Pregnant In Prison

In Memory Of:

Benjamin M. Schoonover

Knights in Dirty Armour II

Chapter IV

“ When a Pregnant Woman Goes to Prison ”

Whenever a pregnant woman enters the prison system, God help her if she does not have a faithful husband standing by when their baby is due.

She is taken to the hospital and there gives birth. It may be placed on her chest momentarily. A prison guard is standing by to watch everything that goes on and prevent the mother from escaping…though she is shackled to the bed.

A nurse picks up the newborn and takes it out of the room and the new mother will most likely never see her child again nor know where she has gone. DHS and prison officials take care of that. As efficiently as was done in Hitler’s Baby Farms. There, however, the mother was given a special silver Maltese Cross as a reward for providing the Fatherland with fresh meat.

As soon as the prisoner is transportable she is taken back to her prison cell to serve out her sentence; be it two years or twenty. It does not matter; unless she has a faithful husband who is qualified to care for her infant she will never see her child again. End of story…for the mother of the child.

Just the beginning for the motherless child.

I worked with DHS for ten years. I met a lot of foster parents. Some good, some not so good. DHS does not usually pay what it costs to keep a child. But there are foster parents who “take on” the kids…just for the money.

“You don’t need a new coat; we’ll patch that one.”

DHS will not pay for a musical instrument so a child can play in the orchestra. Do you know what a new clarinet costs? For me to watch my Joseph play “first clarinet” in 6^th grade was worth it. I had built near sound-proof walls in our 3,100 square foot four bedroom home…but that clarinet pierced them with ease…I could not very well enjoy Berlioz when Joseph practiced but his practice was music enough. I had the privilege of listening to the birth of another Benny Goodman. Though Itzhak Perlman/Brahms is more my style.

DHS would not pay for a lot of things kids need. I should rephrase that. DHS pays for everything a child needs. A child in DHS care is just determined to need somewhat less than the neighbor kid next door who is living a normal life.

Buy the cheap diapers to save money. Change them less often…only when absolutely necessary to make them last longer. Buy powdered milk…or, know a lactose intolerant old couple getting state commodities and get it free.

Does the child want the responsibility of a pet? Forget it!

Does the child like to fish? Forget it. That is not necessary. However, there was a trout stream running through my sixteen acres in Idaho. I bought three sets of fishing gear on my own and I don’t fish.

I didn’t make any money raising foster kids in Idaho. Some foster parents did. I must have been doing something wrong. The DHS checks did help with expenses.

I changed diapers when the child’s diapers were wet or dirty. Because I loved the child; not because I had to and it was a job and I was paid to do it. There was a lot of contact and never was the TV a “babysitter.”

I had another advantage: Military Disability retirement. I did not have to go off to work and “farm out” my kids to day care centers. My kids were not “latch-key” kids. Whenever they had a problem and needed to talk I was there.

Four of my kids I took on canoe trips on the Snake River in Wyoming. DHS did not cover those costs…not something that is deemed necessary for a child.

My first foster child I brought to Oklahoma on a vacation which included water skiing on Grand Lake. She was 16. Never been in a boat; much less on water skis. Another not so small expense DHS does not cover.

So what happens when a destitute mother to be who is going to lose her child to the fate DHS determines is “best for the child.”?

The following two cases are an example. The mother agrees to the “arrangement” and “conditions” of adoption or is simply out of the picture and never sees her child again. The agreement includes periodic visitation privileges that are impossible to materialize.

Case 1, four visits a year are allowed. Then the “parents” relocate to an unknown locale so far in distance that visits are…permitted by law, but impossible. The child is gone forever, or until the child reaches an age of almost maturity and is able to try to locate its biologic mother. Nothing prevents the child being told its mother is dead.

Case 2, the adopting parents allow frequent visits with her child but the mother must not discipline her (own) child. She must also remain silent concerning the harsh corporal punishment…lest she lose her visiting privilege. There again, as in the first case, relocation is a factor and visiting at all, though permitted by law, becomes impossible.

