"Oh, How the Tables Have Turned"
On January 20, 2017, I was called from my Housing Unit to
the prison's Control Center, for a legal visit. I just had an attorney
visit the previous week, so I was confused as to why Paul would be back
to see me, so soon. But what was truly baffling, was why the visit was
scheduled for 11a.m., during our count time. Nevertheless, at
10:50a.m., I grabbed my legal folder and headed to the Control Center.
When I arrived, the security guard working in the Control Center asked me why I was there. I showed him my pass and said that I had an attorney visit. The security guard then ushered me into the attorney visiting room, located next to the general prisoner visiting room. I sat down and waited.
No more than ten minutes passed before I saw a man walk through the visitor's entrance, headed my way. It was NOT my attorney. The gentlemen entered the room I was in and extended his hand. I greeted the stranger with a hand shake and introduced myself, "Hi, I'm John Ortiz-Kehoe." He responded by revealing that he was a detective from the Lansing Police Department.
-----------------
Before I tell you more about my visit with the detective, let me tell you about an old friend of mine, who I met in prison, years ago.
It had to have been in 2002 or 2003, while I was doing time at Carson City Correctional Facility, that I met Tone. His real name is Antonio Aguirre. He approached me on the yard and introduced himself. He said he was a family friend of my son's grandfather... on my son's mother's side
Tone and I were locked in the same Housing Unit, so over time we became pretty good friend. He obviously knew who I was before we met and over time, he revealed more about himself, to me.
I eventually learned that Tone was in prison for a kidnapping case and his accomplice in the crime, was Bill Brown's brother Derrick. I knew that Derrick Brown had been missing for over a year but I didn't know that Derrick was possibly on his way to prison before he vanished.
As Tone revealed more about his connection to the Brown family, he confessed that he knew that the Brown's framed me for murder but his drug dealings with them, overruled any loyalty to the Code of the Streets. To him, the Brown's were a bunch of lyin' rats but they were lyin' rats that made him money.
I told Tone, "Well look where you are now because of those lyin' rats."
Over the years, Tone and I have been in several prisons together. And over those years, we've spent many days together, relaxing on different prison yards, smoking marijuana rolled in paper towel and drinking homemade prison wine. We've lived together, ate together... stood back to back and fought guys together. So, eventually, Tone felt comfortable enough to let me in on his secrete
I sent the Browns a message.
Danny Brown forwarded that message to the detective. The detective took a shot and came to see me. He opened our meeting by presenting me with a printout of the message I sent Danny.
We spoke for about an hour. Mostly about everything except the subject of what he came to hear about.
He was a cordial fellow. We had a nice chat. he never tried to provide me with information that I didn't know. He seemed as though he truly wanted to solve the case. And that being his job, I'm sure he wants to do it well.
Although, I know that he had no other option than to try and use the Good Cop technique. The government only uses its intimidation tactics when it knows it has leverage over a citizen. There is nothing more the government can do to me, than what it has already done. The government has no leverage over me.
So, the government tried to sweet talk me. The detective offered me all he could offer: he said he'd have me transferred to the prison of my choice. Of course, his deal would be an under the table type of thing. You know... confidential.
Hell... I've been in every shithole this state has to offer. There's only one place I want to go: HOME.
Therefore, if a detective or the Brown family wants MY cooperation, Danny Brown better step up to the mic and admit that he lied at my trial. And, I'll need for him to take a polygraph examination... which I know he'll pass. Not because I believe in the accuracy of junk science, but because I know the courts do.
I won't ask Bill Brown to come forward because I know he won't. He fears he'll be charged for the murder if he speaks. Which... he should fear. But not because of him admitting that he lied. He needs to worry about that deal he signed, that has always left the door open for him to be charged with murder. I'll explain his deal at a later time. I have a copy of it, right here next to me.
The Brown family can't keep playing this game they're playing. And law enforcement officials can't keep enabling them. I dont know who's actions are more egregious: the Browns' or the law enforcement officials who keep aiding and abetting them.
