Interview with James P. Anderson
Interviewer: Peter Rashkin
08/08/2000
Transcribed by Tiff Morris

JA: Hey man, how's it going?

PR: Fine, how are you?

JA: Oh, okay, I've been busy. I've been on this phone for...let's see...7:30 - last hour and a half.

PR: Yeah?

JA: Yeah, trying to get in contact with different people and haven't been able to reach anyone.

PR: Oh well, you got me.

JA: Oh yeah, well I know, you are dependable.

PR: Well I got your pendant, very nice thanks. I got it up on my wall.

JA: Well your supposed to be wearing it.

PR: Oh, yeah, well I know, but I don't wear stuff much.

JA: Yeah. Well, I'm am just glad to know that you got it.

PR: Yeah, thanks allot. Okay, well I read over this stuff - this stuff was very interesting about the contact visits.

JA: Yeah well I thought you'd want that.

PR: Yeah. Did you hear anything? I sent in that form about being a visitor.

JA: Okay good...good, glad to hear that. You'll be approved, hopefully within the next couple of weeks.

PR: Okay.

JA: You know, as soon as you are you know that I'm gonna let you know.

PR: Okay good. So what came of this little conflict in visiting, and the fight, and the fight in March in the visiting room, and this thing with the yard? I was wondering...it rang the question of gang affiliation. Is there allot of that in East Block?

JA: Well, you know what they did is - they tried to blow the whole thing out of proportion with that. And they tried to hype it on that.

PR: The authorities.

JA: Yeah. And that's just everyone's opinion of me ­ just because the two parties were, you know, so called associated.

PR: Rough.

JA: That's what they wanted to pin it on.

PR: But that's not really a major factor in...

JA: No body seems to think so.

PR: I see. Yeah.

JA: It was more like a personal thing and you know, it happened. You know, you get a bunch of guys together and stuff like that just happens.

PR: Uh-huh, I see what you're saying.

JA: I don't know all the specifics of it so I can't...you know, but let me see, they are...they did just pass out a memo saying that they are going to resume legal visits.

PR: Huh?

JA: They are going to resume legal visits.

PR: Oh, they...

JA: On a contact basis.

PR: Yes.

JA: I don't know ­ I'll let you know.

PR: When is that going to start?

JA: I think it's on the 7th.

PR: I see, and what was that that you said? "Do not contact attorney under any circumstances." Talk, tell me about that.

JA: Okay. Well what it is, that is my present attorney.

PR: Yeah?

JA: And the guy's an asshole.

PR: Uh-huh?

JA: Yeah, he wants to do things his way, you know ­ you can't tell him anything.

PR: And he's not interested in working with any kind of support community.

JA: No. I mean no! I'm gonna tell you this ­ I'm gonna tell you, I'm gonna tell you this guy. About him...he's been appointed to my case since '94 and most these guys they have attorney they can ask them for things. You know stamps, you know if they run short of money they can say, "Hey, you know, can you send me a little money order" you know? They have appointed attorneys that will buy them TV's, typewriters, you know ­ that type of thing right?

PR: Yeah.

JA: I have never asked the attorney for anything other then stamps.

PR: Yeah.

JA: Nothin' right?

PR: Yeah.

JA: And to help me, you know, get my records together.

PR: Yeah.

JA: Right?

PR: Huh.

JA: I asked him for stamps the first time ­ he sent me a big, a book of stamps...a book of regular stamps ­ they were .32 at the time, and about 20 .23 stamps.

PR: Um-hmm.

JA: And he knew that at the time I was working on this medical issue...

PR: Yeah.

JA: Which he gave be absolutely no help on at all.

PR: Yeah.

JA: Now, I've been writing to people ­ and he even said "No, I can't help you with that ­ I'm not gettin' paid for that."

PR: I see.

JA: Okay? Even though he knew that I'm losing my eyesight ­ you know?

PR: Uh-huh?

JA: Even though I want to, I can't do the legal research on my medical, even though I want to. He knew all that ­ he just didn't give a fuck. And I asked him about three months later if he could send me some more postage stamps...

PR: Uh-huh?

JA: 'Cause I'm trying to follow thru on my legal and medical issues and...

PR: Uh-huh.

JA: And his response was, "Well James, don't they let you guys work in there?"

PR: Doesn't he know?

JA: No! Well, no, he doesn't!

PR: You would think that he'd be more on top of that huh?

JA: Yeah! Yeah, but it's not only that ­ I mean, I'm only asking the guy for stamps! So he really doesn't have my best interests at heart.

PR: No. It doesn't sound like that at all.

JA: Yeah, so don't contact this guy at all about nothing.

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