The mother with a prison record has virtually no rights.

What rights she does have I would compare with one I have:

Fifteen and more years ago, before my first cardiac infarction and four years of illegal incarceration, I had a right to swim across the lake I overlook from my front porch. I exercised that right many times. I still have that right. But since my infarctions and the physical damage done me by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections I am quite incapable of exercising that right. I might be able to make it twenty feet.

The maternal ex-con has a right to look for her child. Sometimes.

When Sheila Miller learned that John has helped some inmates with various issues including transportation and clothing and even help with a residence upon their release Sheila Miller asked Marie if John would help when she is released. That presented no problem; Sheila Miller has a job waiting for her in Enid and John frequents Vance Air Force Base just west of Enid. Also, John has a relative living in Enid. It would be no problem for John to help Sheila find a suitable residence in Enid. Help with rent?

The first check John wrote for that kind of help that was needed was November 22nd, 2004, one week after his court ordered release, for $500. No payback was asked or expected…and it was refused when offered. That ex incarcerated person now has a decent job and is making her own house payments with her new husband.

John has written letters to the Parole Board and family of one Doyle Dobson (ODOC # 114109 DOB 10/05/30) supporting his release and providing transportation and whatever is necessary for his return to the outside world. Doyle had served 25 calendar years of a 25-75 year sentence, though DOC considers only the maximum 75 years applicable, taking it upon themselves to “play God” which is why such “indeterminate sentences” have been ruled illegal by the Supreme Court. Doyle has served the legal part of his sentence and beyond with no misconducts of any kind. Recidivism is an impossibility.

This effort failed as Doyle Dobson’s family did not want him out; Doyle has since became quite senile, incontinent and is now in a DOC infirmary for his remaining few days of life.

John has written letters to the Parole Board and Judge Buxton in Cleveland County concerning another inmate’s release advising them of providing transportation, establishment in residence and whatever else is necessary that the person needs to smoothly assimilate as a productive member of society…whatever state this inmate chooses to reside in the vicinity of Virginia I’m told and nothing is expected in return.

John knows what it would have been like when he was ordered released…without even the $50. owed by DOC…they welched on that…as well as no issued “street clothes” (He stopped at a tag office to have his driver’s license renewed, at no cost due to his age, and drove the rest of the way ‘home’ in his rented car, in prison clothes). Without a rental car waiting until he could get his truck out of storage, without a residence waiting, without an income, the impossibility of getting a job and Social Security usually takes six months or longer after filing.

Without all that, where is a released inmate going to get help? There are missionaries that provide a cot in a dormitory and a soup line but such a struggle for many is successful as pushing a chain up hill.

Is that a good place to raise a child?

Sheila Miller is expecting her child in August. If it lives, she deserves good care from someone who will care for that infant out of love; not because they are a paid nanny by the State. When Sheila Miller wants her child back she certainly cannot properly care for it in a church dormitory; she will need a home. But if DHS takes her child, getting her back or even knowing where she is; her chances are slim to none.

Would John take care of that infant, no strings attached, for an indefinite period of time? Sheila asked that of Marie. Out of love for a child, John’s affirmative answer was in a heartbeat! John never turned away a foster child. That child would be far less difficult to properly care for than Rockland Barney, a two-year old mute quadriplegic with less communicative skills than a new-born infant!

Rockland could not cry (I’m hungry, I pooped, I’m wet, I’m uncomfortable, I’m lonely or scared) nor even had the capacity to chew and swallow food!).

John would take care, proper loving care, medical inclusive, of Sheila’s child, no strings attached, for an indefinite period of time…in a heartbeat.

This bodhisattva (Samaritan) act is why eighty pound Gilda Marie Schoonover was shackled by Captain Roman and cast into the SHU dungeon of Mabel Basset Prison 1300 hours June 14^th 2005.

There was no criminal act or even any improper act or what is called “bad acts” to warrant abusing Marie as DOC has done. So why did they?

