"it's public disorderly—public—public—disorder—disorderly conduct."

So, I'm homeless and at a certain point in the day I don't really have many options on where I can go to the bathroom. They've closed the public bathrooms and a lot of the bars and other public places around town do not let you use their bathrooms when you're homeless – unless you buy something, which I don't have money to buy. So, I had to pee in a bush. And, I was peeing in a bush and just – I swear to God, if the officer had been two seconds quicker, all of this would have happened with my pants down around my ankles. Just managed to get my stuff put away and all of a sudden — stuff. My junk. Put away. And, all of a sudden, somebody's grabbing me from behind. Did not identify themselves, I had no idea who was grabbing me – it was just somebody was grabbing me. So, I pulled back, which, I believe, is the normal human thing to do and so the officer then pulled me back again, handcuffed me, slammed me into the wall, threw me on the floor, and it wasn't until he picked me back up and turned me around that I saw the cop car – that I realized what was going on. So, that's public urination and resisting arrest. And, because I was bleeding, as he threw me in the back of the cop car, I think that's why he felt the need to accuse me of assaulting him. In fact, he claims that I bit him. Now, I had a witness who was standing two feet away who can tell you that that did not happen, so I've been — I came to court, I was supposed to come to court a couple weeks ago, I was late, didn't realize what time I was supposed to be here, the judge yelled at me, I almost cried, and so I had to come back again today, and the last time they were willing to — the first time I was through, they were willing to drop the assault charge and then – but just charge me with resisting and public urination and give me public service? Community service. And I was, like, "yeah, but I didn't do this." So, I said no, I pled not guilty, so I had to come back, I was late the first time, I had to come back again and they reduced the charge again to something called 220 or 240.20, which is not a crime, doesn't go on your record, it's publicdisorderly—public—public—disorder—disorderly conduct. Disorderly conduct. So, that's what's officially going on my record, it's not officially considered a crime. But, the part that I find interesting is that the police officer lied, completely lied, and claimed that I assaulted him, which never happened. Never happened. That's pretty much the long and the short of it.

Daniel

"Who benefited from this? I don't understand at all.

This is a good story. I was in my apartment, it was like 7:15 PM and uh I was in the bedroom and all of a sudden we heard the door. They were knocking really really really hard. Ringing the door, banging the door, obnoxious. So Brad went to the door. I looked at the peep hole and I saw two people standing at the door. I thought well sometimes they misdirect them, them send them to the wrong floors here. So a lot of times they go to the wrong floor. So I figured they're probably lost. I opened the door for them. At that point they take police ID out of their pockets, tell me that their police, to step back, they push me out of the way, one of them is holding a battering ram and right behind those two this man and woman, come about eight or nine other police officers, men and woman both. And uh go ahead Octavio.

So um I came out of the bedroom, "come here sir, come here sir", they're like screaming at me. First of all I'm blind, I'm totally blind. You know what I mean. I said, "who are you?" and they wouldn't tell me. They wouldn't tell me at all. I didn't even know they were police. I said "who are you?" And they wouldn't tell me. They said "you're under arrest." They sat me in a chair and then they moved me into the bed. Then they moved me into the bedroom. They switched places with us. Handcuffed. They never read us our Miranda rights either. One of the policemen said to me "did you guys just do something recently to piss somebody off?" At that time I had really really bad vertigo. I couldn't even walk. I had to hold on to the wall and everything. He had just come out the hospital for seven weeks from cryptococcus. He couldn't even walk across the floor by himself. It's a fungal infection of the brain. It's deadly. I can't walk because of the vertigo. I kept telling them that I was blind. They didn't believe me. Honestly, because I said, "I need to take my cane downtown." We realized three of the police stayed behind in the premises when we left. So god knows what they did here what they searched what they left here they could have bugged the place they could have anything they wanted to.

We get to the police station. We had to wait and wait and wait. They fingerprinted my hand. We waited 3 1/2 hours just to take our fingerprints. They took Octavio first. They took an hour for him. 8 hours later they finally take me to do my prints. An hour later they come back. "Here are your charges" and on a piece of paper, 23000 Octavio Perez, Prostitution Solicitation. The penal code, 23000 solicitation for sex. Prostitution with a woman. It was a police woman. Right here in the apartment. They were all here. The police were all here. An undercover female police officer. She's the one that entered the door, with the first person that came in with the whole squad. So how could he have ever solicited for sex with her not knowing she was a policeman when she was here with ten other people, cops! [They said] "That if she would have sex with me I was going to pay her 200 and something dollars. Oh if she masturbated me."

