Nicki - what do you think should have been done in the case of Jeremy Pinson? If you have researched his case...can you answer me that? What can society do to protect itself from the likes of Jeremy Pinson but to lock him up? This site allows him to post his beat-the-hell-out-of-him photos in his attempt to gain sympathy. There is no sympathy here. The record of Mr Pinson is extensive. Minor and major infractions. Some of us learn from our mistakes. Mr Pinson obviously does not.
My comments are NOT from a place of ignorance as yours appear to be. Quite the opposite, actually. Being the "victim" of a crime gives me the right to tell the world (or BTB website readers) the reality behind some of these convicts. Just so you know...I don't make judgements lightly. Before I decide to comment, I read court transcripts, etc.
"Jeremy has lost 20 years of freedom, and, as is evidenced here... so SO much more than that - for 'saying hateful things'".
Jeremy is the poster child for why prisons are necessary in our free world. There are consequences for our actions. We all face cause and effect. Mostly they are not as severe but in the Pinson case...society is not safe from the likes of him. Since you've probably never been the victim of a TRUE crime, I'm pretty sure you don't understand where I'm coming from. If (god forbid) crime is ever visited on you or yours, you may take these tissue worthy tales differently.
It appears Mr. Pinson has quite a colorful background surrounding his life behind bars. The pics he posted....sad but expected when he spent his life punking people. He will continue to get punked, I'm afraid, until he deals with his behaviors. Who in their right mind would commit the foolish acts he did? This site, IMO, is foolishly allowing mentally ill psycho inmates the opportunity to "grandstand". The juror he threatened to have killed in his case? Care to read what effect that had? I'm repulsed by Mr Pinson having the audacity to try to drum up sympathy via his photo album. Man up, Pinson.
I hate the fact that I am responding to SAH at all, but I feel I must point out the following...
Yes, I have read details of Jeremy's court case, both what bought him to prison... AND the series of articles about the class action he is currently instrumental in, seeking to have mentally ill prisoners in U.S. prisons treated humanely (which they are not!)
Jeremy has lost 20 years of freedom, and, as is evidenced here... so SO much more than that - for 'saying hateful things'.
I have found since I first discovered your blogs that the depth with which your posts affect me is profound. And this one, of course, is no different.
A picture certainly does paint a thousand words, and these images are all unspeakable and very distressing to see. I can’t possibly begin to imagine how this treatment has changed the person you are today. I just believe that it must. Perhaps the most shocking image of all though, is the one that is not here, one we cannot see, and that is the resulting mental and emotional torture that has to accompany such shocking, senseless physical violence. I can’t say how deeply I feel for you.
After being confronted with (and upset by) these images of you today, I forced myself to process what I’d seen. And this is what came to mind. Firstly, how does someone overcome the effects of such horrendous acts and personal attacks and still feel humility – I don’t know the answer to that. Perhaps you can help me understand.
I couldn’t help but turn my mind to what it is that we actually consent to, when we sentence someone to a term of imprisonment. It’s something we obviously take far too lightly.
I felt deeply disturbed turning my mind towards those that did this to you. It would be easy to label them with many things – hateful, cowardice, or perhaps make judgments like, they don’t deserve to ever see the light of day… and perhaps they won’t, but my feelings towards them were complex also. I asked myself, what incredible amount of pain and turmoil they must carry with them to be capable of such hateful attacks, and what on earth has been done to them, to result in such outbursts of senseless violence. It would be understandable if you considered they didn’t deserve a second thought here, but your pain emanates so much further in my mind.
I couldn't help but think that even after all of the turmoil you’ve suffered, you continue to trust and believe in humanity and to advocate for others whom you describe as being in a worst position than yourself (which is difficult to imagine in itself). You astound me Jeremy. Your inner strength is overwhelming and I can honestly say, I am proud to know you. Your strength of character is certainly something I aspire to emulate throughout my life.
As I’ve said already, your posts affect me incredibly deeply. They create thoughts and feelings that I’m not normally confronted with in my day to day life and I thank you for that, even though I find them extraordinarily challenging. I encourage you to keep sharing your story and in the times when you need support, I hope you feel it from your readers, myself included. I want you to know that I feel privileged to know you.
Before you reach for your tissues, you may want to read up on Mr. Pinson. UNITED STATES v. PINSON Mr. Jeremy Vaughn Pinson, a mentally-ill inmate with a propensity for making grandiose threats, was convicted of one count of threatening to harm the President of the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871. Following his conviction, but prior to sentencing, he falsely told the district court that another inmate intended to kill his sentencing judge. Shortly after this, in a letter to the Chief Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, he threatened to injure a juror who had served on his trial. He was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, one count of knowingly and willfully making a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement to a United States Marshal in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2), and one count of mailing threatening communications in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 876(c). At sentencing, the district court expressed concern over the danger Mr. Pinson posed to the public. The court varied upward and imposed the statutory maximum on each of the three counts, to be served consecutively, for a sentence of 240 months imprisonment. He now appeals his conviction for threatening the President of the United States, as well as his above-Guidelines sentence given for the three different convictions. We affirm both his conviction and sentence, though not without some qualms about the latter.