There is alleged to have been passed to one of the staff a note from an anonymous inmate stating that Marie and her husband (his name was not known) bought or attempted to “buy a baby” from an inmate, assumed to be Sheila Miller, for the purchase price of $10,000.

When John FIRST went to the prison to find out “why” and expeditiously solve the riddle why Marie was cast into their dungeon the truth was not wanted.

First, the anonymous accusation is no less than a gross insult to the Schoonovers’ intelligence. Although John is three years older than Clint Eastwood when he had his last child John is somewhat younger than Isaac when he sired Jacob. Isaac hadn’t been illegally imprisoned in Oklahoma and experience several cardiac infarctions, either. The fact is, anyone with any common sense knows that it has been illegal to “purchase babies” in the North since 1864 and in Oklahoma since at least 1906. Why would anyone even want to “purchase” a baby?

Why is Mabel Basset so eager to punish on such a flimsy note? I don’t believe it is that at all! I believe it is what John wrote to attorney Shera Shirley of Enid about the abuse of the high risk pregnancy of Sheila Miller by Officer Garrett.

The chronological chain of events bears this out.

The letter to attorney Shera Shirley was written June 2^nd.

John Visited Marie on the 5^th of June. This was the last date John would take with him his 7 month old 85lb Akita; leaving him in the front of the truck. Summer was coming on and “Tiny,” as John has named him, had gotten too hot in the truck even with the windows half down. There was nothing out of the ordinary during the visit; the officer in charge of their drug dog was in the visiting room. He did not speak to John though he and John exchanged “nods” in passing. John does not care for him as John does not approve of the abusing of animals and John has seen how the drug dogs are kicked and jerked about and neglected and knows how they are artificially addicted to certain drugs so they can “sniff them out.” This shortens their miserable life existence considerably.

Having raised cattle for twenty years John is no stranger to the necessity of shooting a predator attacking livestock. John has never shot any predator, be it stray dog, bob cat, wolf, coyote, fox or even a skunk, “just for fun.” John has seen wandering dogs just walking across the field being shot with DOC M16 machine guns for no purpose other than “just because they can.”

June 6^th This same drug dog officer, who had ample opportunity to talk to John the day before, told Marie that if John brought his dog to the prison again his dog would be destroyed.

That evening Marie told John this and John related what he had seen with DOC owned M-16s used on wandering dogs and stated that it was a cowardly act for the officer to tell Marie as he did rather than simply stop at the visiting table and ask John not to bring Tiny to the prison again…for whatever reason he could make up or even none. John stated that it was a cowardly threat by the officer and John would never commit such a cowardly act of shooting harmless and helpless dogs with an M-16. John further reminded that he couldn’t even if he wanted to as John has never owned or had in his possession an M-16 or any other similar weapon. They (M-16s) are as worthless as their counter parts except in combat situations such as Viet Nam and Iraq. It is also illegal to own one. Just having one in one’s possession is a ticket to the Fort Leavenworth vacation facility in Kansas for a minimum of 3,650 days.

Nothing more was said; the conversation ended; Marie called John 5 more evenings and John visited Marie the 12^th; he did not take Tiny with him but left him in his air-conditioned house; there were no “accidents” in the home; John’s dog is extremely well educated. Just like John’s kids, John does not have to yell at his four-legged friend, beat him, kick him or drag him around on a choking chain like are the DOC drug dogs. John’s Akita is his only companion. It was certainly not necessary to cowardly go through Marie to threaten to destroy John’s only companion.

Marie called John Sunday night following the June 12th visit as she usually does and Monday evening as she usually does. Nothing was amiss.

Come Tuesday June 14^th Marie is cast into their dungeon without explanation. She is “under investigation” and that is all that is known.

John writes the letters you have read in the first part of this chapter and receives a call June 23^rd from Jerry Chrisman; deputy warden who assured John that Marie was getting her mail.

