Transcript
"There is No-Rehabilitation in the State of California" Now, I know for a fact, there is no such thing as rehabilitation in the state of California criminal justice system. As a non-violent drug offender, and a Vietnam combat Veteran, I can attest to the fact, there is no such thing as Rehabilitation in the "California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation," also known as C.D.C.R.. The reason for my saying this; which will be made more clear, as this story unfolds. First of all, let me introduce myself to you. I am a 70 year old drug addict; I go by the name of "Bandit," but my real name is [redacted], and I have spent over 40 years in in prison, something I am not proud of. I have never been married nor do I have any children. I have no-family that are still living. I got my first prison sentence as an adult in 1972; which was a sentence of, Five years to life, for Penal Code, section 211 (Robbery). In 1977, my life term was to be set at a determent term; under a new law that was enacted in June 1977. In 1978, the parole board set my time at eight (8) years. Then in 1994, the voters pasted the "Three Strikes Law;" now my 1972 conviction, just became a strike, which doubles any new felony, I am convicted of. Any felony that is considered a serious or violent, is now a strike, under this new Law. If you have two (2) strikes and, you get convicted of any new felony, you could b sentence to 24 years to Life, with a minimum of 20 years to do before you to go the board. So you see, that would make me some kind of an authority on C.D.C.R., since I have so much time invested in the California Prison System. My new felony charge this time is, a non-violent drug offense, for which, the elected District Attorney was offering at first; a prison sentence of four (4) years at 80%, that was at preliminary, then it went to seven (7) years at 80%, which was the max I was looking at. This was by the elected District Attorney; she is also the one, who prosecuted me on a traffic accident in 2014, where she was trying to give me a sentence of 89 years to Life. On that case, the judge found me the victim of the accident, then he gave me six (6) years at 80% prison for the accident; go figure Right! On a Romero Motion; that's a motion to strike the strike, the district attorney stated, "that in 1972, the defendant was given a life term, he has not served that life Sentence yet." What she failed to state at that time, was that sentence was reduced in 1978, when the parole board set my time for that case, at eight (8) years. So much for justus right! On the present case that I was charged with; the non-violent drug charge; I was more then willing to go into the Veteran's Court Treatment Program, which is an 18 month program through the courts. The Veteran's Court Treatment Program, is a rehabilitation program for Veteran's. I am a Vietnam Combat Veteran, I should have been given the opportunity for this Rehabilitation program, but I was denied because of my past. I guess they don't want to see me Rehabilitated. I was excepted into the Veteran's Court program, but that I needed to get probation. The judge I stood in front of this time for sentencing, was the same judge I stood in front of on my last case, which he remembered that case; which was a traffic accident. This time, he gave me four (4) years with half-time, then he thanked me for my military service. The last time, when I was in front of him, he found me the victim, then he gave me six (6) years at 80% prison for the Accident, some justice, or is it Just-us! As I sit here again in prison, I wonder, when will I be given the chance for some kind of Rehabilitation; even my willingness to try to change my lifestyle, which I am not aloud to, it seems. How can a person change their Life, without the family or Real friends help and assistance, fresh out of prison with no-money to speak of, and being homeless on top of that. Being homeless in California on parole, is a violation in itself. Back to prison I go again!! In the past forty (40) years of prison life, I have witnessed more than enough injustice in the State of California's Criminal Justice System. I witnessed a blind kid, who was convicted of a crime, there was no-way he was guilty of; he eventually got his conviction overturned. I myself, was convicted, because the district attorney told the jury in his closing arguments; "that the defendant is a trained assassin and a threat to society, and you must lock him up for the rest of his life;" that's what the justice system has done. I fought for freedom, but I never enjoy the freedom I fought so hard for, now will I!!? But that's another story to be told. The judge relied on false or misleading information in the probation sentencing report, that the judge used on my sentencing. The probation report stated, that I had eleven (11) felony convictions, for which, resulted in some kind of prison term. This information was totally false and misleading of the facts of those case's. Two (2) of my felony convictions where reduced to misdemeanors, after I completed the probation successfully, the charges were then reduced. As I went over my record and the probation report after sentencing; I found that I only had a total of nine (9) felony conviction, counting the two (2) that were reduced. Four (4) of them can still be reduced to misdemeanor under proposition 47, that, plus the two (2) that had already been Reduced, would make a total of six (6) misdemeanors, and three (3) felony convictions. I don't know where the other two (2) convictions came from, unless the Lake County probation officer was counting charges that I was found not-guilty of, but that sounds like the probation department of Lake County, California. I have been sent to prison on more than one occasion, by a judge who states his reason as; "that the reason why I am sending you back to prison, is because, you have been to prison before." The first time I was sent to prison, was in 1972, which was right after I got out of the Army and Vietnam; the district attorney called me a trained assassin and a threat to society, that I should be locked away for the rest of my life. Believe it or not, they keep trying to do just that. Well that's my story on this case; so here I sit with another prison term, and no-rehabilitation in sight. In the State of California, the only way to get Rehabilitation program, is to tell on someone; well I guess I won't be getting any Rehabilitation. I am serious about that too. You shall be hearing from me again; for I have found a voice and an outlet to let it be heard. The End. By: "Bandit" Dated: November 3rd, 2019