So then our first date in court comes around two weeks later and when we actually get to court there's no corroborating evidence from the police officer on the scene who's filing the solicitation charges against Mr. Perez, filed with the District Attorney. Nothing there at all. So they tell us we have to come back in a month and the same thing happens. So we can back in a month and the same thing happens. There's still no corroborating evidence put forth by the Police Officer who's making the claim that Octavio solicited her for sex. So then say come back in two months. And then when we came back then they dismissed the whole thing. They threw it out. The District Attorney had no documentation proving that the police officer who made this report is the one that made the report and it's actually factual. I had to get a lawyer. I spent more then four thousand dollars on this. For what? For what? Who benefited from this? I don't understand at all. Nobody. Nobody.

Octavio and Brad

October 30, 2008

"These Mexicans were hitting on me and we got into a verbal fight..."

Um I found a wallet and I called 411 and got the address, I mean I got the phone number of the person who I thought the wallet belonged to. I called them, left a message. There was also two checks with phone numbers on them, I called those. One was in California. One didn't go through and the other one didn't know who I was talking about. The girl that called back it wasn't her wallet. So I tried unsuccessfully to locate the person whose wallet it belonged to. That's pretty much all that happened. We got into a fight. These Mexicans were hitting on me and we got into a verbal fight and we walked outside and cops walked up on us. Four undercover cops walked up on us and searched all of us and found the wallet in my purse and arrested me for possessing credit cards and checks in over two thousand dollars, amount of two thousand dollars. I ended up getting booked for two felonies and I didn't do anything. On the the lower east side in a phone booth. I couldn't get the right phone number for the person who lived in Brooklyn. Probably toss it out. I couldn't find the person.

Courtney

October 30, 2008

"You might have to fight for your sneakers…"

They're definitely a status symbol. Not that that's what I'm going for but they definitely give you the idea that the person was in fact in jail, the person was in fact incarcerated. Definitely. Definitely. As well as the shoes and my lack of a belt also; all of it gives you you know. Someone would see me and it gives you off the jump that I came from jail.

To some people I think it's just a fashion statement. That's how some people choose to wear their pants. It's a style, it's a fad that maybe one or two people started and it's followed. Even though it originates from being in jail and not being allowed to wear your pants. Like myself if I was to stand up straight and walk a few feet you would be able to notice that my pants would not be able to stay on my waist they would actually fall off. So the idea did come from jail you know and I guess people carried it on to the streets even though you have a belt you still decide to wear them below your waist. Which to me is quite uncomfortable. Me being young and it's been in style for years I even catch myself doing it, even unintentionally where someone has to remind me to pick up your pants. Oh, ok I'm bogging.

These are actually jail issued sneakers that you get because when you enter the jail your property is taken and your sneakers are taken. People argue about who has the better sneakers and people are getting hurt and even killed over the issue of sneakers they come in jail with. I might have a $145 pair and you might have a $20 pair and might decide you might want my $145 pair and I might need to fight. The sad thing is as that as time go on I don't want to say it became a fad, it became a style. It became kind of like automatic you might have to fight for your sneakers, which is usually the first thing another inmate might try to take from you. They might ask you nicely first, "let me get those. Let me give you a couple of soups, which only cost 35 cents." Let me give you some of my commissary for your sneakers, you know.Me personally I'm actually happy that you don't have to come in with your own sneakers, that you can have jail issued. It's kind of like a uniform in a way. That's one less thing to argue about. I think it was a good idea.

I myself refuse to get on the train with the jail issued shoes because it's quite embarrassing. They also have orange issued sneakers. I've seen all different colored jail shoes. I've seen black. I've seen orange. I've seen dark blue. I've seen dark purple. I don't think none of them are cool. I don't even like the idea of wearing them. To be real I don't like them. Some people want you to know they're been locked up. They definitely want you to know.

Steven

"This is not Gestapo."

I was walking up the street with my hands in my pockets just like this and I see this kid pulled over and he looks at me and I looked back and they're like, "Hey stop!" and I walked back and then take another look back, someone runs over, jumps up, grabs me, slams my fucking head in the ground, holds his hands over my head and about to hit me and I say, "I'm from Ohio." After he just grabs my fucking shit, pulls me up and takes me to a car, searches my pockets, says, "Oh what about that wallet in the phone booth, what about your wallet?" I'm like I have my wallet, it's in my friends car. Then they take me over to this phone booth, grab this wallet that doesn't have my ID in it, has like drugs in it and stuff.

Now they're trying to put a felony on me for this wallet that has no ID in it or anything to link it to me. I have a pregnant girl at home. I just came to see a Phish concert and go home and take care of my pregnant girl. They're trying to take my life away for no reason for Gestapo shit. This is not right. It's unconstitutional and it's not fair. You can't do this. I don't have help. I don't even have a phone to call home. no one even knows where I am.

This is not the America I was told. You can't do that to people. This isn't Gestapo. This is not Gestapo. This is not a Nazi police country. This is fucking America.

Ricky

"I hit him with a stick. Okay?"

