My name is #1074666. I've been incarcerated for 16 years in the Virginia Department of Corrections. I was convicted in the year 2000 for a crime I didn't commit by a jury that wasn't my peers. I was charged with aggravated malicious wounding from an incident in which I pleaded not guilty on the grounds that I acted in self-defense. I went to trial with numerous amounts of evidence that supported my claim. However, I was railroaded by an overzealous prosecution and a determined judge. Since my conviction I have been fighting to have my case overturned but I have yet to prevail because the Virginia judicial system is not being utilized properly by officials who have the authority to do the right thing. This action has brought a substantial amount of frustration to my life. It's hard to get the relief I know I deserve if the very people who have the authority are hiding behind the rules and statutes that keep anyone from prevailing. My frustration begins with the courtroom when the Commonwealth steps over the lines trying to convict a person for a crime that he or she may or may not have committed. Its rules that are put in place that lawyers must follow during the trial are most likely designed to ensure that a defendant gets a fair trial.
However, prosecutors are finding ways to circumvent these rules to the extent that it violates a defendant's due process rights under the U.S. Constitution. For example, in a jury trial a prosecutor knows that certain comments should not be made during a trial but they will do it anyway. Even if the defendant objects to the comment and the prosecutor withdraws their statement, the seed has been planted. You cannot erase what's been said from people's minds, so that comment will play a major role in their decision-making. The courts play dirty when it comes to getting a conviction by any means.
The U.S. Constitution gives us rights that have to be followed regardless of the State we live in but this is not always the case in some states because once you are under the jurisdiction of the court, you are under their control. Another thing that frustrates me is that how can it be a rule that enforces a limitation on anyone who wishes to receive reconsideration for what they have done? According to the rule (Sup. Ct. rule 1.1) that states that after 21 days of the final order of a judgement, a person loses certain action that he or she could use to seek relief. In other words, this rule is denying us our rights to seek justice. It takes more than twenty one days to even research the various case laws and statutes to even come up with a legitimate claim to fight back.
You cannot put a time limit on liberation because there's no justice in that. This kind of frustration could lead a person to have other negative thoughts that can cause an emotional breakdown. This is what happened to me on many occasions during my incarceration. I used to drive myself crazy stressing about what the Court did wrong instead of me correcting what I did wrong. However, even though I shouldn't blame myself for being in this situation, it still doesn't excuse the Court for their unjust treatment. When someone is denied their right to fight due to restrictions, they lose the little hope they may have had at first, and create a whole different situation for themselves. Going through these court procedures can suck the life right out of a person. Laws can make you more angrier than intelligent because frustration blocks you from learning. For the most part, the judicial system is set up to impose its will on people at all cost by handing down unjust sentences and making it virtually impossible to get justice through the so called "legal" system. Even the Habeus Corpus process is tainted by limitations, statutes, and rules.
Now, of course, people will say, "You should just stop getting in trouble." Even though this may be true there's people everyday fighting for their freedom because they're innocent. Sometimes a person can be found guilty due to a corrupt system; it happens. This is why here lately DNA evidence has been the only way people have to get justice after being falsely accused. However, all cases do not involve DNA so where's the justice for these individuals? It's a shame that the same laws that we are supposed to believe and trust would be the same laws that keep us in prison.
My story is no different from the other millions of prisoners in the US that suffer these same conditions. The moral of my situation is to stay out of trouble no matter what your circumstances are, because this could be you one day. I would encourage anyone to educate themselves about the law and get involved in order to change the law. The future is in the hands of whoever wants it, because change starts within you. Even though its been a tough lesson for me, I have learned to be patient and to keep hope alive. I also found God who gave me direction and saved my life in the process. He lifted my spirit from dwelling in hate and frustration so that i can stay focused on getting out of prison rather than complaining about being in prison. It's not about where you re, it's about what you are going to do while you're there.
Group Discussion
Does frustration constitute failure? If yes, how? If no, why not?
Is frustration a normal reaction when something happens out of your control?
Do the laws of the land dictate your moral judgement? If so, how?
How do you perceive the law, "just" or "unjust"? Explain.
Is the author trying to justify his actions on the Court System or does the evidence prove his frustration? Explain.
What comes first -- confusion or frustration? Explain.
Has there ever been a time when frustration caused you to do something you regretted later?
How can feeling frustrted affect your thinking?