--- In BaadAssGremlins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Eddie Stakes" <eddiestakes@xxxx> wrote: > Follow up: > My court date was set for March 23rd, Tuesday, 8:00am in Harris County Court > #1. This was according to the ABC Bail Bond sheet. Monday night, March 22nd > I decided to take my dog for a long walk to try to settle down somwewhat so > I could go to bed early, as it is a 15 mile jaunt down Interstate 10 to get > to downtown Houston, which is forever mired in construction. In other words, > a 15 mile drive could take you 45 minutes and then you have to battle for > parking downtown, parking is plentiful, just some more expensive than > others, like those prostitues I saw. And I didn't > know where the new country courthouse was anyhows. And I had heard you can't > be late or a warrant is issued. So I would have to be hitting the sack by > 11:00pm for a wakeup at 5:30am and be on the road by 6:15am I guess, giving > myself some time to not only drive the highway to hell, but also find a > parking space, and go by the bail bondsman to check in, which was advised. > You know, for only being a three lane both ways Interstate, I-10 has more > than a quarter million cars on it DAILY. Think about it. And get ready > ya'll, as it is fixing to go under massive consteurrion by TxDot thru 2009, > and supposed to end up being 18 lanes with a tollway in the middle, don't > know whos wiseass idea that way, I think a rail would be better, but then it > would need a inspection sticker. > > Huggy Bear stood at the front door of the decrepit building at the corner of > San Jacinto. Ironic. San Jacinto, THE symbol of Texas Freedom from Mexico. > Not the damned Alamo, San Jacinto. read your history books on where Texas > won it's freedom from Santa Anna's divisions. we love the Alamo, but the > real fight was just east of Houston for Texican Independence. So we have > Bail Bonds on San Jacinto. Inside the place looks like Gilley's from the > 70s, cracked walls, trash, paint flaking off ceiling, water stains, at least > it didn't smell like urine. I had dropped a quarter in the electronic > parking meter, even though they are not supposed to start working until > 8:00am, and it was not even 7:00am, the drive from west Houston featured no > traffic, rather unusual. Maybe they were all in jail. > > I was told by the bondsman (a lady) that the courthouse was two blocks down, > and she gestured at it, a big imposing building shaped like a huge white > penis. I felt humor and laughed, and asked where I could park, as my 72 > Ambassador silently waited near the meter, which had about 3 minutes left. > She said the farther from the courthouse the better and cheaper, go about > three blocks towards the Astros ballpark. So I drove around and sure enough, > all day parking for only $2.75, and I had the first spot there. It was five > blocks from the courthouse, but who cares. The downtown traffic was starting > to really pick up too, and parking lots were filling up fast. Across from > the courthouse is a new juvenile justice center and across from that is the > new Harris County Jail going up at a rapid pace, looks to be 15-20 stories. > Crime is a big business in Houston I guess, all that money made off > inspection stickers. I would guess when it is opened it will be a week > before the gang gnats move in, and urine will once again rule the air, while > the new paint will be spashed with pieces of bolonga sandwich and peanut > butter cookies and other vile things prisoners spit up, so it will look just > like the old place, smell like it too. That new county jail looks huge, and > dwarfs the old building I had been in last week, which is right across the > street. > > Only employees were being allowed into the new courthouse, and there was a > big line of peasants like me waiting to get in, and would have to go thru a > series of metal detectors. But it was a endless row of sherriffs, deputies, > Houston police, constables and others wearing badges going in before > everyone else, not a good sign to me at least. Across the street a number of > fellows stood on a corner looking for work, hopefully for the day I guess. > Yes, they are in this country illegally. You can call them immigrants all > you want but immigrants come from all over the globe too. And while you > can't fault anyone wanting to make a better life for themselves and their > families, I thought this is extremely ironic that here is a large number of > law enforcement, literally the hornet's nest of them, and well, a number of > people who have broken the laws of this country by entering, standing in a > group right across from them. Maybe I should have walked over and given all > those fellows wanting work a inspection sticker and told them those cops > over there have some 'work' for them. Nah. I can't tell you how many times > *I* have hired illegals to do work for me, moving stuff in my warehouse, > painting, sheetrock, levelling lawn, even concrete, and I pay whoever it is > $10 a hour, which $100 for a day is what they would make in their home > country for a month. > > Ru-Paul sashayed past me selling Houston Chronicle's, good to see him/her/it > is still around and doing fine, nice hair too. The courthouse was finally > opened and common people were being herded in like cows. I stood in line and > clutched my crucifix and big wad of keys, knowing I would have to put both > in the bowl to get thru. Up on the 8th floor you could tell this building > was rather new as not only did the elevators work, unlike the Soviet era > other buildings I had been in, where you might not get to the floor, or like > the poor doctor who was cut in half in the Med Center recently, every > elevator is a adventure. There was not even a gang scribbling or spit on the > ceiling on these. Yet. The view fromt he 8th floor was nice, you could see > well, the new jail going up, the juve detention center, the Enron field or > whatever they call the ballpark now, new