I was looking for an old friend, because I want to visit him when I go to California this summer. I have not seen him in 15 years (I was in college). I now found out that he is in Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California. He is in the SHU (Secure Housing Unit). I have been surfing the Net trying to find out about this place, and the picture I am getting is not a very pretty one. I think he is probably in there for gang-related reasons.

First of all, I would like to know if anyone knows what kinds of things can be sent to a person in the SHU. It sounds extremely restricted. Also, can they make phone calls.

I also heard that once you are put in SHU, you MUST remain there for 6 years before you are even eligible for a hearing to see if you can come out of the SHU. And I heard that chances are very slim, because they never believe you are reformed.

From what I can ascertain, he was given two sentences of 108 years to life (consecutive) for committing armed robberies while on parole. How can this be? This is more time than a convicted murderer gets. If he has been in prison before, and has multiple other convictions, could this be due to the "3 strikes" law in California?

How do I go about using the Freedom of Information Act to get a copy of his presentence report (and is this even possible for a person in another state to get?). How can I find out what went on in his sentencing? I am afraid that because he is a poor Hispanic person, that maybe he got "railroaded" or something, was not given adequate counsel, etc. How can I find out about appeals, etc, and if there are any "free" agencies who will look into his case to see what happened for me?

I wrote to him for the first time last week, and I am waiting to see if he will write back, after us not being in touch all these years. I suppose I could wait to see what he says, but I am anxious. I was very depressed when I found out his situation. He went to prison in 1992, paroled in May of 1995, then went back in on the new convictions in April of 1996. As of right now, I do not know how long he has been at Pelican Bay, and how long he has been in the SHU. From what I remember of his home/family life, I doubt anyone writes much or is bothering to help him get out of that 108 years to life prison sentence. I am not saying he doesn't deserve to do time for his crime, but I KNOW he has not murdered anyone, and certainly deserves another chance. That horrible 108 years is an unfair sentence. I am willing to let him come to my home in Michigan to rehabilitate and start over. It just seems impossible for him to get out, though. Any help or resources anyone can give me, and any information about Pelican Bay, whether it be first-hand from someone who's been there or from family/friends of those incarcerated there, would be greatly appreciated. Especially info on the SHU. I feel so helpless all the way over here in Michigan, and I don't know what to do for him. Thank you so much.

Hi honey I talked with you in chat tonight but it was pretty busy in there. I am packing right now so I can't go over all of your questions until I get back. For anyone in the SHU they can have one package a year and you can send them books but I am not sure if they have to send you paper work first. I know you can send them a magazine subscription to magazines that they like. You can send in post cards and paper I am told 50 sheets at a time. Envelopes 20 at a time and they should come from the post office pre-stamped. I think Ken will jump in here and answer some of your other questions, he is better at the legal end of things than I am. Love Barbara

Thank you. The info about the package helps. I have SO many questions, maybe if Max writes to me I can find out more. I just hope he can even read and write good. I used to help him and tutor him way back then, and I can't remember how good he was. I mean, I believe he was adequate at reading and writing, but I can't remember. I am just so anxious and full of questions about his situation. But thanks for your help. I wish your son was near Max. It would then feel like I know someone closer to him!! I am going to southern California at the end of June, and I am really trying to work out a way for me to get all the way up to Crescent City to see him. I read on the web site that you have to call to make an appointment to see someone in the SHU. Well, thank you again. Hope to talk to you soon. And I will pray for your son and his safe return to you. You said his name was Richard, right? I will pray for Richard every time I pray for Max. Goodnight.

You can visit but you have to turn in a visiting form from the prison and the have to approve you. I have one here but I will have to find it. When I return I will try and post it for you so you can just cut and paste it then send it on to the prison. It will take a month or so to get ok'ed. Love Barbara

Songbird,

Welcome to PTO. You will find you'll get alot of support, & info here.

First, I Know your all fired up to jump right into helping your friend, & that is very admirable, as your probably right, he probably isn't getting much from anyone on the outside. Here is my advise.

