Well, we learned something the hard way. We drove the early morning three hour drive up to see Dean just to find out that his yard is on lockdown. It happened the night before we left. I guess next time I will have to call at 4am to find out if he is on lockdown or not. We had to turn around and come back home. Two times over the grapevine in one day. Not fun.
I haven't heard from him yet as he is not allowed to make phonecalls on lockdown. I hope he is okay.
The Innocence project has a new person on his case with some great ideas. Hopefully we can get Dean his freedom.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
The world we live in.
I just got word today that Dean's appeal was just submitted to the appellate court. Here , I thought the court had been reviewing it for the last year. I guess there are way too many appeals in Orange County to go through. So we probably will not hear anything back now for at least another year. Wow. This is the world we live in. Just pray that those who read it are not lazy or pre-biased for guilt.
Monday, August 9, 2010
EDGE
Dean has been accepted into a program called EDGE that operates in the prison. It is a program that helps troubled teens shape up and realize what awaits them if they keep on the downward path. Since Dean comes from a loving extended family and had a great childhood, he is a good example of what can happen to any one that cared too much about "being cool". He can help others to prevent what happened to him. It is a full time gig, and will keep him very occupied and fulfilled in prison.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
August 2010
It has been quite a while since I posted on the blog. We moved the blog to this site and that took awhile. This site is more private and only family and friends will have the address.
Dean is doing very well at Kern Valley State Prison. He has grown his hair out shoulder length and wears it in a pony tail. It looks very good on him and it covers his back of the head bald spot. He now looks like he is a soccer player from Uruguay. He has kept his spirits up and has been writing many letters fighting for various inmates rights.
We still have heard nothing on his appeal and keep thinking that any day now, we will hear something. The appeals court has to read through both cases. To us it seems so simple, but the court is trying to find a reason to refuse the appeal. That it is taking this long may be a good sign, because they are not finding anything.
Last month, Dean's grandparents who are in their 80's got to visit him for the first time in prison.
They found the whole process interesting and a bit disturbing. They were happy to see Dean and glad that he keeps his spirits up. They asked him how he does that, and he replied that every morning he picks two things to look forward to(for example, a candy bar or a t.v. show) and then later in the day enjoys one and then in the evening, another. He lives one day at a time, and tries to help others and educate himself.
He already has dropped points and his counselor says that he can be transferred to a lower level prison next year. I hope that happens. He says that he is fine though where he is if it doesn't.
Dean is doing very well at Kern Valley State Prison. He has grown his hair out shoulder length and wears it in a pony tail. It looks very good on him and it covers his back of the head bald spot. He now looks like he is a soccer player from Uruguay. He has kept his spirits up and has been writing many letters fighting for various inmates rights.
We still have heard nothing on his appeal and keep thinking that any day now, we will hear something. The appeals court has to read through both cases. To us it seems so simple, but the court is trying to find a reason to refuse the appeal. That it is taking this long may be a good sign, because they are not finding anything.
Last month, Dean's grandparents who are in their 80's got to visit him for the first time in prison.
They found the whole process interesting and a bit disturbing. They were happy to see Dean and glad that he keeps his spirits up. They asked him how he does that, and he replied that every morning he picks two things to look forward to(for example, a candy bar or a t.v. show) and then later in the day enjoys one and then in the evening, another. He lives one day at a time, and tries to help others and educate himself.
He already has dropped points and his counselor says that he can be transferred to a lower level prison next year. I hope that happens. He says that he is fine though where he is if it doesn't.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Blessing
Someone dear gave this to me. He found it in a book called "To Bless The Space Between Us" by John O'Donohue. It is a blessing for the parents of one who is thought to have committed a crime. So...it is a blessing for us and I wanted to share it.
No one else can see beauty in his darkened life now.
His image has closed like a shadow.
When people look at him, he has become the mirror of the damage that they think he has
done.
But, he is yours. And you have different eyes that hold his yesterdays in pictures no one
else remembers.
No one else can see beauty in his darkened life now.
His image has closed like a shadow.
When people look at him, he has become the mirror of the damage that they think he has
done.
But, he is yours. And you have different eyes that hold his yesterdays in pictures no one
else remembers.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Hope for 2010
Well, the year is almost over. I hope 2010 will be a better one and maybe bring Dean his freedom. Here is a thought/question for the new year.
If 3 witnesses to a crime, who do not know each other, all describe the assailants as wearing baggy cholo pants and sweatshirts, and then a detective and a prosecutor say that the assailant was wearing a shop work uniform; who are you more inclined to believe??
Happy New Year to those who deserve it!
If 3 witnesses to a crime, who do not know each other, all describe the assailants as wearing baggy cholo pants and sweatshirts, and then a detective and a prosecutor say that the assailant was wearing a shop work uniform; who are you more inclined to believe??
Happy New Year to those who deserve it!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Visit
We had our Christmas visit with Dean. His Aunt Mona, and cousin Sara came with us. Dean was happy to see them. He looks good and is well acclimated now to Kern Valley. His cell mate is a transfer from Oregon who tells Dean that the Oregon prisons are much better. I guess the cells are nicer and the food is better and there are more programs for the prisoners to keep them busy. Interesting. Dean has enrolled in a program here that counsels young juveniles on the realities of prison and the consequences of being in a gang or hanging out with the wrong crowd. I think he would be excellent at it. If it is God's will for him to do this, it will happen.
If anyone wants to send him something for Christmas, he and various inmates like to play this card game. It has depth and many characters that need to be added. I found them at Amazon.com and they will send them to him. They are called Magic, The Gathering. It is a science fiction creative story game. He likes the Alara Reborn series. There are many different ones and he likes any of them. Pick one and have Amazon send it to him at Kern Valley State Prison with his number G30030. It is amazing how he gets inmates involved in peaceful things. Last time, he got many of them involved in reading books and talking about them.
We heard that Miguel's brother got convicted for murder recently and we wonder if he got railroaded too, and might be innocent. It was bad enough that his family lost Miguel, but now, they lose Jose too. Gangs are so stupid and so hurtful to families. I wonder what the solution is. Hopefully Dean will be able to talk some juveniles into shaping up. He has learned the hard way how unfair the justice system can be, and how political it is.
We will never give up on Dean, and a group of attornies have decided to take up his cause. Someday, the truth will come out. Hopefully, we will not need their service because the second appeal will be granted.
If anyone wants to send him something for Christmas, he and various inmates like to play this card game. It has depth and many characters that need to be added. I found them at Amazon.com and they will send them to him. They are called Magic, The Gathering. It is a science fiction creative story game. He likes the Alara Reborn series. There are many different ones and he likes any of them. Pick one and have Amazon send it to him at Kern Valley State Prison with his number G30030. It is amazing how he gets inmates involved in peaceful things. Last time, he got many of them involved in reading books and talking about them.
We heard that Miguel's brother got convicted for murder recently and we wonder if he got railroaded too, and might be innocent. It was bad enough that his family lost Miguel, but now, they lose Jose too. Gangs are so stupid and so hurtful to families. I wonder what the solution is. Hopefully Dean will be able to talk some juveniles into shaping up. He has learned the hard way how unfair the justice system can be, and how political it is.
We will never give up on Dean, and a group of attornies have decided to take up his cause. Someday, the truth will come out. Hopefully, we will not need their service because the second appeal will be granted.
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