Rikers Island

Pre-sentencing

Interview with Blunt, Charles, Patrick, Ryan and TJ


JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
Blunt: No! I didn't have a pre-sentence.
Charles: I was never sentenced. I spent 7 months locked up, then I was released and put into an outpatient program for 14 months and all the charges were dismissed.
Patrick: Was horrible because at first they where trying to give me up to five years
Ryan: Just waiting for them to process you.
TJ: n/a

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning?
Blunt: No! The police didnt stop by for questioning
Charles: The police were waiting at my house to arrest me the first time I was arrested for assaulting my wife. The handcuffs were placed on very tightly and they hurt very much. It was also painful when I was placed in the police car with my hands handcuffed behind my back.
Patrick: one time after the incident had occured
Ryan: no i did not
TJ: n/a

JM: What was your court appearance like?
Blunt: My court appearance was horrible. The judge was very rude, and unprofesional. He was talking to me like I was beneath him. Even though he was the jugdge he acted upon like he was King Tut.+
Charles: Court appearanced were horrible because we (the prisoners) had to wait very long times in the "bull pen" cells. These cells were in rikers and in the courthouses. These cells were very crowded, hot or cold and we had to endure humilifying strip searches. I remember the incences the guards burned in the strip search areas. They burned incences because of foul body odors of prisoners. It was very hard to take showers in the Mental Observation ward in rikers.
Patrick: i was always dressed sharp
Ryan: it was fast accept on the day I was sentence, that was long.
TJ: n/a