Jeff Free Luers loses contact visits for one year

> From: "Friends of Jeff 'Free' Luers" <freefreenow@mutualaid.org>>

> Dear Friends,
> This is very bad news for Jeff and for all of us that
> support him and love him. Jeff was found NOT guilty but
> has still lost his contact visits for one year. Below is
> the latest Dispatch from Jeff which explains his situation
> in detail.  We will be discussing this situation further
> and talking with his lawyer about options we have to try
> and help Jeff and we will post another message once we
> know more. Thank you all for your wonderful ongoing
> support. PLEASE continue to write to Jeff, and go here to
> find out how you can help further at
> http://freefreenow.org/donate.html and
> http://freefreenow.org/howtohelp.html
> Thanks,
> Friends of Jeff Free Luers
> -
> August 22nd, 2006
>
> Dispatch from Jeff ‘Free’ Luers
>
>
> Talk about a shitty couple of days. I get out of the hole
> on Sunday, August 20. To start I have to fight to get out
> on my date because I'm not in the computer. I get let out
> without having had a hearing, which means I have no
> sanctions.
>
> I'm excited, though. I know that no matter what I get to
> call her today. I get out right at yard line. I go and
> find my new cell conveniently locked on the bar box. The
> first cell on the tier, the one right in front of the
> guard.
>
> Ok, no big deal. Been here before. I throw my bedding in
> and hit the yard. The number that I've dialed nearly
> everyday for many months is gone from my memory. I try
> many combinations. I have to know it!
>
> I don't. I call the old number. I feel like an ass. I get
> the new number. Finally, her voice. I don't know what to
> say. So much is happening around me: softball, birds,
> sunlight, people coming up to shake my hand. I haven't
> been outdoors in six weeks. Nowhere near my longest hole
> stretch, but it's messing with me.
>
> I try, she keeps saying talk to me. Yet, the only words
> that come are ‘I love you’, ‘I'm scared they will not let
> me see you.’
>
> It's been less than twenty minutes. I notice cops pointing
> at me. Something is coming. I know it. I know the look.
> Sure enough here they come.
>
> ‘Luers, you're not supposed to be out here, you're going
> back to the hole.’
>
> ‘But I'm not on LOP (loss of privileges).’
>
> ‘You just got out of the hole, of course you are.’
>
> ‘I never got a hearing.’
>
> Looks of suspicion, hands going for the cuffs. Then
> something unexpected. She believes me.
>
> ‘Ok then.’
>
> ‘What was that about,’ I hear over the phone.
>
> ‘Nothing, just more of the same.’
>
> Next day. Monday.
>
> I go down to pick up my property. All my envelopes that I
> was told weren't there when I was in the hole. They are
> right on top. Guess they didn't want me writing letters
> the first few weeks. No biggie, it ain't the first time.
>
> Lots of my property is missing. Nothing major. Just the
> food and coffee I bought the week before the hole trip.
> That kind of thing happens. It will work itself out.
>
> Again, drop the stuff off, hit the yard. Everyone is
> shaking my hand offering me food, coffee, shoes. I mean
> everyone: my friends, black guys, skinheads, strangers. It
> feels good to be respected. It feels good to know that my
> politics, my character goes beyond prison divisions.
> People respect why I'm in prison. This place is a micro
> community and like any community it has its ‘popular’
> members. Somehow I'm one of them.
>
> Back to the cell. All my stuff doesn't fit. Fuck, shit,
> fuck! Ok, 30 books gone. Damn not enough. Ok, got to mail
> some letters home. Still not enough room. More stuff has
> to go. I've gone from a 6x9 cell with 7 shelves and a
> drawer to a 5x8 with one shelf and drawer. I've
> accumulated a lot of stuff in 6 years. Not more than the
> two duffel bag limit. But the limit still won't fit in a
> small cell.
>
> I feel slightly ill about this loss.
>
> Day number three. Tuesday. Today.
>
> They called me in for my hearing today. Nevermind speedy
> investigations. This one took 5 weeks. 5 weeks to get a
> tape of a phone call and ask a cop one question.
>
> At the hearing I'm informed that they listened to 6 phone
> calls. 3 hours worth of conversation. They never heard me
> talk about smoking pot. Never heard me talk about pot.
>
> I'm told that there's no longer any basis for suspicion.
> Reality and what is written in the report are two
> different things.
>
> Vindication. My heart leaps. Maybe, for once I'll get
> ahead. Well, at least not any farther back.
>
> Then a set back. The UA officer lies to the investigator.
> Says he didn't give me any water before the test. Says
> maybe 6oz.
>
> But he gave me two 8oz glasses. 16oz in 15 minutes.
>
> Their very rule says one 8oz glass every half hour after
> the first half hour. He violated the rule but he can't
> admit it. That alone would get me off. It would also show
> he was incompetent.
>
> Still, I'm not worried. Even though it's his word against
> mine I've still got the ace. The hearings officer says
> there's no reason to believe I was smoking weed.
>
> He gives me the decision. He says with no suspicion I do
> not find you guilty of disobeying an order (Yes! I've
> won!). However, you still submitted a diluted UA. So I
> find you guilty of contraband one.
>
> I'm sanctioned to 14 days LOP, 42 days hole time (time
> served, a $50 fine, and I lose my contact visits for one
> year. Even though no one thinks I smoked pot.
>
> I felt sick. It took a lot not to hit a cop today. Any
> cop, it didn't matter. Even the ‘cool’ ones who think I
> got fucked over simply say that's the way it goes.
>
> I wanted to say ‘yea, well I'm an anarchist and this is
> the way that goes’ Pow! But I keep control of my seething
> anger. I make my way back to my cell. My stupid fucking
> cell on the bar box where I can't get away from anyone.
>
> Here is when it hits me next time I see her face, next
> time I see my parents, there will be glass between us
> again. Just like county jail. No hugs, no kisses, no
> holding hands for a year.
>
> I've done it before. It doesn't seem like a lot. But when
> the only thing that has kept me going are those visits,
> it's everything.
>
> I'm not sure I can be ‘good’ anymore. I'm not sure that I
> want to be. I'm not sure what that means for my future.
>
> Then again, maybe I'm just bitter, tired of being fucked
> over by the prison system. Maybe this feeling will pass.
> Or maybe next time I'm pushed, I'll push back. Maybe I
> won't have to. Maybe people out there will start pushing
> back when they are pushed and all this stupid
> authoritarian bullshit will end.
>
> Jeff ‘Free’ Luers
>
>
> Write to: Jeff Luers
>               #13797671
>              Oregon State Prison
>              2605 State Street
>              Salem, Oregon 97310
>
> For more information: http://www.freefreenow.org
>
>
> --
> Friends of Jeff Free Luers
> www.freefreenow.org
>
> Jeff's listserve:
> http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/freejeffluers
>
> Donate to Jeff's Legal Defense Fund
> http://tinyurl.com/2uykh
>
> How to Help:
> http://freefreenow.org/howtohelp.html