Still no news from the courts. We wish we had a joyous announcement to plug in here and we don't. Maybe soon.
It's been a challenge to visit Brandon in the last couple of months. There have been non-contact visits due to lockdowns and cancelled visits due to technical difficulties, or job scheduling conflicts. None of these were Brandon's fault but we and the other inmate's families and friends are impacted nonetheless.
What is a non-contact visit?
Normally after submitting a request to visit form at the front desk in the visiting reception area, passing through metal detectors and taking a short bus ride, we're able to sit in a large room downstairs inside a prison building and visit with Brandon face to face. We can even give him a hug when we arrive and when we leave. There are vending machines that we can purchase food and drinks from and this is helpful since we are usually there from 9:30am to 2:45pm. We talk, and tell stories and joke and laugh about things and pretend that our world is still normal. These visits mean a lot to all of us.
Sometimes a yard will go on lockdown. This may be because there was a fight and inmates and/or guards were injured, or the guards may have found a banned item in a cell. While the prison personnel are sorting out who did what they lock down the yard and the inmates are only allowed out of their cells 1 hr in 24. They are fed in their 9 x 12 cells and visits, which take place on Saturday and Sunday, are of the non-contact variety. We must make appointments for these one-hour visits. When we arrive in the visiting area, we are seated on the other side of a glass window from Brandon. There is no phone so we talk loudly through the glass.
Why is visiting cancelled?
This summer the prison has cancelled visits a few times because either an especially serious incident has just happened on a yard or because there is a potential for a power outage or because the plumbing is malfunctioning. This means that we may drive the 2 1/2 hours to the prison only to find we cannot visit at all.
What about job scheduling conflicts?
Inmates must "program" or lose the few privileges they have. They are offered jobs on the yard as porters, or janitors, or barbers for example (electric razors only - no scissors) and are paid around thirteen cents an hour. Often they are scheduled to be on these jobs for at least one day of the weekend. Brandon has been assigned to be a barber and only has Friday and Saturday off. That means we can no longer visit him on Sunday. Since he has many family and friends who are willing to make the drive and take the time to keep him in touch with the outside world, it's frustrating to lose this chance to see him.
In spite of all of this, Brandon is doing as well as can be expected. He's working on a new painting and has many other projects in his artistic pipeline. Thank God for his imagination and creativity. They are life and sanity savers.
One more thing, a few people have asked for Brandon's address at the prison but since these requests were made in the comments section, we would need to post the address on the website to get it to you. We've done this in the past and Brandon gets some really strange mail so please write to us at freebh@brandonhein.com and we will send it to you. Thanks for continuing to send your thoughts and good wishes. Brandon sends his best regards to you all.
Gene and Janice Hein
It's been a challenge to visit Brandon in the last couple of months. There have been non-contact visits due to lockdowns and cancelled visits due to technical difficulties, or job scheduling conflicts. None of these were Brandon's fault but we and the other inmate's families and friends are impacted nonetheless.
What is a non-contact visit?
Normally after submitting a request to visit form at the front desk in the visiting reception area, passing through metal detectors and taking a short bus ride, we're able to sit in a large room downstairs inside a prison building and visit with Brandon face to face. We can even give him a hug when we arrive and when we leave. There are vending machines that we can purchase food and drinks from and this is helpful since we are usually there from 9:30am to 2:45pm. We talk, and tell stories and joke and laugh about things and pretend that our world is still normal. These visits mean a lot to all of us.
Sometimes a yard will go on lockdown. This may be because there was a fight and inmates and/or guards were injured, or the guards may have found a banned item in a cell. While the prison personnel are sorting out who did what they lock down the yard and the inmates are only allowed out of their cells 1 hr in 24. They are fed in their 9 x 12 cells and visits, which take place on Saturday and Sunday, are of the non-contact variety. We must make appointments for these one-hour visits. When we arrive in the visiting area, we are seated on the other side of a glass window from Brandon. There is no phone so we talk loudly through the glass.
Why is visiting cancelled?
This summer the prison has cancelled visits a few times because either an especially serious incident has just happened on a yard or because there is a potential for a power outage or because the plumbing is malfunctioning. This means that we may drive the 2 1/2 hours to the prison only to find we cannot visit at all.
What about job scheduling conflicts?
Inmates must "program" or lose the few privileges they have. They are offered jobs on the yard as porters, or janitors, or barbers for example (electric razors only - no scissors) and are paid around thirteen cents an hour. Often they are scheduled to be on these jobs for at least one day of the weekend. Brandon has been assigned to be a barber and only has Friday and Saturday off. That means we can no longer visit him on Sunday. Since he has many family and friends who are willing to make the drive and take the time to keep him in touch with the outside world, it's frustrating to lose this chance to see him.
In spite of all of this, Brandon is doing as well as can be expected. He's working on a new painting and has many other projects in his artistic pipeline. Thank God for his imagination and creativity. They are life and sanity savers.
One more thing, a few people have asked for Brandon's address at the prison but since these requests were made in the comments section, we would need to post the address on the website to get it to you. We've done this in the past and Brandon gets some really strange mail so please write to us at freebh@brandonhein.com and we will send it to you. Thanks for continuing to send your thoughts and good wishes. Brandon sends his best regards to you all.
Gene and Janice Hein
posted by Gene and Janice Hein at 10:39 AM
3 Comments:
I watched Reckless Indifference and was horrified. Since that time, I purchased the documentary, signed the petition, wrote a letter to Brandon (although I do not know if he received it) and check Brandon's website regularly for updates. While "surfing the net" for information, I came across a website for Mike McLoren, who does artwork and music. How nice for McLoren to live the life that Brandon should be living. McLoren should be disgusted with himself advertising to the world a trade whose foundation was built on a life lacking of morals. Tell Brandon to never lose hope, he is in the thoughts and prayers of so many people in this world, he has support that is almost unimaginable.
Me and my american legal systems are learning about your case and we find it absolutely appaling that this total injustice has been done upon you. I send you my prayers and love.
what a waste for this young man!! I saw the tv show about this, and had to check it all out. My heart goes out to Brandon and his family. I am surprised that the victims family would want this for Brandon. How many other kids were in this situation? Pretty scarey. I believe something good will come out of this, and hopefully Brandon will be out soon.
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