Richard Flood Gets “Sentenced” in Rozak’s Courtroom
‘ Joliet, Illinois - August 26th, 2002

At the Will County Fair yesterday, I noticed a sign for Rozak” for
Will Courity Board. Is it him? I've been to Rozak's courtroom before.
He's'a thoroughly inculcated judicial nazi. He even likes to bully the-
bailiffs! He'll trash your cell phone,if it goes off. He maximizes
sentences and fines. He's Richard's Flood's judge - biased as hell and
totally entrenched. A few days ago, I read in the Chicago Tribune that
‘he sentenced a repeat DUI to 11 1/2 years!

A while back, a motion was filed by Richard to replace him with a
Judge who was less biased. It was, of course, quickly dismissed.

The main road I took, Route 52, leads directly to the Will County
Courthouse.. It dominated downtown Joliet. The Metra stops a block
away. Silver Cross Stadium is right there, too! Joliet is known for its
prisons - Stateville, Joliet, but not much is known or said about Will
County Prison, where Richard has spent most of the last 521 days

Thad to park several blocks away, for every Monday morning, it's
ke the movie “The Time Machine” when the sirens go off! Everyone -
the “defendants,” their families and friends, the smarmy suited lawyers,
unctious prosecutors, judges, cops and other workers are filling the
courtrooms and halls.” A large sign over the railroad viaduet proclaims:
“Ifit's fun..I¢'s in Downtown Jolie

T wore a suit because that, stupidly enough, is what separates those
tied to the system (and thus “respect”) and the sub-human ilk they will
feast upon today. As I was going through the metal detector, a cop said,
“Here comes another ‘expert witness!” I could pass for a lawyer. My
wife cut my hair, I shaved and am clearly so-called “white.” 1 wanted
the judge to know somebody “important” was in court, writing and
‘part of Richard's defense team.

‘This is such an evil place, as are they all. Poor people, heavily
weighted as to skin color, await their dreadful, in some cases
catastrophic fate. A SWAT tactical unit is in the hall, menacingly.

The first few cases seem routine enough, whereas the defendants
aren't making their payments fast enough. So the judge is acting as a
sort of bill collector with the threat of imprisonment if his somber
pronouncements aren't obeyed quickly enough. Juice loan thugs use
strong arm methods and baseball bats. The state (and county) have a
whole elaborate, multi-layered punishment industry! Their corporate
stock is thriving. Its a risk-fre enterprise, whose sole product is
human misery. 1ts the connection for rapid advancement in politics and
business - underwritten totally by hardworking taxpayers.

Rozak called Richard's case at 9:56. I can't believe it! But Richard
has not been escorted in handcuffs and orange jumpsuit from his cage,
yet. He's to be sentenced today for his non-crime of defending his wife

from attack by three crack-addled assailants.

“The system acts like a dangerous drain. Have you heard of the little
giz] who had most of hor intestines sucked into a pool drain? s what,
the judicial system does to those who cross its path - and aren't in on the
game. They have many types of agents to collect people for them,
‘mostly off the streets of city ghettos and barrios, who feed them before
such a Judge as Daniel J. Rozalk, to “legitimize” massive, money-maling
incarceration.

They go nowhere near the causes of crime, or deal with real crime,
nor attempt to grapple with the actual problems of society. They just.
take out people, put ‘em in cuffs and jail ‘em. They then seize their
property and take all their money. Talk about a Criminal Justice
System!

An air of feigned respect for this judge is insisted upon. If you don't
stand when he enters, you can be hustled out of court - or worse! You
could be cited for contempt and taken to a cage yourself, just for
expressing an honest opinion!

Richard fought off three attackers, who were choking and stabbing’
his wife, as he came out of a gas station, in Joliet. When they refused to
desist, Richard sprung to her rescue, with minimal damage. After all,
look here, these crackheads had attacked his wife with a knifel A few
second rescue mission, bravely improvised, was thankfully, sussessfull
Anybody else would have been in next day's paper, as a herol But since
Richard is also a creative thinker, activist, writer and organizer, he was
targetted. He is also a longtime, serious political prisoner, recently, |
released from that uniquely psychotic hellhole, known as Tamms...

The police tracked them down at his relatives’ house, where everyone
knew he was going to. His wife was not afforded medical treatment.
Even their sadsack attackers admit to these facts! But, like the U.
‘Supreme Court said in a ruling, “The facts of the case are irrelevant!”

‘Three charges of assault were reduced to one, by a cowered and
confused jury. An asssailant, a woman, was wounded superficially
during the fracas and that's the charge the jury felt coerced to convict.
on. The prosecution jumped all over it. A woman! They treat poor,
mostly black women horribly as they force them into the Maws of -
Moloch - and then come for their children, ala Galtieri of Argentinal

‘They have it out for Richard, because he is a courageous community
activist, as well as a husband, father (of five!) and volunteer social.
worker. He's close with John Santana and his courageous program, i
MR. MALO, standing for Managing Resources to Make Availabls Life's
Opportunities. John gave terrific, common sense testimony in support
of Richard, this day. They're trying to educate, empower and help_.
‘mostly Hispanic young men, survive and somehow thrive in this profane
society and avoid prison &/or fashion a productive life after prison: ¢

Since Richard was a twenty year prisoner, paralegal and all around
aware nuisance in the Illinois culag system, the plan was to punish him

for his past, using this conjured felony charge, as the justification. They
padded it with the obligatory bogus conduct tickets, and even moved.
him to the backwash, Kankakee County prison, in corrupt Governor
George Ryan's power base. In court, the five-o'clock shadow ofa
prosecutor, presented a 3,000 paged stack of papers, supposedly
documenting Richard's criminal history.

