In fifteen years with the Michigan Department of Corrections, I can honestly say that I don't know my coworkers any better than the day I had first met them. There's this underlying code not to reveal too much information about yourself for fear of the inmates finding out. You are, afterall, their main source of entertainment, followed by the soaps and Jackie Collin's novels (or is it Judy?) Inmates eavesdrop on staff conversations and compare notes back at their cellblocks. I've always felt there's no sense in giving them any leverage.Sandra Gomez, an elderly hispanic woman with twenty-eight years of teaching experience as a state employee knew all too well about the dangers of her past. She was one door away from my classroom, and from what I had observed, very knowledgable and effective in helping the lower functioning inmates with their reading skills. Yet, I knew nothing about her personal life. If I may add a stereotype--she was a sweet little old lady.
So I was puzzled the day the Michigan State Police hauled her away in handcuffs. I think most of the school staff were shocked. How could this happen? How could someone convince a judge to sign a court order for her arrest? How could they find marked money in her Cadillac Seville? How come no one knew about the threats to her family?
Her crucial mistake in all of this, if you place your trust in your employer, was not asking for help. Sandra Gomez had endangered the lives of her fellow coworkers. I, along with my peers, were downright angry.
You see, Sandra Gomez became a prison mule, bringing drugs into our facility on a regular basis. The inmate, or undercover cop in her classroom, in turn delivered the goods to the control center where custody staff logged it in as evidence. Twenty-eight years of state service thrown away. Or so I thought.
Here's what I didn't know about Sandra Gomez: her exhusband was also an exfelon, and somehow this information in the wrong hands led to her making one bad decision after another. I'll never understand her frame of mind, or why she continued to smile and say hello whenever we passed in the hallway. I'll never know how much leverage the inmates had over her. But I do know this--she had her day in court and the verdict was: not guilty. I never saw her again.
18 comments:
Wow, interesting story and really well told!
-P
Jim, That's good you didn't let her know about you and your family. How shocking if she spread your news about yourself to the inmates and when they got out, potentially would come looking for you. I can't believe she got a no guilty verdict. Watch your back these days!!!!!! Nice photo! --Bro, Ron
Jim,
It's those sweet little old ladies you have to watch out for! One of my friends who had done time said the worst punishment he had in prison was the reading material --ie, I've read all the Jackie Collins, haven't I been punished enough? I'd say in his case (he was very smart) that the answer was yes!
So it is Jackie, and not Judy. I should've went with my intuition.
Innocent until proven guilty.
Really enjoyable - glad you didn't let that sweet old lady take you in..
Jim, Rock on, on your blog B-day!! Coming up isn't it??? --Bro, Ron
Makes your point about keeping information out of the inmates' hands very salient.
You see a lot of tragic decisions and the results. How do you manage to keep your own psyche intact and untainted? I wouldn't last a week, I think. I am not used to seeing my little old ladies being used as mules and then arrested.
That approach is good toward any kind of students. No good deed goes unpunished -- better to keep 'em guessing. Good to be wary of fellow teachers, too, a la What Was She Thinking? Notes on a Scandal/
Interesting character study.
Your yard is looking good. I see in the background some nice details and evidence that you and yours enjoy time out there. Now all we need is summer weather.
JR, I still say you have the most interesting job in the world. But you must see some stuff that really shakes your confidence in humanity.
I can see why the department is sued so much, and loses. Rumor and innuendo is standard operatimg procedure.
The Machiavellian system seems to be held check only in the courts. Thank God for trial lawyers. Regardless of what we were told, She was found not guilty and won her retirement. Last I had heard from her she was working for DPS.
Enjoyed the story and the memory of working with her. MW :)
I find this stuff fascinating. One of my favorite novels is John le Carre's 'A Perfect Spy.' Your colleague was the imperfect spy. I got to ask le Carre questions for a BBC radio show last December (it's on their web site), and le Carre said all spies are "leaky." They all talk. Or spill the beans. Or refried beans and tacos in this case.
I'm getting quite an education reading your blog - not only about the prison system but about people.
I lead such a sheltered life.
Is it possible that the wrong hands that the information about her husband was that of the state police and they set about to find out if she would do it? You know put her in an entrapment situation which would lead to a not guilty verdict.
Or are the police in this state just not of that sort of mindset? Maybe it was them putting you and your other unknown co-workers at risk eh? How much of the drugs that she carried in actually made it to the prison population, see there may be mitigating circumstances your lack of want of information allows you to be blind to Jim.
But nice visual, a sweet little old lady being taken out of her work site in cuffs and most likely having to spend her entire savings just to recapture her pension, even though she was found NOT GUILTY.
I agree with Proxima. Interesting story and well told. Keep 'em coming!
And the verdict was not guilty?! Amazing. What a story!
Donnetta
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