Derrick Brown lied at my trial, to help his brother Bill. The entire Brown family knew they were about to face the fire for Rose Larner's disappearance, so they rallied together and cooperated with the police to save Bill and Russell Jr. For their cooperation, Bill got a sweetheart deal and Russell Jr. was never charged.
Yet, that scare, didn't stop the Browns from continuing their criminal lifestyle. It just taught them how to get out of trouble if they were caught.
So, Derrick Brown was an accomplice in a kidnapping and got caught. He was probably going to tell on somebody, in order to save himself from going to prison. Although, Derrick never got a chance to work his way out of being punished for the crime because somebody served him with a little Street Justice before he could point the finger at his "friends."
As a result, the Brown family is whining because the police really don't want to waste their time and money on searching for the killer of poor innocent Derrick. But apparently, the Brown's thought that sending a detective up here to see me, was going to rattle me into helping them.
They must not know how comfortable I am.
I am totally rehabilitated... re-invigorated... and soon to be relocated.
I am not a criminal... and the Statute of Limitations has run out on every crime I committed when I was a criminal. I have spent countless hours in the law library, learning the Constitutional Rights we are all "guaranteed."
I have no problem with talking to a detective. Let's talk. Specifically about the people who put me in prison for the past 20 years... for something I didn't do.
However, I am not required by law to provide the police with information about crime I may or may not have knowledge of. I am only required by law to testify truthfully, IF, I am issued a subpoena to testify in court, at an investigative subpoena hearing or in front of a grand jury. BUT, I do have a bad memory and sometimes I forget things. You can't force a man to remember.
As a law abiding member of this great country, who merely happens to be incarcerated at the moment, I respect the rule of law. It's the rule of law that keeps our society running smoothly. It's the rule of law that will set me free.
I don't hate the police... I only despise dirty cops, who break the law and are not held accountable for their crimes... and the police agencies that cover for them.
Yet now... the same police department that played a role in my wrongful conviction, wants me to give them information about a crime they can't close, in order to help the family who framed me for murder.
What irony!
You couldn't script this.
But I bet, somebody will.
When I arrived, the security guard working in the Control Center asked me why I was there. I showed him my pass and said that I had an attorney visit. The security guard then ushered me into the attorney visiting room, located next to the general prisoner visiting room. I sat down and waited.
No more than ten minutes passed before I saw a man walk through the visitor's entrance, headed my way. It was NOT my attorney. The gentlemen entered the room I was in and extended his hand. I greeted the stranger with a hand shake and introduced myself, "Hi, I'm John Ortiz-Kehoe." He responded by revealing that he was a detective from the Lansing Police Department.
-----------------
Before I tell you more about my visit with the detective, let me tell you about an old friend of mine, who I met in prison, years ago.
It had to have been in 2002 or 2003, while I was doing time at Carson City Correctional Facility, that I met Tone. His real name is Antonio Aguirre. He approached me on the yard and introduced himself. He said he was a family friend of my son's grandfather... on my son's mother's side
Tone and I were locked in the same Housing Unit, so over time we became pretty good friend. He obviously knew who I was before we met and over time, he revealed more about himself, to me.
I eventually learned that Tone was in prison for a kidnapping case and his accomplice in the crime, was Bill Brown's brother Derrick. I knew that Derrick Brown had been missing for over a year but I didn't know that Derrick was possibly on his way to prison before he vanished.
As Tone revealed more about his connection to the Brown family, he confessed that he knew that the Brown's framed me for murder but his drug dealings with them, overruled any loyalty to the Code of the Streets. To him, the Brown's were a bunch of lyin' rats but they were lyin' rats that made him money.
I told Tone, "Well look where you are now because of those lyin' rats."
