‘like walking death’
‘like walking death’ Convicts reflect on life behind bars You are stripped of your identity, handcuffed and shackled, then escorted to the receiving area in the very bowels of the prison. Upon arrival, you are relieved of all your clothes. What awaits you next is a shower, taken in front of people you have never seen before. After a storm of questions ranging from your medical history to who should be notified in the event of your “untimely death,” you’re ready to be escorted to your cellblock. The transitions from freedom to corrective detention are never easy — they include changes you must undergo that are unimaginable. You are issued a cell number, a roll of toilet paper and an institutional rulebook for your reading pleasure during those long, sleepless nights. When you make it to your cell, you look around in stunned disbelief at the 6- by 9-foot concrete and steel box, complete with a distressed mattress, grunge toilet and filthy sink. This is now your home. The men here used to be a lot like you. A son, brother, student, friend and lover — but for now, their names are No. 362658 or 538153. BAD CHOICES Twenty-six-year-old Joseph Shammas of Southfield started making bad decisions at a young age. “Hanging out with the wrong people, gambling, smoking weed and drinking — you know, doing all the things my mother taught me not to do,” he said. In 2001, Shammas was convicted of conspiracy of armed robbery and sentenced nine to 15 years in prison. Shammas said the path of destruction he was once in is unfortunately prevalent in the Chaldean community. “From the outside looking in,” he said, “the lifestyle of doing drugs and all other illicit activities may be appealing. But you risk everything and in essence are rewarded nothing. I hope I can deter our young generation from making the same mistakes.” Where Shammas once sought to destroy, he is now intending to build. Since his incarceration, he has focused on educating himself and developing BY JOVAN KASSAB spiritually. He has earned his GED and has received a certificate to teach a class to fellow inmates. Shammas said his corrupt lifestyle ruined his most important relationships, and that the memories of those loved ones drive him to better himself. Some members of the younger generation think being in prison gains you respect, Shammas said. “Why would you want someone to tell you when to take a shower, what time to go to bed, when you can talk and move around the unit?” he asked. But Shammas is thinking of the future. “When I get out,” he said, “I will be a whole new person with bigger and better plans than ever.” TREATED ‘LIKE DOGS’ In 2005, 29-year-old Khalid Gazguz of Warren was convicted of assault with intent to commit murder and was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison. “The media definitely hyped up my situation. I do not believe in taking somebody’s life,” he said. While in prison, Gazguz has seen unbelievable things. “I have seen people get stabbed. The correctional officers treat people like dogs and will set you up if they don’t like you.” And don’t think you will be served a five-course meal, either. “The food is dirty, the water is dirty, the cups, trays, even the shower is contaminated,” Gazguz said. Like Shammas, Gazguz said a lot of the reason he’s in prison results from his poor decisions. “Watch your friends close and watch your enemies closer,” he said. “I should have paid attention to what was going on around me, who I was hanging out with.... Now I know to only trust my family and God.” Gazguz finds himself in a small, cold cell day and night thinking about his life and how he will change once he is released. He urges those in troubled paths to save themselves. “Don’t ever let somebody make you do something you don’t want to do. I’ve been through everything imaginable and experienced more than most guys my age — and I regret it all,” he said. “I have hurt my family, the ones who were always there for me. You don’t realize that they are the ones who suffer the most.” Gazguz looks forward to the day he gets out so he can start raising his son and be the best father and husband he can. “I will teach him to not make the same mistakes I made and most importantly, finish school,” he said. LESSONS LEARNED A number may not identify him any more but a week after turning 21, 37-year-old Tony Isho of Warren was sent to prison for eight to 20 years after being found guilty of bombing a neighborhood gas station. When he was released in 2003, he had served a total of 13 years in prison and 11 months in immigration. “I saw people die every day. Some guys would hang themselves because they couldn’t stand serving their time,” he said. Isho used his time in prison time well, earning his GED, working out and even earning college credit. He also received a basic and advanced certificate in sign language. Prison is what you make of it, he said. “You can go in like a lamb and come out a lion or you can go in like a lion and come out a lamb.” When he was released, Isho started working in the mortgage business and eventually moved his parents out of Detroit. “I was determined to make money,” he said. His jobs ranged from an old tire shop to a pizza shop and being a personal trainer. Isho now owns and operates his own business. “There is life after death,” he said. “And by the death I mean being incarcerated. It is like walking death.” KEEP IN TOUCH To those who have family or friends in prison, a simple letter is vital. “We can’t forget about those still incarcerated. Show them you care. It means so much and it gives them hope,” Isho said. Don’t look down on prisoners either, he urges. Like Gazguz, Isho said the media hypes situations to make prisoners and their crimes look a lot worse then they are. For example, a simple bar fight gone wrong can lead to a man being convicted of attempted murder. All three men hope that young people will learn from their mistakes. Gazguz said if you have never been to jail, keep it that way. “Once you have been a prisoner, you are always a prisoner,” he said. “It is something that will follow you wherever you go.” All you have to do, Shammas said, is concentrate on your dreams. “Stay out of trouble, stay out of prison,” he said. “You can’t make dreams happen from prison.” 40 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2006
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