I. Facts
On August 17, 2005, while incarcerated at the Lawton Correctional Facility in Lawton Oklahoma, Mr. Pinson sent President George W. Bush a letter through the United States Mail stating “YOU WILL DIE SOON! DIE BUSH DIE.” Indictment at 1. On May 17, 2006, following an investigation by the United States Secret Service, Mr. Pinson was indicted for “knowingly and willfully threaten[ing] the President of the United States by depositing in the United States Mail a letter threatening to kill and inflict bodily harm upon the President.” Indictment, at 1; see also 18 U.S.C. § 871(a). A Federal Public Defender was appointed to the case; Mr. Pinson filed a motion for hybrid representation, which the court denied.
RSS
No tissues here. I say to Mr Pinson....man up.
Jeremy is the poster child for why prisons are necessary in our free world. There are consequences for our actions. We all face cause and effect. Mostly they are not as severe but in the Pinson case...society is not safe from the likes of him. Since you've probably never been the victim of a TRUE crime, I'm pretty sure you don't understand where I'm coming from. If (god forbid) crime is ever visited on you or yours, you may take these tissue worthy tales differently.
Yes, I have read details of Jeremy's court case, both what bought him to prison... AND the series of articles about the class action he is currently instrumental in, seeking to have mentally ill prisoners in U.S. prisons treated humanely (which they are not!)
Jeremy has lost 20 years of freedom, and, as is evidenced here... so SO much more than that - for 'saying hateful things'.
Are you not doing just that yourself SAH...?
A picture certainly does paint a thousand words, and these images are all unspeakable and very distressing to see. I can’t possibly begin to imagine how this treatment has changed the person you are today. I just believe that it must. Perhaps the most shocking image of all though, is the one that is not here, one we cannot see, and that is the resulting mental and emotional torture that has to accompany such shocking, senseless physical violence. I can’t say how deeply I feel for you.
After being confronted with (and upset by) these images of you today, I forced myself to process what I’d seen. And this is what came to mind. Firstly, how does someone overcome the effects of such horrendous acts and personal attacks and still feel humility – I don’t know the answer to that. Perhaps you can help me understand.
I couldn’t help but turn my mind to what it is that we actually consent to, when we sentence someone to a term of imprisonment. It’s something we obviously take far too lightly.
I felt deeply disturbed turning my mind towards those that did this to you. It would be easy to label them with many things – hateful, cowardice, or perhaps make judgments like, they don’t deserve to ever see the light of day… and perhaps they won’t, but my feelings towards them were complex also. I asked myself, what incredible amount of pain and turmoil they must carry with them to be capable of such hateful attacks, and what on earth has been done to them, to result in such outbursts of senseless violence. It would be understandable if you considered they didn’t deserve a second thought here, but your pain emanates so much further in my mind.
I couldn't help but think that even after all of the turmoil you’ve suffered, you continue to trust and believe in humanity and to advocate for others whom you describe as being in a worst position than yourself (which is difficult to imagine in itself). You astound me Jeremy. Your inner strength is overwhelming and I can honestly say, I am proud to know you. Your strength of character is certainly something I aspire to emulate throughout my life.
As I’ve said already, your posts affect me incredibly deeply. They create thoughts and feelings that I’m not normally confronted with in my day to day life and I thank you for that, even though I find them extraordinarily challenging. I encourage you to keep sharing your story and in the times when you need support, I hope you feel it from your readers, myself included. I want you to know that I feel privileged to know you.
Your friend, Nicki
UNITED STATES v. PINSON
Mr. Jeremy Vaughn Pinson, a mentally-ill inmate with a propensity for making grandiose threats, was convicted of one count of threatening to harm the President of the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 871. Following his conviction, but prior to sentencing, he falsely told the district court that another inmate intended to kill his sentencing judge. Shortly after this, in a letter to the Chief Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma, he threatened to injure a juror who had served on his trial. He was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, one count of knowingly and willfully making a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement to a United States Marshal in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2), and one count of mailing threatening communications in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 876(c). At sentencing, the district court expressed concern over the danger Mr. Pinson posed to the public. The court varied upward and imposed the statutory maximum on each of the three counts, to be served consecutively, for a sentence of 240 months imprisonment. He now appeals his conviction for threatening the President of the United States, as well as his above-Guidelines sentence given for the three different convictions. We affirm both his conviction and sentence, though not without some qualms about the latter.
I. Facts
On August 17, 2005, while incarcerated at the Lawton Correctional Facility in Lawton Oklahoma, Mr. Pinson sent President George W. Bush a letter through the United States Mail stating “YOU WILL DIE SOON! DIE BUSH DIE.” Indictment at 1. On May 17, 2006, following an investigation by the United States Secret Service, Mr. Pinson was indicted for “knowingly and willfully threaten[ing] the President of the United States by depositing in the United States Mail a letter threatening to kill and inflict bodily harm upon the President.” Indictment, at 1; see also 18 U.S.C. § 871(a). A Federal Public Defender was appointed to the case; Mr. Pinson filed a motion for hybrid representation, which the court denied.