Whether Jerry Chrisman is a liar or just uninformed is not known and the accusation will not be made. What IS known is that Marie has not been allowed any mail from John or even her own Mother as of July 5^th, the date this is written! This fact is not reflected in the letter from Millicent Newton-Embry, Warden, who writes John, postmark June 28^th, after Marie had been in their dungeon 14 days without explanation:

“On Thursday, June 23, 2005, Deputy Warden Chrisman called you to discuss the correspondence you sent to me dated June 21, 2005. You advised him that, after sending the correspondence to me, you had indeed received correspondence from your wife and that this was no longer an issue.”

A “half truth.” John received ONE letter from Marie but she has still not been allowed any correspondence from him or anyone else for twenty one days! Thus it IS still a concern for John. She knows we are writing.

“Additionally, if you wish to hire an attorney for your wife, the attorney would be authorized to visit under the procedures for attorney visits with inmates.”

It had been nine days in their dungeon at this time and Marie had still been denied her right to a visit with her attorney. Nine days without any legal representation.

“With regard to your perception of security procedures related to pregnant inmates, these practices are handled within the guidelines of the Department of Corrections policies and procedures.”

That is credible assurance there is not the 10% of rotten apples in their system that Jerry Chrisman told John about.

The “policies and procedures” also stipulate level 1 inmates are allowed two 15 minute phone calls per week; Wednesday and Saturday, OP-060107. Officer Captain Roman has apparently dictated this rule to be invalid; superceding it with his own: Marie has NOT been allowed to call her husband or anyone else in over three weeks.

This crisis was created by an anonymous unsubstantiated note from an inmate and the desire to punish, punish, punish. Quite contrary to their Ops concerning education, rehabilitation and goal of re-entry. Like Russia’s Constitution. Well written for display; ignored in reality.

Millicent Newton-Embry has obviously studied the works of Dr. Che Guevara, the right hand man of Fidel Castro in the overthrow of Cuba: “When you make an inappropriate action, create a crisis to justify it.” In such a manner many good people lost their lives to that tyrant. Her following letter is a work of art Dr. Che would be proud of:

Postmarked June 28^th, same as the first letter,

“This notice is to advise you that effective immediately, your visiting privileges with inmate Gilda Marie Schoonover DOC #404171 have been suspended indefinitely.

This decision was made based on your telephone conversation with Inmate Schoonover on June 6, 2005, threatening to bring an M-16 weapon into this facility. You are also a principle suspect in a criminal investigation being conducted by the Department of Corrections Security and Investigation Division, which involves you and Inmate Schoonover.

Should you have any questions concerning my decision you may address them to my office.”

Signed, Millicent Newton-Embry

A crisis created in the manner taught by Dr. Che Guevara. A little late, perhaps, as this allegation pertains to June 6, John receives calls and visits past June 12, there is no crisis yet, must make one up three weeks later, June 28. Dr. Che would be proud. Though he would probably not have waited so long to create the “crisis” to cover his mistakes. A complete transcript of the entire conversation would reveal that there was never any M-16 at any time but for those owned by DOC for shooting prisoners and harmless dogs.

Some people just plain like to kill. I do not know why.

It was a phantom weapon that was used to justify the shooting in the back of the head of Randy Weaver’s wife at Ruby Ridge in Idaho in 1992 while she was carrying her infant son in her arms. “If you don’t have a crisis to justify your actions, create one.”

That threat would shut John up from writing what he has seen in DOC if there was any validity to it. It was a “Crisis created” with phantom M-16s that caused the wanton burning to death of more than eighty men, women and Children at their religious retreat in Waco Texas in 1993. No M-16s were found in the ashes.

Marie was released from the Mabel Basset Dungeon Friday, July 1. Having been deprived of her vitamins and food supplements she weighed out at 80 lbs. She was not taken to see a physician and given any medical examination though it would later be confirmed that she has suffered a stroke due to the inflicted stress creating dangerously high blood pressure that was not properly attended to.

