I received a notification email when I was at work that you had posted something new. I logged on to see what you had to share... I now have tears streaming down my face, that just won't stop

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.

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.

Your friend, Nicki

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'.

Are you not doing just that yourself SAH...?

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.

Respectfully, I have NEVER threatened the life of another nor have I ever been incarcerated. Quite a difference.

"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.

Jeremy threatened the life of a sitting president of the United States. John F Kennedy was ambushed and murdered in November, 1963.

No tissues here. I say to Mr Pinson....man up.

Your comments come from a place of ignorance & I hope he chooses to not dignify them with a response

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.

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.

Jeremy was INCARCERATED when committing his last crime. Read up on Mr Pinson, Nicki. Your bleeding heart moves me *NOT*. These cons survive on people like you. You're probably a good person but YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND FELONS.

Who commits a major felony WHILE INCARCERATED? How should/could society deal with this type of person? Just askin.

Nicki - next on my discussion list is Ronald Clarke. Your bleeding heart probably can't understand how I'm going to celebrate his execution. I can smell the charcoal and the sizzling steak now. Can't wait.

SAH - can you tell me about Ronald Clarke? He says he is innocent. I must admit he has pulled on some of my emotional strings as I read the horror he goes through.... Can you tell me how I can look up these incarcerated people and see what I am getting myself into before I write to them?

There are numerous ways to get factual info on these cons. start with google

I would also suggest you read the court transcripts. These cons are CONS. Mr Ronald Clarke is one of the most heinous.

These convicts use this site BTB to BOOHOO about their incarceration. IMO, each post should be PREFACED with their rap sheet. Reading about their lack of rec time or the quality of their sleep pales in comparison when you research their crimes (that put them there) AND perhaps view the autopsy photos. Sorry, no tissues here.

I am employed as a criminal RESEARCHER. I do not comment on cases I have not researched. 'Nuff said.

"Who in their right mind would commit the foolish acts he did"

SAH, your first post says that Jeremy is mentally ill. Do you think the way to prevent mentally ill people causing crime is to lock them up with and ensure that they are battered by other prisoners? Do you make a distinction between those who are mentally ill and those who are not? How do you make these distinctions? Do you believe that any violence against a criminal, even someone with a diagnosed mental illness, is justified? Do you believe that criminals have no rights? Do you believe that two wrongs solve problems? Do you believe someone expressing outrage at a man being battered defends everything that man has done? Do you assume everyone posting here except yourself assumes that every person making these blogs is innocent?

You are making multiple comments on each entry, so obviously have opinions, but I think they need a little more clarification. Unfortunately in my worldview simply posting the crimes of prisoners does not justify anything and everything done to them. Does it in yours? Where do you draw the line?

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for sending these - I think it's important that people see the ugly truth about what goes on behind bars. Sadly there are some who will always think that any criminal deserves what is coming to them, but I believe that in a decent society we should respect the human rights of all individuals, regardless of their crimes.

I am horrified reading SAH's first comment, but not in the way they intended. I find it hard to comprehend that a supposedly "civilised" country could be so threatened by your crime that they could make you endure what you have been through. I do not condone death threats, but wonder how on earth your punishment is helping anything or anyone. It seems to me to depict the basest urges of humanity. I do not know any details about your mental health problems but I hope at least that there is some help available to you. To simply lock people up and beat them to a pulp will only ever cause more problems.

I agree with you, arcadiaego - but what does society do with a person who commits a major felony while incarcerated? Such is the case of Mr. Pinson AND Mr. Ronald Clarke. Should we as a society not be safe if convicted felons are incarcerated? When is enough enough? Let's take the bold and potentially lethal escape via helicopter in the Clarke case. Were lives not risked? I am certainly no mental health expert. I don't know the answers to dealing with mentally ill repeat offenders. Do you?

What if we don't incarcerate people who have been convicted of murder? What if we don't lock up people who issue death threats (several)? Do we just sit back and wait to see if they do it again or if they act on the threats? Again I'll go back to the heinous ambush/murder of John F Kennedy in November, 1963.

SAH,

At no point did I say people should not be incarcerated if they broke the law. However this post is about what is happening to man while *in* prison. He is already serving the time he has been sentenced to. Do you believe that any other treatment of him is justified simply because he is a criminal?

"I don't know the answers to dealing with mentally ill repeat offenders. Do you?"

I would assume that treatment and rehabilitation work better than violence. I also believe all humans deserve human rights, regardless of what they have done. Do you believe violence solves problems in our society and prevents further crime? Do you believe this man should be executed as well?

SAH - I used google, not so much luck in finding much information on these criminal's past. any other options I can use to research?