Saturday December 13, 2008, 5:32 am
You are not alone Mary my beautiful freind, there are others out there, like you said that are suffering the same thing that your family has gone through. I think it's BS when you can't even get information or accountibility on your loved one when they die, that's just wrong, unjust and unfair! Everyone has the right to know how, why, when, where their loved one passes away, everyone!

Thank you & bless you Mary for always caring so much about others dear one!
This is noted & will pass on.

Blessings to all,
FreeSpirit...

Saturday December 13, 2008, 5:32 am
oops, sorry "friend"...ty

Saturday December 13, 2008, 5:44 am
We all have to watch for people who want to control others, and hide under some government group. The whole Bush admistration has done this.

I do believe a criminal should pay for the crime, but we don't need criminals running thise jails and abusing others. It has to be stopped.

Saturday December 13, 2008, 5:46 am
Thank you, FreeSpirit. How suitable your name is for the generous way you share with others. How can you or any of us at Care2 understand those who are willing to profit off the suffering they cause others?

The woman in the picture is the picture of misery, isn't she? Cynthia Smith said she wasn't told that her husband, Torrey Lamar Smith, had died in jail until more than 24 hours after his death, when a Hays County detective called her mother-in-law with the news. She said no one has given her answers about the circumstances surrounding his death. Do you know what Torrey was arrested for - pulling over to the side of the road when he realized he was too drunk to drive.

I believe that slavery never ended in America. It just moved from the cotton fields to the prison yards. Lots of "serfs" are there, too - economically disadvantaged white people who cannot afford a good legal defense, like young Ricky Kiser, who was sentenced to 120 years for a first offense - passing a note to his pharmacist!

Americans are no worse than citizens in other countries, and most of those arrested are imprisoned for NON-VIOLENT CRIMES and MENTAL ILLNESS!

Folks need to stop using our young citizens for prison labor and our mentally ill citizens for profit - trading people on Wall Street is awful!

Please remember to pray for these families this Christmas season. The Smiths have four children, ages 5, 6, 8 and 11. Cynthia Smith said it is starting to sink in for her children that their father is dead, and they are receiving counseling through their church.

"This morning, my 6-year-old daughter was writing in a notebook," Smith said. "She wrote, 'I love you Mommy,' on one line."

On the second, she wrote, "I miss you, Daddy," and drew a picture of him with a halo, her mother said.

Mary
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Saturday December 13, 2008, 5:57 am
Thank you for commenting, Nick.

Reuters reports, "Former attorney general Gonzales used his position to 'stop the investigations as to the wrongdoings' - into assaults in county prisons, the indictment said.”

Gonzales is innocent until proven guilty, but 5 years have passed since my handicapped brother's secret arrest and death in Shelby County Jail, and we don't have any answers yet!

Folks act like they have been told by someone up high that it is OK to secretly arrest Americans and return them to their families dead, and no questions will be asked. How else can anyone explain such blatant disregard for the law, even though the USDOJ was already in overview of Shelby County Jail? Something is up with that.

Mary

Saturday December 13, 2008, 9:43 am
Its wrong when the jails or prison does not tell the family any thing my son Donald is still missing they moved him from the hospital 15 days ago and they wont tell me where he is or if hes alright, the family's have a right to no whats happening to there love one I am just sitting by the phone checking the mail and praying he is alright Joann.

Saturday December 13, 2008, 12:31 pm
Hi, Mary. Again just observing from public seating in the courtrooms time after time, I was appalled at how the smooth talkers and those with the fat wallets that 'walked' and those with minimal offenses were jailed. I broke my heart to see them shackled and shaking.

Saturday December 13, 2008, 12:35 pm
Joann, I went to your Page but the link you have there re: Donald does not work. I know Mary has had her conflicts, but have you contacted your local news agency with his story? The more people that speak up the more pressure is on them to conduct their 'business' of incarceration in a more up front manner. I will be keeping Donald and you folks in my thoughts and hope there is an positive outcome and soon!

Saturday December 13, 2008, 1:10 pm
Joann, I am so sorry this happened. I thought all prisoners had the right to receive mail and have visitors on visiting days. Is that not true? If it is true, then you should be able to know where he is for visiting. Call the governor's office and inquire, if the prison will tell you nothing. I am sure that someone in Gov. Swarchenegger's office can put you in touch with your son. Try the warden again first, so it will not appear that you are not following protocol. Let us know what happened.