Yeah, my neighbor's boyfriend—she's Korean, he's, I think he's Italian—what happened was on February the eleventh, he kicked my door, then he threw me down and I hit him with a stick. Okay? I had to spend 24 hours over here, at this area over here, I was taken to Midtown South, 35th Street, 8th Avenue, the police station over there, I'm sure you've heard of it. And I had to come over here, like, around 3:30 in the morning, about 3:15 in the morning, I was here.

And, they listen to my comings and goings from the hallway, when I leave my apartment, they become very loud, they stage arguments, she's running around and saying that I saw her nude through her window, which is not true, because their windows are...they have venetian blinds on their windows, and you can't even see through their apartment because they're so filthy-dirty, put their garbage and everything else over there, and this is what it is. And, I hit the guy with a stick because he threw me down. And, the police officers arrested me on Wednesday night, February the eleventh, year 2009.


Yes, I hit him with a stick. I did. Because he did what he did first...I said to you just a second ago, he kicks my door, and he threw me down, and I fell down on my ladder that I have in the hallway. There's a big ladder that I have in the hallway at home. I had a stick that I had to protect myself just in case of anybody tries to come after me, 'cause I'm not the best fighter in the world. But, they're terrible people, I've called the police 50 times on them, and everything else. Same building. Same floor. Well, I have to go down the fire escape sometimes to check the draining systems on the roof, because when it rains they...it clogs up with these office buildings throwing garbage down on to the roof. That's what happens. They throw garbage down to the roof, and it's, you know, plastic bags and all this other stuff. You know what I'm saying? They stage arguments to make me believe that they're not getting along...they get along, they live together, the boyfriend leaves for work at 7 a.m. in the morning, now every morning, never used to until just recently. I have to leave my radio on, too, because they're very loud, they woke me up at 11:45 yesterday morning, and everything else. And, they're loud. You know what I'm saying? They talk near my door on the cell phone.


I have to...but, the thing is, when I go down the fire escape their windows are there. Now, I can't help that. I was...that building was built a long time ago, back in the 1800s, it's an old building, it's a walk-up, and I'm on the fourth floor, they're on the fourth floor. I mean, what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to NOT do it, or whatever it is? You know what I'm saying? They just yell and scream at one another, you can't understand it, she's got such a big mouth, this...neighbor of mine. She's Korean, I don't know what he...I think he's Italian, he told me he was Italian.


Well, I have to go back to court again on the 15th of June. They have an order of protection against me right now, because of the stick-hitting. Eventually, they're gonna have to show up in court, because they're making up stories that are not true. First of all, if I did something like that to your wives, I'm sure that you would be smart enough to call the police, have me arrested for it, I mean, that's supposed to be an arrest factor. I mean, if you look at somebody nude, in their apartment, you're supposed to be arrested for this. You know what I'm saying? You're supposed to be arrested. I was never arrested for that charge, because they made it all up. The boyfriend made it up, she made it up.

Richard

"Yeah he's a real asshole."

I'm trying to like get rid of a domestic partnership. Void it. And also I'm trying to vacate a warrant that I got for hopping the turnstile. I just jumped over the turnstile to get on the train without paying. They gave me a ticket. I couldn't pay it. And now I have a warrant. It will be if like I get picked up by the police or something. So that's why I want to get rid of it. It was like a hundred dollars which is pretty ridiculous I think. I mean obviously I didn't have money to get on the train. Hopefully they'll give me community service or something I dunno try to work something out. Maybe a payment plan, they do that a lot.

Oh the domestic partnership. Yeah I dunno I just, it's probably going to be pretty uncomfortable. Me and my ex boyfriend got one for housing reasons I guess a year ago or something. I really want to get rid of it. I haven't seen him in six months. I don't really want to see him but they need both our signatures. Yeah he's a real asshole.

Yeah I write. I'm a writer. Like auto biographical short stories. I wrote a lot about traveling. I hitchhiked across the country. I hopped a freight train and stuff.

Naomi

"I came home one night and I seen a poster of myself, posted on the wall…"

I had a court case today and it was fraud. I was lied, I was lied upon. I was, what is it called when they categorize you. I was falsely categorized into being some type of robber whatever and that's not my type of thing, I'm very well taken care of, my family takes care of me, I'm working.

I came home one night and I seen a poster of myself, posted on the wall and on the floor I live. A wanted poster. It said wanted for robbery. Yes with my picture on it. Shocked. I was more then shocked. I was angry, I was confused. I just didn't understand why that was happening. I snatched the poster off the wall and went to my closest precinct in my neighborhood. They locked me up. They didn't say anything. No I definitely didn't do it. I had no parts in it. I don't even, robbery is not something I would think of. I have no idea. From what I understand, they didn't even give me the full case. From what I understand, a lady got robbed for her phone. Now I have a phone. My phone is high grade.

