Update June 17, 2011

I was recently brought up for parole review and denied again. Not for any type of misbehavior on my part since I've been locked up, quite to the contrary. What I've done for myself since I've been in would have earned me parole in most other states. I was denied parole first and foremost due to the nature and circumstances of what I did.

I take full responsibility for my crime (arson). It was a terribly stupid, irresponsible, dangerous thing to do and I thank God the results were not much worse. I will always remind myself of that, long after my sentence is complete.

To a much lesser extent, but still a very strong contributing factor to my being denied parole, as well as thousands of other inmates who are denied parole each month in Texas, is the fact that Texas is Prison-Industry State. In other words - Big Business, which means big financial reasons to keep its 100+ prison units full. Combine that fact with Texas being the leader of the south's "retributive" outlook on criminal justice as opposed to the north's "rehabilitative" outlook and you'll see why Texas is in the situation it's in. Massive prison overcrowding, the state going broke paying for it, and thousands of inmates who would be released in other states yet are stuck as financial burdens on the Texas taxpayers by the unchecked, unregulated, unsupervised parole commission who answer to only the governor of Texas. Not to the citizens of Texas, who pay the bills and wait for their loved ones.

During this parole review process I learned that my ex-wife (who was not involved in any way in the crime for which I'm serving time) wrote the parole board to protest my release. She claimed I was posting on the internet threats of kidnapping my daughter upon my release. She can only be talking about this blog site, and as anyone can see for themselves, I haven't threatened anyone. She said she and my daughter both fear for their safety, and don't want me released. I imagine she thought her protest would be confidential.

In a previous posting, I explained how my ex-wife's focus is centered on trying to present me to everyone, especially my daughter, as a terrible threat, and how important it is for her to protect and "save" my daughter from me. This martyr role she creates is a learned behavior she grew up watching, which she thinks will bring her the sympathy, attention and drama she craves. She presented the same behavior in court when my parental rights were taken away. She claimed under oath that I threatened to kidnap my daughter and flee to Mexico! What probably happened was her lawyer told her they needed to portray me as a real threat, so she created this kidnapping idea and continues to use it.

I was sure hoping to be released this summer, so I can finally get back to my life, but for whatever reason, it must wait another year. I will then have only a few months left of my sentence and I'll walk out a completely free man. Considering I have an ex-wife inclined to making false accusations about me and who is hell-bent on trying to keep me locked up, it's probably to my advantage to finish my sentence. Then I won't be vulnerable to a malicious phone call to a parole officer that would cause my parole to be revoked. It's better to not provide her that opportunity. So, I will continue to make myself a better, smarter, stronger person by learning more skills that I can add to the services I'll offer when I reopen my automotive business upon my release.

I am not and have not ever threatened anyone with anything. I would reiterate in more detail but I gave my word to the girl I love more than anything in this world that I would "leave things alone" and I intend to never again let her down.

I hope by sharing this clear example of exaggerated paranoia others will keep more of an open mind about me and recognize they have been presented a distorted and inaccurate picture of me and are being manipulated.