Mary
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Saturday December 13, 2008, 5:52 pm
My own heart sure goes out to those of you & others who have also known such frustrating & unfair sadness!!!

Saturday December 13, 2008, 9:39 pm
God bless you mary

Saturday December 13, 2008, 9:44 pm
blessings to you mary neal. we will keep the smiths and ricky kiser in our prayers ~

Saturday December 13, 2008, 10:23 pm
These people who work in the jail system are paid from a fund by the taxpayers - and they should be answered to. These people - and others like them - deserve to know the truth. We should by now be aware of the cover-ups that exist in public offices - police dept. - jails - etc. That doesn't give anyone to withhold information from the families. And for a wife to NOT be notified for 24 hours of her husband's death??? Who is covering for who??? I hope that she doesn't give up and finds out the truth behind it all. What has happened to respect - honesty - dignity in the world? Hopefully in these cases - the truth - whatever it is - will come out and give these people some closure - at least.

Sunday December 14, 2008, 12:31 am
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR NOTING AND COMMENTING ON THIS NEWS STORY.

The important thing for us all to remember is that our elected officials care about what we care about as voters. It is not enough to elect people you think will do a good job representing you and your interests. Once you put folks in office, you must communicate with them to let them know your concerns.

PLEASE REMIND OUR NEW SENATE AND CONGRESS AND WHITE HOUSE OFTEN AND PROFOUNDLY THAT WE DEMAND A JUST DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE for a CHANGE!

That is one of the main Changes that we need!

Blessings,

Mary

Sunday December 14, 2008, 12:42 am
Thank you very much, Care2News Network for enabling this important news story to go forward to Front Page. It is vitally important to millions of people that people imprisoned in our country be treated humanely. We have over 22,000 children serving life in prison in America. We have 1.25 million mental patients behind bars. We have hundreds of thousands of folks doing time for smoking a joint!

Everyone behind bars is someone's loved one - somebody's husband, wife, child, or uncle. Believe it or not, many are innocent and in jail because they are poor, black or brown and did not have the money for a good defense against their criminal charges, so they took a plea rather than risk a lengthy sentence.

Torture is not a part of anyone's prison sentence. But it happens. Death sentences are not even supposed to include torture. To condemn mental patients to 23 hours a day of solitary confinement in a "hole," which is often done, is torture for them.

To remove young people from their homes and families because they smoked a joint or made one mistake like Ricky is ridiculous, especially when taxpayers must pay $50,000 annually to "save" society from these nonviolent offenders.

Get serious about human rights for prisoners. Many families need your help.

Join Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill (a Care2 Human Rights group).

Thank you.

Sunday December 14, 2008, 9:09 am
Hi Mary-I tried to post a comment six times yesterday, but my screen just froze. What I want to say is how awful for these families to have a loved one die in prison, but to not be able to get the information about it so cruel. And our justice system has turned its back. Thanks, Mary for bringing this to public attentiion and get Obama to get the DOJ back to work.

Sunday December 14, 2008, 2:47 pm
My heart breaks for all the families caught up in these horrible situations. Even if the person broke the law the families did nothing wrong and it is they who are also being unjustly punished by them not knowing where their loved one is or what has happened to them. Those poor children and our Country speaks about how the Russians, Chinese, and other Countries treat their prisioners...well we need to do some improvement in our Country I'd say as well.

Sunday December 14, 2008, 3:56 pm
God bless you Mary, some Laws need a change for sure.
The Law wonts it this way so thy can control.

Sunday December 14, 2008, 9:16 pm
Thank you, Michael, Dandelion, Sara, and everyone who notes and comments on these stories. We can change things just by voicing our disgust. Our elected officials care about what voters care about. Public opinion does matter in politics.

Here is a message for PRISON PROFITEERS:

When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing. ~ Proverbs 11:7

Get right with God. He loves you. Re-invest in mental hospitals and community care. Do something you will not be ashamed of on your death bed. What does it profit a man/woman to gain the whole world and lose your own soul? Do you really want to buy your teen a new car off the blood of disadvantaged and sick fellow Americans? BUY A HEART!

Mary