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As I sit here and think about what I want to write about in
my next post, I can’t help but think back to a famous quote by Billie Holiday
that I read in one of my last books, called Chasing the Scream, by Johann Hari
about the war on drugs. In her quote, she says, “I don’t know much about
psychology and all that, but I do know that there are things that can happen to
you during early childhood which can influence your whole life”. This got me to
thinking about how most people that have never experienced childhood abuse and
trauma and tragedy probably wouldn’t understand how someone could get hooked on
drugs, but I do… and so did Billie Holiday, and there’s more to her story than
you probably know. Being abused sexually and given drugs to take at age 11 was
not something I asked for in life, they are only the cards I was dealt. This
began a life of addiction for me that lasted most of my life, to not only feel
the addiction, but to cover up the pain and scars and shame I felt from being
sexually abused. It took a long time for me to admit all of this, but it seems
that once I did, the road to my personal recovery became easier, as I’ve
previously stated in my first post, I am clean and sober today finally for
once, since I was 11 years old. I have been completely drug and alcohol free
since April 9, 2009. Oh don’t get me wrong, I could do anything at any time in
these prisons, as drugs and alcohol are everywhere, and the time before in jail
and prison, I did. This time has been different, and I don’t know if whoever is
reading this or not understands how hard it is to stop using, but it has been
one of the hardest things to do that I’ve ever done, but I did it, and now that
I’ve solved this problem in my life, I’ve got to find a way to get out of
prison, so I can finally live life clean and sober.
It’s not something I’ve
ever done before, so I’m very excited about it, as a matter of fact, I was
extremely high and intoxicated the day of the arrest on the charges that I’m in
prison for. (See gofundme.com/ctlatinojr,
Sherriff’s Dept Statement of Facts: Exhibit A) where it says, “Mr. Latino
appeared to be under the influence of some unknown substances, yet in my trial
none of this was ever mentioned, instead they told the jury that I “knowingly”
and “intentionally” tried to attempt to assault a police officer. How do you “knowingly”
and “intentionally” do anything when you’re high and intoxicated? Most people
who have ever been drunk or high know that it is easy to do something dumb or
stupid that you wake up to the next day to regret, but in so many cases today,
people are being prosecuted as “knowingly” and “intentionally” doing something,
when they really wasn’t, and this isn’t right. I didn’t “knowingly” and “intentionally”
do anything but run from the police because I was high and intoxicated, and I
have had over 10 years to regret my mistake. I do wish that I could have that
day all over again, because I would definitely not be here today, but I can’t
change m past, I can only change my future, and so can anyone out there reading
this today, Ya’ll can all help change my future too, by helping me get
attention to my case, by sharing my story and helping me get an investigation
into my trial and appeals, so I can get out of this prison and finally feel
what it’s like to be free. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing by appealing to
the people in common sense talk, putting it out there straight forward about
what all this is really about, because this case is more than just about me,
this case is, and should be, a wake up call of how far the laws are being
stretched and shaped into all out crime. In my case, no deputy was ever assaulted,
no gun was ever fired, my fingerprints are not even on the guns, yet I’m
sitting in prison 10 years later still serving a 55 year sentence for assault
on a police officer with a deadly weapon… that never even happened.
Therefore,
I’m appealing to anyone out there reading this today to please help me bring
attention to my case. Share this post along with my others and help me spread
my story. Let’s start up a conversation for prison reform, and let’s bring
change to the justice system in general and get back to justice and compassion
instead of hate when it comes to someone who makes a mistake. I know if I can
get the right attorney/investigator to look into my case I can get out of here
and be able to go back home, but it takes money and it’s just something I don’t
have. They don’t allow us to earn money in Texas
