud@azleg.gov; llopez@azleg.gov; jpaton@azleg.gov; lmason@azleg.gov; atobin@azleg.gov; tchabin@azleg.gov; cdeschene@azleg.gov; dgoodale@azleg.gov; nmclain@azleg.gov; tboone@azleg.gov; jburges@azleg.gov; jbrown@azleg.gov; bkonopnicki@azleg.gov; scrump@azleg.gov; cseel@azleg.gov; rbarnes@azleg.gov; nbarto@azleg.gov; jkavanagh@azleg.gov; mreagan@azleg.gov; dlesko@azleg.gov; rmurphy@azleg.gov; dquelland@azleg.gov; jweiers@azleg.gov; adriggs@azleg.gov; emeyer@azleg.gov; smontenegro@azleg.gov; jpweiers@azleg.gov; mgarcia@azleg.gov; atovar@azleg.gov; chcampbell@azleg.gov; rmeza@azleg.gov; dlujan@azleg.gov; ksinema@azleg.gov; clcampbell@azleg.gov; bmiranda@azleg.gov; eableser@azleg.gov; dschapira@azleg.gov; cash@azleg.gov; scourt@azleg.gov; kadams@azleg.gov; rcrandall@azleg.gov; jmccomish@azleg.gov; rwaters@azleg.gov; wnichols@azleg.gov; syarbrough@azleg.gov; abiggs@azleg.gov; lhendrix@azleg.gov; bmcguire@azleg.gov; fpratt@azleg.gov; rjones@azleg.gov; lpancrazi@azleg.gov; pfleming@azleg.gov; dstevens@azleg.gov; vwilliams@azleg.gov; nyoungwright@azleg.gov; ocajerobedford@azleg.gov; plopes@azleg.gov; dbradley@azleg.gov; sfarley@azleg.gov; mheinz@azleg.gov; dpatterson@azleg.gov; fantenori@azleg.gov; dgowan@azleg.gov;

Lady Arkles is campaigning to save the life of Jose Garcia Briseno who is on death row in Texas. She has provided these videos for me to share:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Gu99DZj8A
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAOVYEV1R5g&feature=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuEQ0rgZXII&feature=related
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIUlhxOMHCk&feature=related

Email comments to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood
02 Apr 09

From Iron Man (Letter 4)

Iron Man - A martial-arts expert and personal trainer whose crimes include smashing someone’s door down: "I didn’t hurt anyone. I just wanted my fuckin’ money." His workouts are brutal. "I’ll have you in the best shape of your life by the time you get out," he told me.

March 14, 2009

Hello Brother,

I hope that this letter finds you well and that you are even now working toward the accomplishment of your goal of making success happen. I read you recent blog about your move to London. It is an excellent move. My compliments on your opening paragraph. Very strong. Inspirational, in fact.

Things are going fine for me here. Remember the air-conditioning class I was taking when you were here? Well, I’m teaching it now. Still working as a tailor four days a week. Only a year left to go and I’ll be free again.

It is 10am right now, and I have a big workout coming up at 11:30.

The overcrowding problem here in the Arizona prison system is getting out of control. They are going to double bunk this entire yard starting next month. The dorms here are designed for 48 men. Soon they will house 96. Oklahoma is currently housing 4,000 Arizona prisoners, but is sending all of them back almost immediately. Texas is also sending all of their Arizona prisoners back. This is the deal: every time I turn on the local news all they talk about is the fact that the State of Arizona is $2 billion in the hole. Because of that, the legislature has slashed the State Education Fund. £400 million has been raided from the 4 universities in Arizona, and the kindergartens through 12th grade have had their budgets slashed by about another half a billion. What they don’t say on the news is that the legislature is secretly building 4400 new prison beds at the Douglas, Yuma, and Tucson prison complexes. They have gone to a new type of housing unit. Huge steel warehouses that hold 330 prisoners per warehouse, stacked up like cordwood. Warehousing of prisoners is no longer a figurative term. I say it is a criminal act to deprive the children and college students of Arizona from gaining the education they need to survive in today’s world. The flawed logic that says, “Let’s build more prisons instead of a better education system,” will be the downfall of the next generation of Americans. It makes me sick.

On to happier subjects. I am happy to hear about your new love interest. Kathi sounds like a cool chick. Thank you for sending me a copy of The Great Thoughts. It is an excellent book. I really appreciate it.

My family is well and growing steadily. My youngest son and his fiancée are going to have my 3rd grandchild in September or October. My sons and grandsons came up last month with a food visit. It was great. We ate steak, BBQ ribs, boneless pork chops, homemade mashed potatoes, bread with real butter, and a homemade pecan pie. .

Did you know that Two Tonys has terminal liver cancer? He was diagnosed a couple of months ago. I’m not sure of the details, but the rumor is that it won’t be long. Sorry Brother, I know you like Two Tonys a lot.

Well Brother, I will close for now. You are often in my thoughts, and I look forward to seeing you again. Stay focussed and stay strong, keep your heart firmly fixed on your goals and before you know it you will have made success happen. There is no doubt in my mind.

Love and Respect,

Iron Man

Click here to read Iron Man’s previous letter.

Our friends inside appreciate your comments.

Email comments for Iron Man to writeinside@hotmail.com or post them below. To post a comment if you do not have a Google/Blogger account, just select anonymous for your identity.

Shaun P. Attwood