new Hilton about 1/2 mile away is > nice, the 85 or so Texas Commerce tower is close, as are a number of other > gleaming skyscrapers. Down on the street I started counting the cars in the > parking lot across the street, it is $15 per car there and there was now 230 > cars in the lot, quite a racket, easy money too. I wondered how many of > those cars at $15 a pop had a valid inspection sticker. > > There was a hispanic fellow I had talked to not only at city, but at county, > and I told him thanks for the attorney number he had given me, but it was no > help as the number had a collect call BLOCK on it, like all others I tried. > I told him I STILL remembered the number too. And I mentioned to him that > suddenly I was really popular as lawyer letters were piling up in my > mailbox, and had received over 20 of them so far. Everyone had written me > except the fellow Jim Adler who calls himself "the Texas Hammer: the tough > smart attorney!" Maybe all these other ones were mere earthlings, "the dumb > weak attorney!" But I found humor in telling this fellow that. While we were > talking, a white fellow that was wearing a bermuda shirt and shorts was > sitting next to me with two I believe Chinese friends. I told him that > chances are, the judge would kick him out of the courtroom with shorts, as > they do that. He asked what I was there for and amazingly enough, his asian > friends were there for the same thing. As was my hispanic friend. So you had > four of us there with bad inspection stickers. Maybe there is a serious > problem with these things on the street. > > I was advised ( by the hispanic guy with glasses I had befriended in city > and county) to tell the judge I don't have a attorney. Ask for a court > appointed one. Ask for a continuance, of which they would reschedule it for > a later date, and after I signed a affadavit, the appointed attorney would > then try to reduce my charge from a different class, and fine. I told them > that I sort of already had my mind made up I was going to plead 'non > contest' as "possession is 90% of the law" and it would be impossible to > find the gypsies, much less have them sign anything unless it was a check, > stating they screwed me out of my original sticker. And I sure don't keep > records like that, whether for the decal, or paying the gypsies cash. The > hispanic guy had two tickets and said that was his strategy, to get a court > appointed lawyer then simply ask for a re-set over and over until they > dropped it, which usually happens. I told him I don't want to keep coming > back down to this hell hole and would talk to the DA myself, or the judge. > The Jimmy Buffet fellow next to me said to the asians that is what he was > going to do with them; the hispanic guy's defense. I thought this was > strange, that people are planning their defense outside in the hallway > talking to strangers they will never see again. > > The floor was quiet with only a few conversations going on with some of the > people, probably over 80 people waiting for their respective courts to open > up. The doors are supposed to unlock at 8:00am, but none of them opened > until 8:25am, and you know when the doors open, you can HEAR them and then > it looks like opening day at a Wal Mart that has $25 tv's on sale. I sat in > one of the front rows. Courtrooms are sometimes intimidating, depending on > what you are in them for. This one was pleasant. Didn't smell like urine, > but the new carpet already had some stains, probably disgusted people like > me spitting. Not because I don't cherish our justice system, which I think > is one of the best in the world. But because depending on the reason you are > there, you may not feel like it is the best and today I felt like I was at a > Iraqi Tribunal. > > No attorney. Alone. You look around and it is strange to see how people come > to a court of law. Used to be you had a suit or would have to dress up, now > it looks like you are going to a Portland Trailblazers NBA game. Maybe that > is what is wrong with society, no respect. But I now also fail to respect a > system which I see has failed me. If there is ever a next time, I'll wear a > NBA tshirt also, maybe ear rings in both ears. I guess it obviously don't > matter anymore. I'm here, this is Judgement Day. I was fingerprinted about 7 > times, and photographed once. I was incarcerated in a American city jail for > 24+ hours, and then led in a chain gang handcuffed to 11 other inmates to a > county jail where I was for another 6+ hours. For a simple motor vehicle > infraction. I have no record,a nd last time I was in jail was in 1983, when > a country western club I was was working at was raided by TABC and all the > employees were hauled down to city. And here I found myself sitting in a > courtroom in Harris County, Houston, Texas, so something, to me at least, > trivial. > > Several lawyers came and went, and some called to their clients, who then > went with them to the back, or outside the courtroom to discuss. One lawyer > looked like Columbo, disheveled, and his client was obviously agitated to be > there, sitting about 10 feet from me. Looking at his 2nd DWI, his lawyer > told him that the DA is offering 60 days and $4000 fine. His insurance would > go up to about $100 a month or more. I tried not to listen, but hell, it was > right next to me. The guy said he wanted no jail and would pay any fine, and > ask for probation. Maybe this is what the courtrooms are designed for. > People who break the law. Over and over. A young kid who looked to me like a > gang member approached the Sherriff who told him to get out of the fenced > iron gate area. There were people working in there, and one of them was a > young boy about 25 or so, looked like Clark Kent without glasses. I was > stunned when this fellow called my name and asked me to come over and > introduced himself as the DA. I looked at him and said 'huh!' And he said > 'sir?' I told him that 'you look mightly young for