Interview with Moorbey

By BitcoDavid

Moorbey was generous enough to grant me a quick interview about his time on the Wrong Side of the Wall. His answers to my questions are presented intact – in his own unique voice.

From Moorbey’z Blog

BD: How old were you when you were arrested?

Moorbey: My very 1^st arrest came at tha ripe ole age of 10 yearz ole. And my next arrest came at 18 yearz ole

Was it a first offense?

No it waz my second. [It should be noted that Moorbey's 1st offense was at age 10, making this his first adult offense. Normally, a juvenile's record is sealed at age 18. -- BD]

Did you have good legal representation? Did a private attorney provide that or was it a Public Defender? No lawyer at all?

My lawyer waz great it cost my parentz 13,000 dolla’z to be able to serve a 5 year sentence or get a cheaper lawyer an do a 10 to 12 year hit 4 my 1^st adult run-in with l.a injustice shystem.

Where did you end up spending most of that time, and were you moved a lot?

California Men’s Colony – Arial View. cdcr.ca.gov

I went from tha county jail str8 to California men’z colony. I did tha whole nickel there 4 from my 1^st day walking tha yard I hooked up with militant revolutionary typez since that waz my type of background having been around memberz of the loz angelez chapter Black Panther Party growing up. I started teaching a black history class that waz open to all and after a few weekz I waz told by tha warden that if he haz hiz way I waz going to catch another case before my time waz up.Because I waz 1of those Malcolm X typez and waz a threat to society & tha amerikan way of life.   And loved a good fight and me and tha c o’z always knocked headz.

Were you held in a place where your family had easy visitation access?

It waz a 6 ½ hour drive from l.a to California men’z colony. I did not want visitorz 4 it might fuck up my program. Plenty mail on a daily basis and my account stayed fat.

Original six members of the Black Panther Party (November, 1966) Top left to right: Elbert “Big Man” Howard; Huey P. Newton (Defense Minister), Sherman Forte, Bobby Seale (Chairman). Bottom: Reggie Forte and Little Bobby Hutton (Treasurer) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a tougher question to answer, but do you feel that you were treated fairly by guards and other C.O.s or were you abused? Please try to answer this question fairly, but honestly. I’ve had inmates tell me horror stories of physical and psychological abuse, and I’ve had others tell me they thought the staff at their facility was decent, just trying their best to get a tough job done.

I did not like staff and they did not like me. Alot of tha c o’z used to tell me what they were going to do to me and I would tell them kool, but I’m gonna break  a little something off in ur azz if  u come at me the wrong way. I can’t even count how many timez staff jumped on me and I got a good azz whippen but I sure az hell let them know they were just in fight and there waz no fear in heart.

Were your charges drug related?

yes

College Humor

Do you feel that the punishment “fit” the crime?

no

Do you believe that you were treated more harshly due to ethnicity, economic class, or social class? Conversely, would you say that justice was truly blind in your case, and you got no more or less than anyone else in the system?

Yes 4 my partner in crime at tha time waz a white dude he got 1year 4 an 1^st offense and me I got a smooth azz nickel and believe u me I did it all.

Did you spend any time in “SHU” or any other form of solitary confinement?

I spent 9 monthz on tha dark side. Tha darkside meant there waz no light except 4 when then they were giving u that nasty azz loaf 4 ur mealz. What ever was on tha menu 4 tha day juice ,food and dessert was made in to a loaf and cooked.

You can read more of Moorbey’s work on Moorbey’z Blog. DeafInPrison.com is very grateful to him for this interview, and BitcoDavid is a huge fan of his writing voice. I know my writing teachers are spinning in their graves, but that’s just too bad.

BitcoDavid is a blogger and a blog site consultant. In former lives, he was an audio engineer, a videographer, a teacher – even a cab driver. He is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and a Pro/Am boxer. He has spent years working with diet and exercise to combat obesity and obesity related illness.

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