WELL FOLKS, I KEEP GETTING THESE LETTERS FROM TODD SAYING, MAMA I AM SCARED TO DEATH. ITS EVERY LETTER HE WRITES ME NOW DAYS. HE KEEPS TELLING ME HIS LIFE IS CONSTANTLY BEING THREATENED AND NOBODY WILL NOT DO A DAMN THING ABOUT IT! HE HAS HAD A LIFE- THREATNING LETTER THROWN IN HIS CELL OVER AND OVER. I HAVE E-MAILED HUNTSVILLE TWICE AND FINALLY GOT THE RESULTS OF THEIR SO- CALLED INVESTIGATION INTO IT AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE TO GO WITH TODDS STORY, ( IMAGINE THAT!) THIS IS TEXAS FOR YOU! AND THIS IS KEEPING ME SO UPSET THAT I CANNOT HARDLY DEAL WITH IT! SO I MAILED A LETTER TO TODD TODAY AND TOLD HIM TO TRY AND STAY OUT OF STUFF , BUT IF HE HAS TO I TOLD HIM TO DO WHAT HE HAS TO DO! AFTER ALL WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO LOOSE, HE IS DOING LIFE. I ALSO TOLD HIM, THAT HE CANNOT LIVE IN FEAR THE REST OF HIS LIFE! PLEASE TELL ME IF I TOLD HIM RIGHT, CAUSE I AM SO TIRED OF THIS BULLSH._ _ ! I AM TIRED OF MY SON NOT BEING TREATED LIKE A HUMAN- BEING !! THIS IS REALLY BEGINNING TO PISS ME OFF! THANKS FOR THE GRIPE SESSION. SHERRON :fb:

Sherron,

I am not going to say anything but you and your son are in my prayers! I hope that he will find his way...

Sherron,

I am so sorry for what you and your son is going through. So far, I haven't received any letters or calls from my son saying he has been threatened. If he has been, he is not telling me. One of my concerns for my son is for him not to get with the "wrong crowd." I hear that is very easy to do.

You and your son will be in my prayers. Hang in there! It will get a little bit easier. Take care!!

Dear Sherron,

I know all to well how you are feeling. My son who has just turned 20 but he is a young 20 ( lower functioning) was being threatened to be killed earlier this year. I was sick with worry. He finally had to ask for protective custody. Can your son get PC? I know that it was a very difficult place for my son to be-no phone calls, visits once a month and he would have to hand cuffed and belly chained when he came out. That was a terrible experience for me too.

Sherron I don't have any words of wisdom but I also told my son that he had to do whatever he had to do to stay alive. I would make sure I sent a letter to the warden (certified) if your son is in danger stating the fact that they have an obligation to keep him safe-remember to keep a copy of the letter. Are they refusing your son protective custody?

Please take care of you and let us know how you are doing.

Susan

Sherron, I don't think any mother in your shoes would have done it differently! You've done what your instinct tells you to do and that is just fine!

I don't have any great words to say, but your in my thoughts and so is your son!

Sherron

I'm so sorry to hear that Todd's problems are going on !! I can understand you're pissed off and tired of this bullshit. Well did you tell Todd the right thing ? I suppose yes. He has to react by himself to get the other inmates' respect. They are probably testing him with these letters, he mustn't show evidence of weakness, so maybe he will have to go on a fight,
will probably be scratched up, but maybe he will be left alone after. I think he has to react by himself to this situation.
Sherron, Joey had problems with a gang 1 and a half month ago, I too was scared, and got advice thru PM from an ex-convict PTO member. Well I wrote Joey to ask for Protective Custody. He replied me, that asking for PC is out of question, it would make things worse after!! So he dealt with this shit by himself, and now things are better. That's the problem Sherron, even if we're here to support and care for them, they have to deal with problems by themselves.
Sherron, if this shit goes on, and if he's scared for his life, rather than asking for PC, can't he get a transfer to another unit ? I have no idea if it's possible or not, but maybe you can inquire ?
Well, I hope things will be better, and I keep you both in my thoughts.
All the best :)
Philippe

TODD WAS IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY. BUT SOON AS THEIR SO- CALLED INVESTIGATION WAS OVER, THEY PUT HIM RIGHT BACK INTO IT. PHIL, THIS IS TEXAS- THEY DONT GIVE A SHIT ABOUT ANYONE! BUT A TRANSFER IS WHAT ILL BE WORKING ON! ANY IDEAS ANYONE? SHERRON

Sherron,
Sorry I have no ideas, BUT, if you start a petition for his transfer, or need letters of support, you can count on me as you can surely count on your PTO family !!!
All the best
Philippe

I can't believe the things that we have to deal with... I am so so sorry Sherron... I am going to pray for you and your son... Patty

You may not like my answer, but this the answer to my son also...........
Number one, they rule through intimidation, they don't want to kill you, they want you to think they will kill you, so you will do what ever they want from you........

If you give in one time it will never end, if you let them take your food once, it will never end........

The harsh reality is you have to fight for whats yours, and not give a inch, you will gane respect from your peers....... in prison respect is very impotant.......

There are allot and people so afraid they will do anything and will have a life not worth living they will be traded for sex for a carton of cigaretes, they will be someone elses posession.....

You don't have to be big, or toufg, or strong, you just have to stand up for your self and command respect, and git it your best and don't stop till someone breaks it up if you get in a physical confrontaion over someone talking your food etc.....

They will respect you and find someone weeker ti pick on....

It was the same way on the streets I grew up on

PANDCLE- I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID. I WROTE TODD LAST NIGHT AND TOLD HIM. I THINK IT IS A DAMN SHAME WHEN YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!!

