While cleaning my home office area—or at least attempting to work through the myriad piles of magazines, newspaper clippings, and legal notepads—I came across a June 1997 issue of GQ with Will Smith on the cover. Procrastinating as usual, I started fanning through it. Music section: Joe Strummer, The Clash (Isn’t he dead?). Advertisement: Moore. For Less. "Striptease." Video now collectibly priced to own (Why?). Cover article: "Will Smith Saves the Planet." (Promo piece for "Men in Black.") Then I saw it. Human-interest story: Gary Fannon.At the age of 18, Gary was tried and convicted under Michigan’s "650 Drug-Lifer Law" for dealing over 650 grams of cocaine. We had first met in 1992 when the classification director gave him a detail to tutor in my GED classroom. I remember him answering fan mail every day while his mother fought vigilantly to get him out of prison. I had to remind him to put away his mail and help the students. He had asked if I was familiar with his case, but I acted like he was just another number doing time. He told me about entrapment. How a dirty undercover cop convinced him to score some coke, 26 ounces for $32,000 to be exact. How he set up the drop point, got scared, and wanted out. How he and his girlfriend decided to go on vacation to Florida. How he was arrested in Georgia for speeding and brought back to Michigan.
He told me all of this back in 1992. Being a fairly new employee to the Department of Corrections, I may have been somewhat naïve; however, thinking back on it, if it were my situation, and the drug deal went down without a hitch, meaning the coast was clear, I’d’ve been back in Michigan demanding my money. That’s neither here nor there. The 1997 GQ article focused on Gary’s transition back into society after ten years in prison; he was released on July 26, 1996. Not once did I remember seeing him in the prison law library. His mother fought his battle for him, getting his case overturned.
One final note. In 2001, while eating a Thanksgiving dinner at my wife’s cousin’s home in Novi, I was asked whether I knew Gary Fannon. Choking back dry turkey, I admitted that I did. Turns out, he went to their open house inquiring about their $340,000 home—a house I certainly couldn't afford in today’s market. He didn’t make the purchase, but maybe he came into some money. What do you think?
10 comments:
I think you deal with cons every day; you must be able to read people well with all that experience! Interesting post, Jim. Enjoyed the read! --R
Hey! Nice way to divert the readers attention away from the real issue in the story. I thought I was bad but you top the list. Cleaning your designated space and finding an issue of GQ thats more than 8 years old? Whoa!!MW
MW, You know how I can unearth the meat-n-potatoes, zero in on something interesting. And Robin, believe it or not, I'd rather deal with a room full of convicts than go X-mas shopping, B-day shopping, you name it. I'm not much for going out in public either. Always have my back to a wall and facing the entrance/exit. --Jim
Hey Jim,
I feel for you on the crowd issue -- terrifying. As for the story, loved it. If only the boy could write, he'd be the next Jack Henry Abbott, right? NOT!
Jim,
That's one hell of a story. Excellent!
Poor Joe Strummer is dead, as are most of the Ramones. The punk rock life, I guess.
~~Erik
Nice post today Jim. Maybe he got a legit gig... i'm thinking optimistic today. I hate Christmas shopping as well. For a season of jolly gooness and cheer people sure are mean as hell!
Oh Jim, how ironic! This world wouldn't be complete if something didn't come back to try and bite us in the ass.
Here are some links that I believe will be interested
Interesting site. Useful information. Bookmarked.
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I don't really remember you too much, but you should have read the truth of the story and not be upset about the outcome of entrapment. The conviction was overturned, so I have no record. I am a successful business man who is still furthering his education. It's amazing that with all those brains in your head, you chose to read this story with the one you sit on.
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