Over the years, Tone and I have been in several prisons together. And over those years, we've spent many days together, relaxing on different prison yards, smoking marijuana rolled in paper towel and drinking homemade prison wine. We've lived together, ate together... stood back to back and fought guys together. So, eventually, Tone felt comfortable enough to let me in on his secrete
I sent the Browns a message.
Danny Brown forwarded that message to the detective. The detective took a shot and came to see me. He opened our meeting by presenting me with a printout of the message I sent Danny.
We spoke for about an hour. Mostly about everything except the subject of what he came to hear about.
He was a cordial fellow. We had a nice chat. he never tried to provide me with information that I didn't know. He seemed as though he truly wanted to solve the case. And that being his job, I'm sure he wants to do it well.
Although, I know that he had no other option than to try and use the Good Cop technique. The government only uses its intimidation tactics when it knows it has leverage over a citizen. There is nothing more the government can do to me, than what it has already done. The government has no leverage over me.
So, the government tried to sweet talk me. The detective offered me all he could offer: he said he'd have me transferred to the prison of my choice. Of course, his deal would be an under the table type of thing. You know... confidential.
Hell... I've been in every shithole this state has to offer. There's only one place I want to go: HOME.
Therefore, if a detective or the Brown family wants MY cooperation, Danny Brown better step up to the mic and admit that he lied at my trial. And, I'll need for him to take a polygraph examination... which I know he'll pass. Not because I believe in the accuracy of junk science, but because I know the courts do.
I won't ask Bill Brown to come forward because I know he won't. He fears he'll be charged for the murder if he speaks. Which... he should fear. But not because of him admitting that he lied. He needs to worry about that deal he signed, that has always left the door open for him to be charged with murder. I'll explain his deal at a later time. I have a copy of it, right here next to me.
The Brown family can't keep playing this game they're playing. And law enforcement officials can't keep enabling them. I dont know who's actions are more egregious: the Browns' or the law enforcement officials who keep aiding and abetting them.
Derrick Brown lied at my trial, to help his brother Bill. The entire Brown family knew they were about to face the fire for Rose Larner's disappearance, so they rallied together and cooperated with the police to save Bill and Russell Jr. For their cooperation, Bill got a sweetheart deal and Russell Jr. was never charged.
Yet, that scare, didn't stop the Browns from continuing their criminal lifestyle. It just taught them how to get out of trouble if they were caught.
So, Derrick Brown was an accomplice in a kidnapping and got caught. He was probably going to tell on somebody, in order to save himself from going to prison. Although, Derrick never got a chance to work his way out of being punished for the crime because somebody served him with a little Street Justice before he could point the finger at his "friends."
As a result, the Brown family is whining because the police really don't want to waste their time and money on searching for the killer of poor innocent Derrick. But apparently, the Brown's thought that sending a detective up here to see me, was going to rattle me into helping them.
They must not know how comfortable I am.
I am totally rehabilitated... re-invigorated... and soon to be relocated.
I am not a criminal... and the Statute of Limitations has run out on every crime I committed when I was a criminal. I have spent countless hours in the law library, learning the Constitutional Rights we are all "guaranteed."
I have no problem with talking to a detective. Let's talk. Specifically about the people who put me in prison for the past 20 years... for something I didn't do.
However, I am not required by law to provide the police with information about crime I may or may not have knowledge of. I am only required by law to testify truthfully, IF, I am issued a subpoena to testify in court, at an investigative subpoena hearing or in front of a grand jury. BUT, I do have a bad memory and sometimes I forget things. You can't force a man to remember.
As a law abiding member of this great country, who merely happens to be incarcerated at the moment, I respect the rule of law. It's the rule of law that keeps our society running smoothly. It's the rule of law that will set me free.
I don't hate the police... I only despise dirty cops, who break the law and are not held accountable for their crimes... and the police agencies that cover for them.
Yet now... the same police department that played a role in my wrongful conviction, wants me to give them information about a crime they can't close, in order to help the family who framed me for murder.
What irony!
You couldn't script this.
But I bet, somebody will.