IM SORRY I REALLY CANT HELP HERE BUT YOU AND TODD AND IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS

Sherron-I am so sorry that you and your son are having to go through this. As a mother i can imagine what you must be going through and how helpless you must feel. I think you are doing all you can and that is offer support and love. It is up to Todd to "take care" of this situation. I certainly don't advocate violence but i agree what pan said about "proving yourself' If you allow yourself to be taken advantage of or pushed around once it will happen again and again. I hope this will all work out. I still think I would request a transfer though. good luck- you and Todd are in my prayers

Sharon, I don't know if you have asked for a transfer yet or not, from my experance on my own group Lost Angels is that if your son is indeed a target, then moving would not make a difference, the news would reach the new prison before he did...He is going to have to stand up to whom ever is doing these things.. getting beat up and gaining respect might be the only thing he can do...
I think writing the letter you did to your son Was the right thing to do... all our children must understand that we are here for them, but we do not want to hear every thing that happens to them in side... sometimes for a new person going into the system, they have a need to whine to mom ..
weither this is a good thing or a bad thing.... it just depends..
my own son told me everything at first, scared me to death...I put a stop to it.... and now he understands he is not to scare me anymore unless he is really in danger...and he is to never lie to me about anything....being in danger to me is if my son is willing to stick his neck out on the line and say MOM I really need your help......
Rain

MOTHER RAIN THANKS FOR THAT ADVICE! I AGREE WITH YOU.

Sherron, I feel just awful for you and your son. My son has not told me if anyone has threatened him, but I do worry.
Did you do the right thing? YES you did. It is breaking alll of our hearts what our sons are facing in prison.

take care

I agree with you Nan, Sherron did do the right thing.

My son tells me things are okay but...at times I wonder.

Brenda

I DONT THINK TODD HAS TOLD EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON. GOD IF HE TOLD ME ANYMORE, I JUST DONT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO!!!! BRENDA, WHERE IS YOUR SON AT? SHERRON

Sherron,
My son is at FCI Waseca, Minnesota. It is a Federal Correctional Institute. All he ever says is everything is okay but he misses his family. I am in San Antonio, Texas.
Brenda

BRENDA, SORRY YOU ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM YOUR SON. TODD IS IN THE FERGUSON UNIT IN MIDWAY, TX

Sherron,

My son was being threated as well and it seemed no one was doing anything. He went to medical for something (I forget what it was) but when they had him take of his shirt one of the guards there took pics of the bruises on him and then they believed him enough to but him in PC(protective cusody). PC is hard to get into and most guys don't want to claim PC, because they are looked at as a "wimp" by everyone else. He was transferred out of that prison to 2 others and then was sent BACK TO THE SAME PRISON HE CLAIMED PC IN !!!!!!! He was getting threats right off the bus --he was upset we were upset!! My husband then contacted the STATE CLASSIFICATIONS OFFICER and he was moved in 2 days. Try to contact the State CO in your area it might help. H*ll my son has been in for almost 2 years now and I still don't know what works. Just keep trying. Your all in my prayers.Peace. cheryl

p.s. (about the briuses knowing my son he probably put them there himself - his mind is set on figuring out the loop holes to any situation - hope he grows out of this!)

Sherron, I wish I had some pearls of wisdom. But, if you would like me to, I would love to write and maybe send some magazines to him. That way he could stay in his cell reading more without it appearing that he is avoiding contact with other inmates. Email me if you would like to get this started.

SHERRON

HONEY, MOTHER RAIN IS SO VERY RIGHT. BUTCH WAS MUCH THE SAME WHEN HE WENT IN 12 YEARS AGO. I FINALLY TOLD HIM THAT THIS WAS HIS LIFE AND THAT HE MUST DEAL WITH IT. IF YOU CALL THE PRISON AND KEEP CALLING, THAT IN ITSELF WILL CAUSE MORE TROUBLE THAN IT IS WORTH. ALSO, THEY MUST STAND THEIR GROUND. I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE TO OTHER MOTHERS. THEY REALLY MUST LEARN TO WALK THE WALK AND TALK THE TALK. WHEN THE OTHER INMATES REALIZE THAT HE WILL NOT SHOW FEAR, THEN THINGS WILL GET BETTER FOR HIM. THEY KNOW NOW THAT HE IS SHOWING FEAR SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO HARRASS HIM. GET HIM MOVED IF AT ALL POSSIBLE AND HE CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN.

MY PRAYERS AND LOVE GO OUT TO YOU...

DONNA

JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW, I GOT MY B-DAY CARD FROM TODD YESTERDAY AND HE WROTE ME THAT HE TOOK MY ADVICE AND HE SAID EVERYTHING IS WORKING OUT FOR THE BEST. NOW I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS GOT INTO A FIGHT OR WHATEVER, BUT I AM GONNA WRITE AND ASK HIM. ANYWAY, HE SOUNDS LIKE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON. HE SOUNDS SO MUCH BETTER! BUT THAT COULD CHANGE---- I JUST NEVER KNOW. SHERRON

Sherron,
I am so happy things seem to be improving for Todd.

So you received a birthday card from Todd...meaning a birthday is soon. May I be among the first to wish you a happy birthday this year and for many years to come.

Brenda

THANK YOU, BRENDA. YES I HAVE ONE DEC. 17th., DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT! I JUST KEEP MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT EVERYTHING STAYS OK FOR TODD. BUT, WE WILL SEE--------------------SHERRON-------------------------

GOD BLESS YOU SHERRON...


THINGS WILL BE BETTER NOW.

MY LOVE
DONNA

See, Sherron...there are people out there who do care, and I include myself in that group!! I find the people here on PTO as a new found family, much more caring than the one I was born in to!!

DONNA THANK YOU AND CARLA I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!!!!!-----------SHERRON------------------------------