Maries allowed hour-long visit through glass July 3^rd was permitted to last less than twenty minutes. Her eyes are hollow and the look of total despair has reshaped her facial features. She talks like one in a trance redundantly begging John to get her out of there. “Why doesn’t John Write me?” The cruelty DOC has done to this innocent woman is no less than, except for the furnaces, Auschwitz. Dr. Dvorkian would treat her more humanely

This crisis DOC has created to gloss over the abuse exposed by John inflicted in a high risk pregnancy has led to torture and neglect of an innocent woman in prison: Marie. Reminiscent of a strategy by Charles Ramsey: “If can’t get John directly, get him through his wife.” No one can read Knights in Dirty Armour without knowing Marie is totally innocent. John was there. John knows. If Marie was guilty of ANYTHING contributing to his son’s death he would have dropped her like a hot potato.

Marie was removed from solitary confinement and put in a Snake Pit environment as bad as if not worse than that described in The Snake Pit by Mary J. Ward. According to the one cast into solitary confinement for four hundred and sixty four days under a glaring light without any educational or religious material, toilet facilities or fresh water, Marie was moved from bad to worse.

Following is a an account in Marie’s own words describing the “House of Corrections” treatment she received for offering to help a destitute woman save her unborn child.

“My darling John:

“This is very hard to write cause I really don’t know where to start. I guess just say I don’t really know why Captain Roman had me put on P.I. So I am in SHU, the wonderful place I never saw before now I have. It will be a little more for you to write about in your next book. Believe me, they really don’t want stuff out. I really don’t know what it is about. As soon as I know I’ll let you know. But as far as I know it is for 14 days not counting weekends and holidays.

“All I know is my celly said yesterday a girl wrote Ms. Badgewell that you bought a baby here and sent money to that girl. I know that is a lie. When I heard it and said something to the girl with the baby she got her canteen receipt from yesterday . She had $3.37 after medical took her state pay.

“The rules say I can call you on Wednesdays and Fridays. I don’t know what time, only 1 15 minute call each day.

“SHU Rules and regulations papers #35 says AS and PI inmates are allowed telephone calls on Wednesday and Friday for 15 minutes in length to persons authorized by OP-060107 but Captain Rowan told me NO.

“They took me on Tuesday 1:00 Count. Captain Roman told me you were here Wednesday morning. How did you find out in such a hurry?

“Major Seirson came by today and said she would talk with me tomorrow. I will tell her the truth on it all. She is really only one left from old Mabel Bassett that I can talk to. Captain Roman did this to me and he wouldn’t even talk to me. Major Seirson was on vacation. Captain Roman was acting Major.

“Had my shower this morning. Only get to shower Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tried to nap a little this afternoon but not much luck in that. I don’t get much sleep here like Mayes County Jail. All it is. Except you don’t leave your room before you are handcuffed. You and your celly both have to be handcuffed before they even open the door. You have cuffs, wrist chains and shackles on your feet. I haven’t went out.

“I really do love you. I miss you so much. You are my husband. The one and only in my life. I sure hope I get some mail tonight from you.

“They fight back and forth with yelling and cursing each other all day, all night. Fight, fight, fight. It gets so cold in here this time of afternoon. It is 4:00 Count time. It gets cold 1:30 – 5:00 then later heater comes on and gets hot in here at night. A thing to make people really sick. Cold, hot, cold, hot. I have my coat on most afternoons. Then at night I burn up. Ever since I talked to them Friday I have had a problem on my left side. I do alright until I lay down at night. Then my leg hurts so bad I have to get up. Then my little toe on same side when I don’t have a sock on it has no feeling. It is numb. I don’t understand that.

“My lips are so cracked open and sore that they hurt bad. Hard to eat. Just had dinner. Had yucky pork chop, couldn’t chew it. (Jerky much better to eat if had some) Salad, cooked cabbage, corn bread. I could not eat much.

“I had to put my coat on.