Stefan

"I don't like to change my image for conformists."

I shoplifted. I needed some clothes so I went into a very nice store and took some things. An American Apparel. A shirt, well two shirts barely worth the sentencing. Barely worth anything. It was the fact that I basically needed the clothes so I felt that you know receiving any kind of sentencing was kind of unfair because it was a first time offense so I felt like it should have been dismissed. Well when you're in a situation where you know life kind of like beats down on you, you really have nothing else to do, you need clothes for the winter, summer, spring so that's basically why I did it. I need to support myself in some way that's why I did it.

Well I don't like to change my image for conformists. In order to appreciate all halves you have to appreciate both halves. You have to recognize you live in society so part of living in society is being conformist without completely realizing it, but then again, what is a conformist but someone who follows, but then what is there really to follow, you know it's very in depth profound simple vague things.

I kinda just walked in and did it. It was very impulsive. I just said this is going to be very easy I know exactly how to do this, it's the most intelligent thing to do. I just went into a changing room you know put it in my bag and walked out. But they basically knew so they caught me. They basically had seen me take the clothes and put them in my bag, except I hadn't gone into a changing room I don't think.

Gizelle

"I'm stressed out and I'm mad..."

I was walking downtown, midtown with a friend of mine. I wasn't walking with him but I seen him and I had shook his hand and he had made a sale to an undercover cop of some fake marijuana and the police ran up on me and him and took both of us and uhh they said, "I was the lookout and he was the dealer." We gets down there and it comes to find out the marijuana was fake. I didn't sell nothing, I didn't have nothing on me but they still arrest me. I just got out on five hundred dollars bail and I'm stressed out and I'm mad but um this is life, so this is what it is. Come to find out the marijuana that was supposed to be sold was Lipton tea.

Tyrone

"You like the high. I like the high."

I was in court. I got caught for trespassing with a crack pipe and a couple of vials of crack coming out of an abandoned building smoking crack. Crack house. That's it. I got busted Friday, Friday morning, now I'm just getting out. I was arraigned this morning, so they gave me time served.

Basically I'm 45 so basically out of my life I say like 100 times [been arrested]. How long I been, most I ever did time was seven years. All together. My last felony was in 2002. Basically I'm still getting high. I'm trying to get it together right now. I panhandle some time but i ain't like out here like trying to steal or go back to jail so I ask people for money or I help people do things as far as supermarkets... help them pack bags or stuff like that. Sometimes i go to Port Authorities help people with their luggage.

To be honest with you I like the drug I ain't gonna lie to you. I feel I feel like...mmm... I can't be...you know, you be in your own space. Know what I mean? Ain't really, can't really say, it's just the high...you like the high. I like the high. I don't know anybody else like the high, but I like the high. It make you feel numb. 'Cause you can...be invisible, ain't nobody can feel you but your higher power. You know? That's it. So, that's why I like getting high.

Jerome

"Then I start to sing songs in the prison…"

I just walked my dog in the street and the FBI and Service Secret are around in 5th Avenue and 80 Street and a lot of secures there, and are not supposed to pass through there, but I don't know, and the officers asked for my ID and my ID's from my country, and he asked so many questions, and he arrest me and then I come here, when I stay for 38 hours in the jail, and I saw a lot of people there and then I start...I'm a man of God, I start to ask God "why I'm in here, why I'm here for so long," and the Lord say to me "preach my word," and I say "all right," and then I start to sing songs in the prison, and all the prison there start to look at me and listen the words, one prison there, he say "preach the words of Jesus," and then I tell to the other, I say "Lord, why?" and the Lord say "preach," and I preach the words of the Lord in the jail, like, and then I say "and everyone is go home" and one Brazilian guy is coming and this Brazilian tell me his life and then I pray for him and then he give his life to Jesus, and I say "Lord, I'm tired to be here," and the Lord say "remember my words, remember, my son, I'm in the jail, all my disciples in the jail, Peter, Paul, everyone, I send you here because all these people need someone's pray," and I'm in here in this court, like, for almost one year's come every time, every time, and today I put my feet in the court, and I pray to the Lord, say "Lord, today is done," and the judge say "no, you free, you can go," and the case is dismissed, that's all worship, and that I give all glory to the Lord, cause only He is the Lord, and the my service here is done.

In 80 and 5th Avenue, it crosses Central Park, and the Service Secret they protect some very important man. I don't know, I don't know his name. Well, in this case, no, because He's the Lord God, He have a mission, no one understand, the Pope, or something, the Lord, and that's the reason I worship Him. They protect the man who working in the...President of some nation, he's important man. No, Jesus, He no need law to protect Him cause He's the son of God, He have a whole power of earth in His hands. No, He protects me from the Service Secret.

Mivaldo