. Richard had made a remarkable recovery into society, after his
lengthy incarceration. He got maried to Rebecca, got a job as an
ixonworker (and quickly became a foreman,) became a father to five
children and started working with John Santana. It's an amazing story,
really. He's also recently written a very perceptive essay entitled,
“Towards A Theory of Revolutionizing Street Nations." Now you know
why they want him so bad and why a guy like Rozak is handling his
casel

Those he was able to summon from the gallery, senterice, have
bandcuffed and secreted through the back door to their journey through
hell, he did. But where is Richard?

The eleven o'clock call has come and still no Richard. Another
prisoner, Robert L. Ferguson, convicted of car theft has “negotitated” a
“deal” for two consecutive six.year terms. Twelve years! Since he had a
prior conviction and the car was valued at over $10,000, the sentencing
guidelines stipulate a sentence from 6 to 30 years, for each count!
Rozak rattles off a bunch of rotish logal mumbo-jumbo and pronounces
him guilty. Let's see... 12 x $40,000 = $480,000 he is worth to the
imprisonment industry. He's 32 years old.

At 11:30, Rozalk excuses himself for a few minutes. Two minutes
later, they bring in Richard. The Will County Sheriffs were playing
games and had refused to go to Kankakee and pick him up on time.

An uncomfortable quict descends as we wait for Rozal's return. The
seedy prosecutor makes a big stink about his huge pile of papers, which
supposedly paint a picture of Richard as an incorrigible “gang. ‘member.”
‘He is accused of refusing to disassociate himself from speaking with
known gang members, while in prison.

John Santana takes the stand and plainly explains what genuine
rebabilitation work, which he and Richard had worked on entails. You
talk, mentor and educate “gang members” to develope useful skills and
an empowering consciousness to help them transcend the street life,
stay out of prison and turn their lives around. Seen in this light,
“talking to gang members” is a very positive thing. Everyone knows the
state does not care for rehabilitation, as each inmate is worth 8o much
to them - in prison!

The prosecutor tries to label Richard for being forced to go to Tamums,
for “gang activity." Richard explains to the judge, he was sent to
Tamms because he did political organizing among prisoners and acted
2s a paralegal for them on their legal cases. He turned the proceedings
on their car. By his patient, lucid unafraid statements, be was indicting
Le system, substituting the prosecutor's lies for the facts.

Richard's lawyer did a halfway decent job arguing for Richard,
specially as compared to the “throw the book at him, Judge” arguments
fthe prosecutor. The judge mentioned that he has “received a
-emendous amount of mail about this case” which he hadn't read. He
2id he didn't know if he should have or not, so he didn't.

Then Richard made his statement. It was a 1/2 hour long
\asterpiece! It totally transfixed everybody in the courtroom. Even the
1dge was involuntarily mesmerized. A statement this powerful,
assionate and persuasive is rarely heard (or allowed to be heard) in
1.S. courtrooms these days. He totally deconstructed his case, carefully
xplaining the facts, giving proper weight to actions and motives. He
oolly, yet passionately defended himself and in the process, basically
adicted the prosecution of this case and the whole system in general.

1 looked over at Rebecca. Tears were streaming down her face
secause Richard had proclaimed his love for her o absolutely and felt so
strongly about his actions being justifiable - even required by the
situation, he was confronted with. The judge was at a loss. He said he
would wait two weeks, to give him time to actually read all of these
support letters and maybe thumb through the huge stack of junk the
outargued prosecutor lugged into court.

So, his sentencing is scheduled for Monday, September 9th at the
9:30 call in Judge Rozak's courtroom. NOW is the time to flood him
anew with support letters!!l Write him at:

Judge Daniel J. Rozak
Twelfth Judicial District Circuit Courthouse
14 West Jefferson Street
Joliet, IL 60432

‘These letters should be respectful (I know it’s hard!) and point out
how important Richard is to his community and his family. His union
wants him back on the job as soon s he is free. Richard pointed out
during his statement that he was offered a “deal” that would have freed
him, last Christmas, but refused it because he is innocent. With his
prior incarceration, the door is open for a lengthy sentence, as well. So,
it is crucial that we somehow manage to influence and persuade Judge
Rozalk to see to it that justice is finally done in this case.

Afer the court was adjourned, I spoke with Rebecca and Richard's
lawyer. I also spoke to the Bailiff and told him I wanted a copy of
Richard's statement and that T was a reporter. I talked with the court
reporter, too. She said it would cost between $60 and $100. I spoke
with Richard, now back at:

Richard Flood #62119
Kankakee County Jail
400 E. Merchart Street
Kankakee. IL 60901