I want to tell you a story of INJUSTICE and ask for your help
want to tell you a story of INJUSTICE and ask for your help incontacting ?????
Joyce Enos, who I met in prison many years ago, was recently sent to a halfway house in Jacksonville, Fl. She had served 13 + years of her 15 year federal sentence for conspiracy. Mother of 5, non violent first time offender, black, 60 years of age. Educated, articulate, peaceful in speech and demeanor.
At the Residential Re-entry Center, RRC, a Bureau of Prison halfway house, where she was assigned on November 29, 2006.
From a letter written that day:
"after only 2 hours after arriving I was sent to the Director’s office. My crime (infraction?) during intake, while I was reading and signing agreement papers for there rules, regulations, etc for this RRC program, I read and reread several times a clause, RELEASE OF LIABILITY. iF I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY, IT BASICALLY SAID THAT IF ANY INJURY OCCURRED TO ME, REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT I COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT HOLD RRC (AKA KCI), IT’S STAFF OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR DAMAGES.
The Director told me that the clause meant they could tell my employer , the public or anyone that I am a convicted felon that there is nothing I could do about it. He asked me if I understood that I am a convicted felon, that I committed a crime and that I have to pay for it. He told me that I have NO RIGHTS because I am a convicted felon. I contacted a manager at Coleman Federal Prson who told me that the CCM has a right to have this clause to protect them from being sued.
My questions
Who is looking out for my rights? – where is the clause that protects my rights?
It is my opinion that an important component of re-entry should be to teach and encourage participants to be responsibil in taking care of their own interest.
The Director here, bullied and threatened me with being written up for failing the program and being sent back to prison. …………….In my gut I do not get the feeling to sign it without legal advice. The Director adamantly refuses to give me a copy of the clause so that I may obtain legal council. He told me to sign it now or I would be put out of the program."
I visited Joyce in Yulee, Fl and this is the rest of the story.
"Shortly thereafter the Federal Marshals arrived. I was handcuffed, shackled and sent to the Nassau County jail. I am in limbo. I do not know what is to happen to me between now and my release date of April 13, 2007. Considering my 13 years as a model prisoner why can’t I be put on home confinement?"
Any suggestions as to who to contact. Certainly I will sent this to the Southeast Region in Atlanta but who else can I contact to resolve the issue?
thanks to all of you
rita lucey
407 851 5088