“The pain in my left side and little toe I wrote medical on but never heard from them. I have been awfully weak. Can’t lift stuff, I have to have help. My left hand got numb. I can’t do anything with my left hand today. I haven’t been able to get any use of my left hand since that happened. It is very weak. I will put in another medical tonight.

“I need you so much. My heart is broken. How long does Kevin Adams say it will take? I hope not much longer. They are not happy over how you write and how you fight.

“Jeff needs to work on all of this. He has the truth. I hope he will try to handle it all.

“Baby, this is Thursday. Just finished a half of Tuna Salad sandwich. My lips are so sore I made them bleed again so I had to stop. I still haven’t talked to Mrs. Seirson yet. I love you dearly today and everyday as long as I shall live and beyond that. I got up at 6:00 for meds and 6:30 breakfast, 7:00 stand up room inspection, 7:30 stand up count.

“Honey, this is a lot worse than the County Jail. All the fighting over the women here. All they do is fight over other women. Their women talks or looks at someone else, oh, my gosh! You are going to get cursed and called every name in the book. Some I wish I didn’t even hear. Words I sure didn’t use.

“My mind has been running in many different ways. I feel maybe I could have had a little mini (I don’t want to say it) since I’ve been back here. That’s one reason I need to talk to the Major.

“The investigator twisted everything I said and run you and I down so much and called me a liar to everything. They talked to her (Ms. Badgwell) and she lied and they believed her on everything. They upset me so much. That is called harassment or interrogation. Or something like that.

“Honey I really have to stop for a while again. So loud in here and words that I can’t handle right now. I need to lay back on my bed and think of God and talk to Him. Try to meditate.

“Well, it only took about 5 minutes after I laid down started rebuking Satan and asking Daddy to take it all away. He did it.

“No mail again from anyone again tonight. I sure do hope you and my Mom are ok. You and her both should have gotten a letter from me today. I hope you’ll did. Maybe I’ll find out if you’re both ok before long. I can’t understand why I am not getting any mail. I get it from Billy Graham and Joyce Meyers . I need mail from you and my Mom.

“Baby I love you. It is after 5:00 now and no one ever pulled me out so I never got to talk to Ms. Seirson yet. She is a very busy person.

“Boy, is it ever cold in here. I need to change my clothes and take a “whore” bath as they call it here (in the sink). Wash up, in other words and get my clothes ready for laundry. They sure are wrinkled. I do have to sleep in them like I did in the County cause don’t have P.J.s. I have a top but my bottom come up missing.

“Good ole SHU. You can have nothing. I have 1 sheet and 1 blanket. No pillow. My coat. I need it everyday. Plus it makes a good pillow.

“I will get this mailed out to you. Maybe get to go to sleep about 3:00 or 4:00am if lucky. My celly has a wife and a girlfriend in here. They yell all night. Most of the day they sleep. If not asleep they are standing in the window of the door yelling. I mean yell. If they are asleep the rest of the pod is yelling and fighting. All going crazy. If I had a man who treated me like these girls who think they are men treat their women here I couldn’t stay with him. No one is as good as you. I love you dearly with all my heart and I always will, too.

“They took all my photos again. They’ve taken everything. They took the good photo of you that you sent me. The bible like the one you helped buy all the girls is gone. They even took the only bible I had last time. I have nothing in the way of papers. Nothing.

“Dream of me. Ok? I love you and miss you so terribly bad. Can’t wait to talk with you or see you again. Make KA get on with this and get me out of here.

“How is the book coming along, anyhow? I hope it is about ready.

“Honey, please write me. Please. I hope you never forget you are my husband and I will keep you.

“So darn loud in here you can’t hear yourself think.

“I am supposed to get off P.I. July 1^st but Jerry Chrisman (deputy warden) says I will be here a while. Until investigation is over. I need my life back. Please tell KA it has been long enough.

“No mail is getting in here. Not even my Bible studies.

