Ask me about financial success to spending 2 years state prison

[xx44]

I read some of the other posts regarding prison time. I think some of you might find my experience if not interesting then at least entertaining.

I was a partner in a brokerage firm in NYC during the bull market. Four years earlier I was a co-manager of a branch of a nation wide firm that was involved (unbeknown to me) in some shady chit. An overzealous DA threw out his net and I unfortunately got scooped up.

As others were taking deals I was determined to fight the charges as I felt though I was not lilly-white, I did not do anything criminal. From the day I heard about the investigation I retained a top white collar attorney. Hoping that he could tell the DA he was wrong about me/us(2 partners and 3 JR partners of our present firm who also worked at the branch of the firm in question). LOL, that did no good, as I was indicted 9 months later.

Still refusing to plea to anything, thinking the US justice system is perfect we had a year to prepare for trial. Let me tell you,this was the worst year of my life.

Myself and 3 jr partners were going to trial (45 people were either indicted or plead out). I felt confident at the start of jury picking, by the end of the day I wanted to kill myself(figuratively).

The jury was not my peers. Housewives and the unemployed from Harlem (no offense to anybody)were not the ideal people to hear a case so complicated that even the lawyers needed constant explanation of terms and scenarios. What really got me negged out was my attorney's first question to a prospective juror. He asked, "Do you think they did anything wrong?". The response, "well they are here aren't they?".

If found guilty I potentially faced over 20 years, realistically it could be 6-8 years. The trial was going to last 9 months, which I considered jail time anyway because I was in total disbelieving misery. The cost would be several more 100's of thousands of dollars, so the day before opening statements I made a deal(the hardest thing I ever had to do). 2-6 years, meaning I would be out if thing went well in 20 months, if not well 2 years and if badly, up to 6 years.

So this Jewish white kid (well not a kid 32 at the time)that never even knew anybody who went to jail, was processed through Rikers Island on his way to state prison.

Let me also say I did not go to a fed prison. At the time there was a big competition to who gets these cases the state or feds. Therefore I did not go to a camp, but a medium security Ny prison, where 1/3 rd of the convicts had life on the end of the sentence.

It would be too much to write about my working experience, the DA and jail in memoir form. So ask me what ever you want. I do not want to give names, and would appreciate if you respect the anonymity the net gives.

[DarkForceRising]

Jesus Christ, man. That is a nightmare.

How are you holding up now psychologically?

[ncboiler]

What was the shady chit?

[jeffraider]

What is the worst thing that happened to you while in jail? What's the first thing you did when you got out?

[xx44]

DFR,

I am fine mentally. I try not to hold a bitterness (but do). I look at it as random life joke that some people get laid upon them.

JR,

Worst thing was the psychological part of not knowing when I was gettin released. In my OP, you see that I got a 2-6 meaning I had to see a parole board and could have been there upto 6 years.

[xx44]

Ads,

Only 8 of us were left at the time of my trial. There would be anothjer trial after ours for the other 4. The other 4 were offered some crazy deal like 5-10. They went to trial were found not guilty on 15-18 charges, 2 sentenced 3-9 two to 5-10.

The owner of the firm where i was a branch mgr, was in bed with stockpromoters (guys who paid to have their stock recommended) . The da thought my office was involved as well. After 6 months of our lawyers basically proving we were not, the da finally relented, and agreed wew were not part of that,but still needed his pound of flesh and charged us with sales practice violations.Before the trial at worst they would be civil penalties, but the da invoked them as criminal

[xx44]

NC,

Fortunately I am able to eek a a living out of trading my own account very conservatively. I have been involved with a few startups trying to get them off the ground,they did not get going. I am currently involved with a solar energy company that has the potential to work out well.

Jool,

Noah is right. I was painting a picture of me being a deer in head lights, and the jury would have a hard time understanding a comples case.

My feeling of the justice system is that it is far from perfect. I beleive that most people have no uinderstanding that the DA can basically get convivtions, pleas on anything with the threat of enoguh jail time. I would have confessed to shootiung kennedy at the time i Plead

[KneeCo]

OP,

from the very little I know about the court system or your situation, it sounds like:

- you should have gotten a better lawyer.

- a jury full of people having no idea about the business you were involved in should have easily worked out in your favor with half competent representation.

I agree the American justice system, particularly the huge politicization of the DA's office, is very bad.

[jool]

Noah,

I know that's not what he was saying. My point was exactly that- even when we don't mean it to, diction can carry with it implicit ideas that we may or may not subscribe to on some level. I think on a subject like this- whose machinations are so large that we might not notice them- it wouldn't hurt anyone to think about the things we off-handedly say.

xx,

totally valid response, and i definitely have my own problems with the "jury of your peers" idea. glad to hear things might be headed in the right direction with you.

[xx44]

My aunt actually knew somebody who went to jail and I was able to speak to him. He also was a jewish guy, but hardcore, in for attempted murder. He basically told me if anybody [censored], with you or even says something, dont hesitate just hit them as hard as you can in the throat. I was like WTF!?! Not knowing better that was the attitude I thought I would take.

2 days before I was to go in, my friends and I were on Park ave, where a black guy was trying to sell us a fake rolex. My friend said, they wont need that where they are going. They guy was like "where you going?". When I told him, he was like" no way I just got outta there".

I was so happy that here was person that could give meadvice as to what to expect. He asked me my name, I told him. He then replied,"Look Rick when you go in you may have some people [censored] with you saying 'what's up cracker' and things like that. All you do is look them in the eye ask them their name. Then put out your hand and introduce yourself.Hmmmm...

So when I first get to RIkers Island I was in a dorm with 50 other people in a room the size of a small tennis court. I walk in, the only white guy, and feel the eyes upon me.I put my stuff down and go to the phone.

You need PIN numbers to dial out, mine was not activated yet so I slammed the phone down out of frustration. As soon as I did that I hear, "I DONT CARE WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS M-Fer DONT BE SLAMMING DOWN THE PHONE!!!

Uh-OH, so I quickly think what my options are:

1. Just walk away
2. Turn around and punch him in the throat
or...

So I turn around and there are 2 huge black guys. Before they can say anything I ask, "what''s your name?".He looks surprised, hesitates and says,"Light".

I stick my hand out shake his hand and say"my name is xx". He shakes and in a voice that had nothing similar to theone that yelled at me said,"I know it gets frustrating its just that these phiones sometimes blink off if you slam them".

That scenario represents what most of my time was like.