3-Strike Stories: Nathan
"In 1994, I was sentenced to do two years for attempted auto theft. I am a
documented drug and alcoholic addict. I was sentenced to the R.T.C. facility (it is a
level 1 setting for return to custody inmates). . . . . Me and inmate Delgado were
drinking a half gallon of wine. . . . Delgado was fearing for his life because a gang
member got mad because we turned in a gun . . . . Delgado had tried to escape under the
fence (with only 60 days left on his sentence) and I was drunk and re-acted to what he was
doing and tried to get him to come back. There was no plan, just reactions. Anyway, after
chasing him out into traffic, a truck almost hit him. The trucker helped us by giving us a
ride back to the prison. A prison official witnessed us getting out of the truck. After we
got out, Delgado wouldn't go back on prison grounds and ran off into the neighborhood. He
tried to steal a bike and I tried walking back to the prison. After getting caught trying
to steal the bike, he suggested that we try to break into a house. I knew that he would
flip-out sooner or later, so I stopped another vehicle and asked for a ride to the police
or fire-station. We were observed getting into a camper and eventually arrested. . . . I
feel that they were totally unfair and I received 25 to life and my codefendant got 8
years. I really believe that they over-looked the fact that if I had not been there,
Delgado would have totally lost it. But I received 25 to life for escape from minimum
security (a walk away)."
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Date last modified: 1/7/97.