I have seen some evil in my time but nothing compared to what evil this inmate brought to this world, and his community. He was a serial murderer and rapist. The trail of bodies he left behind would eventually get him caught. I had to take three classes of Psychology as an under graduate student to fill my liberal arts requirement. Working at the Detroit Medical Center I saw the interaction between staff on the psyche units with patients and I was determined not to pursue a career in Psychology. The icing on the cake for me with that decision was a professor who taught my last psychology class. It was called, “Abnormal Psychology,” and the professor was a Psychiatrist from the Department of Corrections. I never thought at that time that I would be teaching for the same department. Life can be funny that way, but looking back, he was a great teacher as well. I never saw him with a book. He came into the classroom, hung his coat on the back of a chair and began writing on the board. He explained that we were required to follow the syllabus and take notes in the classroom. The exams would be from both.
On the first day of class he explained that he didn’t want any students coming up to him on break and saying they feel they have the symptoms of the disorders he’s been covering. He further explained, if we had any of these disorders, we would not be in this classroom. That instantly got my attention, and he kept it the entire semester. He started the class with Socrates’ and three months later it ended with current cases, beliefs and practices. When I spoke with him on a break one day, I was amazed on how knowledgeable he was on the subject, and his experience. He looked to be about fifty years old. His hair was gray, almost silver, and the facial stress wrinkles were plenty. I was shocked when he told another student he had just turned thirty seven years old, and he’d been in practice for four years. That did it for me and I swore an oath not to make psychology a career goal. However, I did end up teaching for the department of corrections, and ten years into my teaching at the prison, they had opened a housing unit dedicated for the treatment of inmates with psychological disorders. The officers told me things were about to get bad.
What got bad immediately was the number of assaults. They seemed to be coming from our level four high security unit and not the new psyche unit. The officers informed me the new psyche inmates were already making deals for their medications. Some of them would hold on to their medications and not take them but sell them at a later date. This issue would force the Corrections Medical Administration to make sure the inmates were observed swallowing the pills after they were dispensed by the medical team. The prison gangs wanting new customers, (and drugs so they thought), started fighting with each other over the new territory. The officers knew who the gang enforcers were. They would always find a way to be on the walk when the psyche inmates would be going to chow. The enforcers knew how to manipulate the system. The real astute officers would make them wait, or escort them so that contact with the psyche inmates was prevented from happening. This would totally piss off the inmate. The officer covering the walk today sent this particular inmate enforcer back to his housing unit.
I was in a small Cole frame inspecting plants when I heard him threaten the officer. I stepped out of the structure and let the officer know I heard what the inmate said and would write a statement if he needed it. The inmate was livid and said in no uncertain terms , “they would destroy me. I was just another punk ass bitch.” Then he laughed as he walked back to his unit. The officer thanked me and then informed me that the inmate was a known rapist and serial killer. He was pure evil, the worse of the worst. He was never going to be released from prison. He’s one of the gang enforcers. He threatens everyone , and sometimes he makes good on his threats. The officer said he was going to speak with the yard sergeant about his open threat to me.
He thought the inmate had a well documented propensity for violence against other inmates and staff. He wanted him moved to a higher security level prison, and appreciated my help. Later in the day I saw the inmate on the walk handcuffed and being led to our segregation unit by two officers. The yard sergeant informed me this known enforcer was being sent to a maximum security prison. He didn’t get his way on the walkway today, and ended up assaulting his cellmate. Now the real fun was about to begin. I was puzzled by his statement. He clarified, “there will be an investigation and the state police have asked us to preserve the evidence .This means their cell is a crime scene It’s a mess. A bloody mess.” I didn’t envy the job the officers had to do, but they were the real heroes in my book. They had to sort out the chaos these inmates brought on a daily basis. The officers all had to be on guard because most of the time, the unpredictable inmate violence would be directed at them. ..Prison Stories To Be Continued..
MATTHEW 8:28-34
MJ-Way 