(This is a note from the Sponsor’s – this entry was lost in the mail and showed up just now in April , 2012, so though Jake has been released, we wanted to add this entry for you. Thank you)
I’m at the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF), an institution in the Wisconsin Prison System (WPS), participating in the Earned Release Program (ERP). Wednesday was another day of awaiting our news from our ERP social worker Ms. Grey that our paperwork from our judges has been signed which will allow our parole officers to release us. Absolutely no news or anybody except ERP group member Dean Stark. Stark’s paperwork was the first to be returned. While that is good news and I was happy for him, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. I had targeted as my hopeful release date as Monday, June 20th, but it didn’t appear that was going to happen now. My disappointment deepened a bit more when ERP group member Scott Dietz again contacted his sister and again she looked online on CCAP and found nothing on any of us indicating any activity on our cases. I went back to my cell and told cellie Larry Sands any hope for my release by June 20th was pretty much dead. Then about ten minutes to four Ms. Grey had returned to the dayroom and informed me my paperwork had been signed and returned by my judge five minutes before! She also told me she sent an email to PO, Helen Gaither, letting her know she could complete the final step to release me by sending the C-15 form anytime. Of course my mood did a complete reversal. Everyone in my cell know what I’d been told and they congratulated me among others in the dayroom. Of course, there were the typical people wanting to get my canteen that I had a left over. With it being Wednesday and canteen day, I was going to have quite a bit. But I’ve already decided I’m taking most if not all of it with me. I paid for it, I don’t want to deal with the begging and once I get to the house in WI, I’ll have no idea what the food situation is there. Charles and Victoria Martin, my adoptive parents, won’t be there full time until after Charles retirement on July 17th from his church in Marquette, MI. Besides I might need something to eat at the bus station while I await a ride from one of this blog’s sponsors. I should have a check for my release funds and account but I have no way of knowing how to cash that. I also will have the boxes with my stuff so I won’t be able to walk too far from them without my stuff being stolen. The bottom line is yes, a lot can go wrong but I just don’t think it will and even if it does its still going to work out. In theory, I could be release at any moment now but I actually think it will be Friday or possibly Monday, as I originally thought. I’m just so very happy the wheels are in motion and grateful this long but necessary nightmare is coming to an end.