Wake County Jail

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Leisure Time

Interview with Reggie and Sarah

JM: What types of facilities were available to help pass the time?
Reggie: Ther was a smalll recreation area
Sarah: None whatsoever. I tore up a piece of paper and made 1" playing cards to pass the time, but they were confiscated.

JM: Did you have regular access to the entertainment or was competition fierce? Give details.
Reggie: You generally had access to what ever you needed
Sarah: No. Nothing.

JM: Did you have a hard time staying in shape while in jail?
Reggie: no You could exercise in your dorm
Sarah: Yes. For 3 1/2 days I was in a small holding cell with no bunk (slept on the floor) and a view of the main intake desk, seeing people taken in all day and night. I paced back and forth for exercise, 6 steps, turn, 6 steps back, turn. I'd keep it up until I felt fatigued, so I figured that was exercise. On day 4 I was moved to a smaller cell with a concrete bunk and a view of a cement block wall and a solid steel door across from me. I could see nothing unless someone walked by. No windows to the outside. After I passed out and hurt my back when I fell, I couldn't walk back and forth anymore, or even sit comfortably. (After I got out, I was diagnosed with 2 crushed vertibrae.) The pain in my hips from lying on the hard surface got worse with a thin worn out mat got worse. I passed the time writing in every little corner of every piece of paper I could get my hands, mostly the court papers or a couple sheets from my attorney's daily visit. I sang, too. One day I sang the Stars Spangled Banner most of the day to remind me what the freedom it stands for that I had lost. I never have felt truly free since, knowing our courts can throw people in jail so easily.

JM: How often did you get to go outside? What did you do outside if you were allowed to? If you were not allowed to go outside what could you do for exercise?
Reggie: never
Sarah: Outside never. Out of the cell, only when someone would allow me to take a shower about every other day, or use the phone, and once after I had passed out and they did an EKG, and twice when they took me to another floor for psych evaluation. The first was a man who said I obviously don't understand why I was incarcerated. Don't know that he did either. The second was a lady who said I seemed to be adjusting well. Don't know what the psych evals, when I needed a dentist -- I broke a tooth the night before the hearing. The root started to get infected.

JM: Did the jail offer church services? If so, what were they like and when were they held?
Reggie: You basically organized your own church services. I think once a week or every two weeks The Gideons would come pray and passout Bibles
Sarah: Not that I ever heard of. I would have liked it.

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