“Honey, I love you dearly. More than you can know. You are my life. I’m so glad to have such a man as you. So many in here their man just walks away and leaves them. Not you. There is not any better than you. Nowhere. You are the best there is. I love you. Please write me soon, Ok?

“Please let my Mom know I am ok. I’ve got to close. I have to. Time to lay back and talk to our Father in Heaven. I love you, honey. UR wife,

Marie

Letter to Millicent Newton-Embry

10 July, 2005

Millicent Newton-Embry, warden of the largest women’s prison in the world:

I have well over 75 house plants. Another 35 potted hardy plants. Some of my house plants are less than six months old; some, like my Aglaonema and Ampelopis only about 10 years old; my Clivia, Cereus varieties, Amaryllis hybrids (I cross them myself) and 5’ Sansevieria Cylindrica back to 20 years and my S. Trifasciata Laurentii and S. Craigil I’ve had since 1964. I grow and improve things and I am proud of my productive talent.

I also have a spray bottle of 2-4-5-T and with one squeeze of the trigger I can kill any plant. That, however, takes no talent. But I must discriminate and pull the trigger carefully lest I destroy a desirable plant. Knowing the difference requires knowledge and skill.

Dr. Che Guevara was Fidel Castro’s right hand man. A great strategist, only man in history to start two revolutions simultaneously on separate continents. “If you are going to take an action that requires a crisis, create one.” I’m sure you have studied his works. It is obvious considering the “crisis” you have created: An anonymous note alleging flesh peddling for $10,000 from someone who did not even know my name; a cowardly act of threatening to destroy my constant companion, my 7 month old Akita puppy if I bring him with me on another visit and leave him in my truck, by one who is known to shoot harmless passing animals with an M-16…a weapon I do not own, have never owned, nor have I ever owned any similar weapons.

Did you lose that part of the conversation? This phantom weapon “I” have exists only in the possession of your DOC Officers for the purpose of shooting helpless dogs and prisoners. That would be considered by some of your 10% maladjusted misfits as one and the same.

Cruelty to prisoners who have committed a crime can be expected from that 10% of misfits that Jerry Chrisman estimated are among your Officer ranks and you may sanction them putting hardened criminals in your modern day Mary Ward Snake pit used to “reform” the Salem Witches but so doing in this case you have succeeded in almost totally destroying the spirit and will and very life of an absolutely innocent now 80 lb. docile quinquagenerian.

You must be proud of your accomplishment.

You have used your manufactured crisis to do this and continue to commit this destructive act to both of us by denying her the right to receive mail, the right to send mail, to visit me, to hear my words of constructive encouragement, to feel my touch, to even hear my voice reminding her that I love her. A compassionate emotion I would not have had she harmed my boy in any way!

I was there. I know what happened. You do, too! You can’t help but know. You can’t help but know that she is a totally innocent scapegoat solely to protect those whom I have the courage to stand up and expose. Question: If they were honorable then why did the Court of Criminal Appeals write in their opinion that by law I could not be charged by them as I was and sent to your prison to die?

My existence is living proof that Mayes County sends credible innocent people to prison! Isn’t that in itself reason to question the validity of Marie being a felon? Are we the only two innocent people convicted in Mayes County and sent to prison to die?

Should you bother to read the Declaration of Independence, there is in it a sentence that is directly applicable to you: “It is their duty to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security.” The Quakers translate that into their motto: “Once one recognizes a wrong, one cannot walk away from it in ignorance.” To paraphrase, “If something is wrong those with the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.”

That is exactly what I have done in writing Knights in Dirty Armour, on the printing presses in British Columbia Canada as of July 8, 2005. I have ordered the first 100 copies for myself. I hope that is enough to satisfy the requests of my immediate constituents.

I have been told that I am a fool for writing it because the powers that ordered the holes in the backs of the heads of the Freeman family and Laura Bible are peas from the same pod. No one but my constant companion puppy who weighs more than Marie, will walk close to me when I hike in the woods. Interesting experience getting shot. Twice and a few near misses, I don’t recommend it. About as much fun as a visit to the dentist in the mid 1950s.

