Mason County Jail

Pre-sentencing

Interview with youngster


JM: Tell us about the pre-sentencing process:
youngster: I had a terrible public defender that told me to wait on letters of restitution, which were crucial for me to get my diversion(on my first offense EVER, no priors, no juvy record). Which later ended up losing me the diversion once there was a conflict of interest and i lost the first public defender. Then I miss one date, come call in the day of it, and come in the next monday, and they arrest me on the spot on the day of my sentencing, only to hold me in there for 22 days before i found out how long they were keeping me.

JM: Did you have police stop by your house for questioning?
youngster: No. I went to my court, and then missed a date due to a hectic schedule, and called in, and they said i could come in Monday to get my next date, and have no difficulties. That's when they arrested me.

JM: What was your court appearance like?
youngster: my last date, they brought me into the court room in shackles and ripped up unfitting county blues, and gave me no honor in front of my family, and everyone else in the courtroom.