HELLO
FROM
MATTHEW JANKOWITZ
Mule Creek State Prison

This is the first time I've ever been arrested in my life. I got arrested when I was almost 45. The only crime I ever committed before was getting a speeding ticket. I was always law abiding citizen. I always respected our laws and our police officers. But now I'm serving a 32 year to life sentence. My first parole date won't be until 2032. I'll be 73 years old.

After spending 1 1/2 years in San Diego County Jail, I was sent to my first prison (Donovan State Prison). When I first got there, they put me into a phone-sized booth made of wire mesh. Then they made me strip naked and examined all parts of my body (I guess for weapons and other things). They then escorted me out of the caged booth in only my underwear and T-shirt, and handcuffed to my first prison cell.

My first prison cell was just converted to a handicap cell. So, when they put me in it, the floor was covered with about one inch of dust and metal shavings. Thick dust covered everything else (toilet, sink, bed—all of these are made out of metal). When I first enter the cell, I didn't know it had metal shavings on the floor.

When I started to clean up the cell with my wet T-shirt, I cut my feet and hands. The C.O.'s wouldn't give me anything to clean up the cell, and they didn't care about my bloody feet and hands. It took me two days to clean up the cell. I had to rinse my T-shirt in the toilet hundreds of times. They didn't give me any soap.

In the first twelve hours I was in the cell, they didn't give me any toilet paper or mattress until I continuously asked for them.

The first five days, they wouldn't give me a cup or silverware to get my meals. So, I ate all my food with my hands. They served all my food through a slot in the door.

I spent two weeks in this cell. They call the building I was in the hole, or Ad Seg (Administrative Segregation).

That's all now. Please feel free to make a comment or write me.