Into the Belly of the beast (Part 2 of 4)

27 December 2008

 I get transported to Boulder County Sheriffs, and go through the remainder of the booking process.  There are 3 other people there, all for alcohol; they were all on their first offenses.  They were calling their parents telling the story, and asking to be bailed out.  I was sitting there waiting to see what was to happen to me.  I was clueless as to what I was going to face, and well they don’t give you any information at all! 

 I do the finger print, mug shot etc, and then led to a small room to change into the prison garb. I bright orange one piece suit, slip on shoes socks, and some boxers. I change, and am led down a long hall, at this point it hit me, this is not a $50 fine, and get a ride home type situation.  I get led to a pod, and am handed some sheets, a coffee mug with, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and a comb.  Then told “16”, I walk into the pod and find 16, and unpack. 

 The pod consists of two tiers, in the neighborhood of 30 cells 10 of which are high security, and are in a separate smaller pen.  All the cells have two beds a small desk, and a toilet, it is roughly 10’x7’.  The upper tier overlooks the open space which is a few tables’ benches, 2 phones, and couple of TV’s with no sound.  There is an ominous triangle of tinted glass, the guard shack which has a little doggie window you use to talk to them.  This is the “Intake” pod where you spend 2-5 days before you get sent to your new home.  You spend around 19 hours a day locked in your cell; otherwise you have 2 hours at night to watch TV, or phone calls. 

 I learned over the next day, that the guards do not like being asked to do much of anything. This pod is “Intake” everyone in here is pretty oblivious to what is going on.  Frst timers have no clue, and have to ask everything, when is food, how do you make a phone call etc.  Once we got out of lock down I started asking the guards if I could get my phone, this is a no-go. After a bunch of begging and pleading they give me the phone.  Which is a classic good cop, bad cop story,  one guard says no, and tells you to shut up, the other gets the phone.  The only reason he helped me was since my dog was locked in my apartment, he clearly has a dog. 

 I called Kate, and her sister with the guard standing beside me, he also let me copy down some phone numbers because this day in age who knows ANYONES number?  The messages I left got Jazmine released and into Kate’s custody (she was not happy)  I was awaiting my bond papers so I could post bond and get out.  Halfway through the day I get the paper, and have a $5000 bond to post…. Hmmm. Again no one tells me anything, and I start looking into bondsman. 

 Monday morning turns fruitful with two people willing to post bond, which would have been great.  10 minutes after getting of the phone with my ex boss who was going to post for me, they yell my name.  Interesting side note, all the doors are electronically locked or unlocked, so you learn very quickly the sound of the “click” it makes when you are opened, it was alarming how quickly that “click” would get a reaction.  I heard the click and open the door, and told me lawyer is here.

 I go into to meet with my lawyer, who is just a kid, in college, trying to finish up his schooling.  We go over the charges, which is a laundry list DUI, No plate, expired tags, no insurance, broken windshield, and think another 1 or two things.  I am also apparently facing felony charges because of the girl in the car.  We go over the charges, which I deny all but the DUI, the rest were either made up (I had insurance) or a result of the accident… I hit a tree, the windshield broke, but they try to charge me with driving with a broken windshield.  Oh, and the greatest “fleeing the scene of and accident” Apparently pushing the car off the road is considered fleeing, yeah it’s a 1mph get away pushing a car. 

 He and I go through my story, and I just tell the story how I know it, so yes I was drunk, etc. He tells me I am facing 10 days to a year in jail.  Ton of fees, classes, monitored sobriety, etc etc. 

 I return to my cell with some sort of sense of relief, that maybe this whole thing might find an end.   There is not much you can do in jail, you can watch TV if your cell faces a TV, but with no sound (this is just intake) or you can read, sleep, stare at the wall, but really not much happening. My cellie was a trustee, which has its perks.  Trustee’s come from prison terminology; they are considered the inmate police so to speak.  They are given special privileges since they are trusted.  In Boulder County, it equated to guys who were facing big charges, and who are still stuck in court, but basically are looking at life.  One guy is in a bug public case in Boulder for murdering and raping a woman 10 years ago.  My cellie was facing a long count of child molestation charges (this is the rumor… no one EVER admits to child molestation) its always my lawyer is working on the case.  The origin of the case is never told, since child molesters are the most hated people in jail. 

 The perks of being a trustee are, you are only in lock down at night otherwise you sweep the floor and clean after meals, and can hang out in the pod while everyone else is n lockdown.  Being a cellie gets you the benefit of not having to close the door, which at least makes the cell feel a little larger.  This was huge since my system was having a tough time, and having a little extra air coming through was helpful. 

 Later the “click” releases me to go to court.  You are led down a hall to a little pen, with a bunch of people from other pods.  Here they do the full shackle, hands shackled to your waist; being presumed innocent is tough when you are in an orange jumpsuit while your hands are chained to your waist.  You go in hear your charges, say your “not guilty” the judge laughs are your plea for the bond to be lowered, and a court date is set up.  Mine is for Wednesday, and am sent back to my cell.

The next few days is a boring repetition of breakfast (530 am) lunch (10301m) dinner (500pm) and 2 hours of being able to make phone calls, and relax.  The rest of the time I am in my cell reading.  My cellie aside from the usual bible and other religious writings had a good little collection he let me use.  Wednesday comes, the felony charges are dropped, and I get sentenced.  120 days suspended, 60 days to serve, 60 hrs community service, one year monitored sobriety, one year loss of license, classes and so forth. 

Early the following morning the “click” and the yell is for me to pack… and into the belly I go.