That is the risk I am taking to acquire justice for my innocent Marie. I love her that much and more. With a love that would not exist if she was guilty and deserving of the destructive abuses you are inflicting upon her while she is in your “care.”

Already I can now expect many terrors in the middle of the nights from PTSDS nightmares caused by your excessive “Corrections.” She in no way deserves any of what you have done to her. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist wrote; “One day of illegal incarceration constitutes Cruel and Unusual Punishment.” As Captain of your ship, assess what you have done.

You cannot unscramble eggs. But you can, with integrity, turn off your heat and end this present charade and restore Marie to the Level IV she has earned so she may call and advise that my visiting privileges have been restored and I can restore the hope you have destroyed and resume working on her PCR Appeal without the mental impediment of knowing she is shackled like a wild King Kong and being completely decimated by your Cruel and Unusual “Corrections.” You have the power, do you have the compassion?

John Schoonover

Cc: www

July 12 and Marie has not been allowed to call me and her letters have been restricted to one a week. This is cruelty beyond reason

Marie may or may not have been “found guilty” of something. The “investigation” may be still “ongoing.” The “investigation” may be over.

Things go on behind that prison razor wire that some officials do not want the public to know. They especially do not want me to know. I have a bad habit of writing about them. If I was a typical “ex-con” they would simply slough it off as the gripes of a disgruntled “ex-con.” Their problem is that I am NOT an “ex-con” as the Court of Criminal Appeals wrote “Schoonover did not commit the crime and could not be charged with it.” I am free to write and as long as I write the truth they cannot touch me.

But they can make it hard on Marie. I was warned on this. They are beating down Marie to get to me.

Jerry Chrisman told me that 10% of DOC officers were misfits. Again, I would more readily agree that the figure is only 5% but he is there; he knows who works for him, I do not. They must protect their image.

I witnessed cruelty to prisoners under Jerry Chrisman when I was illegally confined in James Crabtree where he was a warden. I witnessed a drug deal between an officer and an inmate. Though I was not subjected to violence I was threatened by a certain staff member that if I did not take a specific religion based program I would lose my level. I was discriminated against because of my disability. Present suit is in the Northern District concerning that! I was denied the right to purchase my own religion based literature. A clear violation of the 1^st Amendment. I was warned that if I complained I would lose my level.

When I wrote requests to Deana Barnes at Dick Conners while I was illegally confined there, concerning credit not being given for the time I was illegally confined in James Crabtree I was warned to stop pursuing this or I would lost my level. Losing a level would mean being sent to a less desirable unit.

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And, like James Crabtree, if I did not request to take a certain religious based course…contrary to my religion, I would lose my level.

Time was on my side with regard this forced religious modification program; I knew I would be getting overturned and released; only had to delay “requesting” to take the program until I was actually overturned. Nonetheless, the threat was still there, if I did not “request” to take the course I would lose my level.

How does one correct the religious behavior of a violent criminal when the Court of Criminal Appeals says that “violent criminal” was illegally convicted and is not a criminal at all?

Mabel Bassett is “correcting” Marie and she is not a criminal at all. The side by side photographs on page 106 of Knights in Dirty Armour of Marie before and after Mabel Bassett “Corrections” clearly shows what happens to an innocent woman in prison. There is nothing “corrective” about it. How does one fix something that ain’t broke? Break it! We can’t get John, so break Marie. This will teach Marie not to tell John when an inmate is abused in our prison! Isolate her. Bring forth false witnesses and false charges. Cut her communications. Deny her to hear her husband’s voice. Deny her being able to see him. Deny writing freely. Deny him any right to know what we are doing to her. We’ll get him…through her!

Nobody gives a damn what happens to the fetus in Sheila’s womb. If they did, there would be an investigation concerning that abuse I reported. Not retaliation for reporting it and covering it up.

*** To be continued ***

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