Another Testimonial--uncensored

Written by an inmate at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility:

"On March 16, 2013, I witnessed the following...

Patrick Bradford (Brad), was out on the prison rec yard, where he saw a crippled guy named Oscar--a Mexican about 5 feet tall--being physically bullied.

You have to understand, one thing you just don't do in prison is get involved in someone else's "beef". You just look away and keep walking, which is what everyone else was doing.

But Brad just walked right up to the guy and asked what his problem was with Oscar. The bully was not little: a white guy almost as tall as Brad and heavier. He had a hard look, with all the tattoos and the skinhead. Most people know Brad can take care of himself, but this a dangerous move no matter who you are. Things got real quiet like they do when something bad is about to break off.

The white guy got mouthy for a minute and then started to walk away. But as he was going, he took a weapon out of his pocket and showed it to Brad, like to intimidate him. The weapon was a padlock on the end of a custom-sewn strap; pretty dangerous. But Brad smiled and told him to be sure to bring that with him if he comes back.

And the guy did come back--after some white gang members sent him back "on a mission". This is where it gets really strange. The guy got to talking really tough, and Brad was as cool as I've ever seen anybody in a situation that dangerous. While the guy was putting on a show for the onlookers, Brad was half-smiling, talking real calm. He was warning the guy that this won't be as easy with somebody who can walk.

The bully was pulling a "check-in-move". He was playing it out in the open, hoping to get in a few good shots with the lock before the guards got there to end the whole thing with pepper spray and take them both to lock-up.

But Brad wasn't afraid of the lock, and he saw the check-in move a mile off. He called him on the check-in move and invited him to a blind spot to finish the business (kind of like a prison double-dog-dare).

This broke the bully for good, and he gave up the show, along with his dignity. You could tell Brad wasn't all the way satisfied with that, but he let it end without a fight.

And then it got stranger. A couple of days later, after the prison officials heard all about it (they always do), they pulled Brad in to ask why he stepped in to defend the little crippled guy. And they leaned on him a little with vague threats to discourage him from doing it again. I don't think he was all the way convinced though.

It's a weird world in here.


Very Anonymous
3/24/13