Wait till you hear from him. 108 to life isn't that out of line for strike cases, & if he's guilty, then there really isn't much anyone can do. Going through appeals, especially when locked up are very stressful, & very emotionally charged. So, unless he claims to be completely innocent, there really isn't alot that you can do to get him out. At any rate, if for some reason God intervened & he got out, they won't be letting him go to Michigan. Right now, the best thing you can do is be supportive, & help him do his time. Send him books, a quarterly package if you can, write him, just be a friend. Don't push the appeals thing, & talk of getting out, unless it's something he's pushing. If he's guilty, he's had to mentally accept whats happened to him, & to come to terms with where he's at. This is a hard thing for a man to do. As for the 6yr thing in the SHu, it all depends on why he's there. If it's for gang membership, which it very well could be, there isn't much anyone can do to get him out of the SHU. Your energies would be better spent on the outside trying to change the laws that lock up guys for this amount of time, & laws that let CDC put guys in the SHU, & throw away the key. Just some advise. ----Ken

Thank you for bringing me back to reality. You are right - I was just shocked at the amount of time he got, and kept thinking how unfair that was and there must be something someone can do. The fact that there is NOTHING I can do is really hard to accept. I just want to cry all the time, because mentally/emotionally I am unable to accept what has happened to him. And when I think of how I would feel, like going crazy, if I were locked up like that, I just have so much sympathy and sorrow for him. To think of NEVER getting out of prison, well, I could not handle it for myself. I don't know that there is anything for me to do about changing California laws, since I live in Michigan. Thanks again for listening and helping me face reality, so I can COPE.

I didn't mean to imply that there is nothing you can do. I just think it's best to wait till you hear from him first. See what he has to say. He may need & want your help. He may just need a friend. Being a friend is definately something, especially to someone in the SHU. Lets just wait to see what he has to say, & we can go from there. If he needs help legally, then we can cross that road when we come to it. Until then, be his friend, come here to PTO for info & support. You'll find many good people here, & a lot of good info & support to help you cope with all this.--------Ken

Well, I thank you for your advice. I know I tend to "freak out" and want to jump up and start doing things. I know I haven't been on this site (or my computer) in several days. I am a single mother who works full-time, so I cannot always get on the computer everyday. I work on a computer at my job all day and sometimes I don't feel like typing and stuff when I get home! And lots of times I am either just too busy or too tired. In my job, I do deal with law enforcement, and I am not completely ignorant of criminal justice matters. Only where prisons are concerned. I used to work at a maximum security juvenile facility in the Los Angeles area when I was in college, as the beginning of a work-study program for my major, but that was a little different. I did some counseling, tutored the kids in math and English, and taught the non-English-speaking Hispanic kids how to speak English, and stuff like that. And I would work with the gang kids through Youth for Christ once they were released (not necessarily the same kids I worked with while they were incarcerated). So I really appreciate ANY and ALL advice concerning this situation of having someone I care about incarcerated - for undoubtedly the rest of his natural life (because 2 terms of 108 years to life, consecutive, appears impossible to get out of, and parole is probably nowhere in sight). My estranged husband has spent periods of confinement at county jails (in both Michigan and California), but he was never incarcerated in a prison. We call jail "confinement" and prison "incarceration," because jail sentences are only a period of confinement for 12 months or less (at least here in Michigan). If the judge wants to take you off the streets for more than a year, it cannot be "confinement" at a county jail - you mandatorily get "incarcerated" at a State Prison. So I truly do thank you for your words of advice. As of this date, I still have not heard from Max. So I am being forced to sit still and wait!!

Sorry I was trying to post the visiting form but it would not take it. Give me you email address and I will try that. Love Barbara

YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO TO THE CALIFORNIA FORUM AND THE FIRST THREAD IS DEDICATED TO PELICAN BAY. JUST SOME INFO IF YOU NEED TO KNOW ANY MORE

Yes, I did manage to find that forum! Thank you! It's been invaluable!

YOUR WELCOME :)

Ken,

I live up here and if you need ever to know stuff about whats going on up here feel free to contact me, for instance there is now only four lawyers in town who deal specifically with defending Pelican Bay Inmates. Its kinda a big political thing up here, because of the DA's time and court time and defense budget getting tied up with inmate legal issues. So instead of paying a bunch of lawyers on a case by case basis they have put together a group of 4 lawyers who are salaried to handle PB Inmate defense. Ironically they each get paid about 2x the amount a new DA gets. But they have all been around awhile and know the ropes. Let me know any help/support I can give. I also currently visit at PB on the ranch, but that will most likely be short lived as we are both from here which I think will create problems.

Songbird - the various offices at Pelican Bay are usually very helpful and informative. This would be a good place to get info for some of your questions.

707 465-1000

Visiting info - ext 5415
Mailroom - ext 7102
R & R - ext 5561 (they will have the rules about sending an annual package)

Your friend is lucky to have someone who cares. Good Luck.

This is a very old thread from back in 03. Love Barb

Glad to see someone is paying attention. :)

So, the fact that people housed @ SHU are allowed to have mag subscription(s) is still on, right?