3-Strike Stories: Mark
"My third strike is a commercial burglary of a restaurant to which I had eaten in
numerous times. I was not homeless, had a job and could borrow money at any time I needed
it. I was arrested as I was walking down the street and was on my way home from a friend's
house. There were no finger prints of mine on the place of business, but I was still
convicted because of an untruthful witness that never really saw me commit any crime but
was believed by the jury. The whole case was based on identification. The witness never
described me at all. My case was neither serious nor violent, but I was struck. . . . I
have never hurt any one physically. My other strikes were for robberies of which I am
fighting and am waiting to see if the Supreme Court will hear my case. . . . The three
strikes law wastes the taxpayers money, the government lied about how the law would be
applied. I have more time than people with more serious crimes." Mark.
"I am writing in regards to my husband, Mark (above), who is doing 25 to life. He
is a drug addict which is a sickness that has cost him his life and freedom. Instead of
being put in a program he is locked up for life--which affects a whole lot of lives--mine,
his 3 kids, his parents, his in-laws and so on. His youngest child, a girl, has never seen
him and she is almost 2 now. The other two, a 12-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy are
at an age they really need their mom and dad. We are ashamed to talk about him since he is
in prison--it's not something you share with friends. We just say he's out of state
working. What else can we say? The truth will only cause negative thoughts among the
children, parents and so on. . . . At first it didn't hit me, but when it did sink in, it
really hurt to know my kids would never have their dad again since he was sentenced to 25
years to life. . . . . By the time he is eligible for parole, his kids won't need him
anymore--no one will, so for him life will be very lonely and for us it will hold a lot of
regrets and there will be so much missed. . . . . My son mostly needs his dad--all boys
do. But mine have to suffer the loss and deal with all they will never experience and a
lot of anger will be bottled up inside them. . . . It really is hard to send them to
prison to see their dad--it's not a pretty place for kids to visit. But that is the only
way they can see their so called dad. . . . . What a feeling to have your life taken from
you and be locked up in a cage for crimes which physically hurt no one at all. . . . I
thought that the law was for murderers and violent offenders. Shit, you could kill someone
or rape a child and do less time than he will. So I guess our judicial system protects the
sick dangerous minds and lives of the real criminals while it destroys the future of the
non-dangerous criminals and has them locked up forever so to speak--death would be more
suitable. . . . I'm sure when the public voted that they thought they voted for a law
against violent criminals--not just any felony. Yet the violent criminals go free while
the non-violent criminal are lost in the system. So many lives are affected--so much is
missed out on in a lot of ways." Darlene, the wife of Mark.
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Date last modified: 1/7/97.