a DA, but good for you if > you are in this field and I hope you go far; my oldest son is 24 and trying > for his Masters in Marine Biology at A&M" He said, 'that is real nice, good > to hear, thank you' and then said if I had a lawyer. No. Asked did I want > one. I asked what are my options. He said: guilty as charged; nolo > contendere/no contest; not guilty. I asked if I am considering 'no contest' > what am I looking at? He said probably a 15 day sentence and $2000 fine. I > said, maybe I need to get a court appointed attorney. He said, this is not > that serious. You have probably the weakest case in here, of which I was > happy to hear, but I WAS STILL IN THERE. He said, ok, look, how about a $200 > fine and court costs for a no contest plea as I'll give you two days credit > for time served in jail already, and you won't ever have to come back again. > I said I'll take it, not realizing that this will be on my record, but what > the hell. So I filled out some papers and sat back down. I had to ask for > another pen as the one he gave me didn't write. Figures. > > I was one of the first ones before the judge, who looked like he was playing > Doom on his computer. The courtroom is all computerized now, I wonder what > would happen if power fails, do they get data corruption, or crash or > reschedule, or what. > The judge was a quiet man and asked me what I wanted to plead. I told him > 'no contest your honor' and he said, "very well, step over there and get > fingerprinted, and they will sign you up. Good luck sir." I said 'thank you > your honor' and walked to another desk to stick my right thumb in ink once > again. I had only sat down for about five minutes and they called me again > and I was instructed to take this yellow sheet to the third floor, pay the > fine, and that is all. So I went down to the third floor, and there was a > crosseyed sherriff standing there and I asked him where room 1030 was to pay > fines, and he pointed over there. I was one of the first in line and the > line behind me got large, quick. They take credit cards too and in yet > another ironic twist, if you can't pay the whole fine in the same day,t hey > pop you with yet another $25 fee! > > It was now about 10:30am, and I had been in 'the system' again for about 2 > hours. > I paid the fine, got my receipt and left. Walking outside all the hispanic > illegals across the street had found a job for a day, good for them. The > temp was about 73 degrees and a nice east wind blowing in from the Gulf, and > there was a really large line of potential jurors standing along one side of > the big penis shaped courthouse, waiting to get in and register their civil > duty. I walked two blocks down to the old bail office and rechecked in, > letting them know I was done, they scratched off my name unceremoniously and > told me I was good to go. I go now. I go far now. > > I headed back to the Ambassador which was 3 blocks away, and the parking lot > there, had filled up, so did the one across the street and the one next to > that. What a racket. I bet they can pay their taxes on that little parcel of > land in one month. I looked at every inspection sticker on every vehicle I > passed in the parking lot. I still don't know what the hell is the > difference and they all look the same to me as I walked past dozens of cars. > I drove over to Franklin and turned right, and saw a phone near the Minute > Maid Park ballpark, finally figured out what it is called now, but there was > a phone on a stick with construction barrels near it and I had to call my > wife to let her know I was fine. > > But before I went home I would however have > to go to East End, the barrio about a mile away, as if you come to Houston, > and I don't see why you would want to after reading this story, but over on > Navigation across fromt he original Ninfa's is a tiny little taco place > shoved in a house called Villa Arcos which means house of arrows. If you > don't know it is there you might pass it. It was time to get a carne guisada > and a eggs/bacon/cheese taco and a big Borden's OJ. They have some of the > best tacos in Houston, about $1.25 each, and not shy about filling them up, > and the bacon is thick cut, the carne is hot and spiced perfectly in the > gravy. This would make me forget the shit bononga sandwich in jail, or the > eggs with larvae and uncooked grits. And the green hot sause they give you > sticks with you, not overpowering, but just enhances all the food, check > them out. > > I sat there Tuesday, March 23rd, 2004 eating my tacos, thinking about the > whole experience of the past week. It was mind numbing and almost surreal. > And it really did happen in my adopted hometown. And I had zero recourse or > way of showing anyone how this whole situation transpired to begin with. > There are obviously some laws in the books that need to be changed is now my > opinion. > > While Eddie Griffin of the Houston Rockets shot at, and beat the shit out of > his girlfriend months ago, was arrested, and charged with a variety of > charges, he has the best attorneys in Houston money can buy, the 'dream > team' if you will. Needless to say the charges have been whittled down to > guess what: a misdemeanor, same thing I was charged with. Yes, he will have > a fine and probation, but same charge as a bad inspection sticker as opposed > to trying to kill someone and beating them senseless; but because of having > a attorney, and the money to pay for such priviledge, he is getting off with > a slap on of the wrist. I don't want to compare my getting hauled to jail > for 33 hours to his shooting at his old lady and beating the shit out of > her, but when (and if) you see the comparison, you see how I guess justice > can indeed be bought by those who can indeed afford it. I always thought > that was just a myth. > > More to come. > Eddie Stakes I can understand your frustration with the system but be glad your ordeal is over and try to put it behind you. "Doc"