Stuart writes to Rob

Letter from Stuart Highway to NAPNT member Rob Inder-Smith written by Stuart at Darwin Prison between Friday the 25th of November and Monday the 28th.

Received by Rob on Thursday 01st December 2005.

Dear Rob

Thanks for your latest letter.

I enjoy your colourful and entertaining language, and the description of everyday life in Darwin. The experience of a trip into town on the No.4 bus is something which is starting to fade from my memory, even though I’ve only been in here for a month and a week. It’s interesting to be reminded.

Well, I got my cell painted today! I didn’t even do most of it. A fellow prisoner by the name of Brad volunteered to do job because he wanted something to do. He offered to do it on his own, and have me just sit back and take it easy. But I didn’t want to bludge, even though I wasn’t too keen on the work. I didn’t even think the cell was due for a paint job. I thought it could’ve waited another few years. The decision wasn’t up to me though, it was up to the supervising officer of the block.

This bloke Brad did such a top job, and really quickly, too. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw he’d finished it already, by the time I got back from a quick interview with Legal Aid. Such a nice bloke. I reckon I owe him a favour. I’ll buy him a drink or something one day. I just did a bit of painting. I’d thought it would take forever. Probably would’ve been done if I’d done it on my own! This guy was a professional house painter. The last time I did any house painting was about 25 years ago when I helped my dad, I think.

Anyway, the Legal Aid Appeal, against my conviction and sentence, doesn’t look like it’ll happen for a while. The NTLAC worker, Anastasia (I’m not sure whether she’s a lawyer) asked me in the video link interview what my grounds for appeal were. I had an idea I’d already given them that information, but maybe I hadn’t. So I just said:-
1. I was unrepresented
2. I didn’t get my 2 witnesses to court. (This was due at least partly to poor organisation and preparation on my part.)
3. It was a political trial, as NAP had been attacking NT Govt. policy since its (NAP’s) founding in March, 2002.
4. The sentence was manifestly excessive.

I realise now I could be left to rot in here for the full 91 days of the sentence. They might not grant me leave to appeal. Even if they do, I’ll be out of here having served the sentence already. Who knows what’ll happen? We can’t put too much faith in NTLAC, given that they’re part of the same government that we’ve been attacking for the past 3 years 8 months.

This morning the officers said they were going to put me back in the dorm for tonight, while the paint dried in my normal cell, with the door left open. But at 2.30pm, they put me in a single cell instead. I think this is one of those punishment cells, ‘up the back’ that I keep hearing about. They said this afternoon they couldn’t put me in the dorm (where you, Gaz and I were in November last year ) because I’m a non-smoker. Funny, that’s where they put me for 2 nights before, when I first came back up here from M Block. This section, or wing, has only 2 cells side by side, opening on to a small, square concrete exercise yard with walls over 3 metres high. Concrete walls on 2 sides, Besser blocks on the third. In the corners, high up, surveillance cameras behind triangular perspex panels.

The outdoor shower is not in the middle the yard, but a little to one side. It’s a black nozzle affixed [Ah, here comes the rain. It must be 3.30 or 4pm] to the densely gridded steel-meshed ‘ceiling’ about 3m above your head, fed by a black plastic irrigation tube or hose. The shower is turned on and off by an officer outside somewhere,

Today I received a letter from Gema Beggs, Legal Officer in the NT Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, stating that the summary charges relating to the 6th
Smoke-in had been withdrawn and dismissed on Wednesday, 23rd, when they were due for hearing in the Maggots Court, in light of my conviction in the Supreme Court for Criminal Damage.

This cell has minimal ventilation and a surveillance camera in the corner behind a triangular perspex panel. It has been repainted recently, except for the floor. Even the small window in the cell door has thick bars on it inside and outside. The stainless steel toilet in the corner is encased in a concrete block and has no seat or lid.

It is so quiet in here, no noise apart from the rumble of thunder outside and the grilled air blower in the centre of the ceiling. I can see why prisoners talk about the danger of losing your mind in one of these cells. One bloke did 72 days here apparently. Maybe that was a record. I remember Frank Panaia telling me 12 or 13 years ago about spending 3 months sleeping on a bare concrete floor with a toilet roll for a pillow because he refused to lick the screws’ boots. Was that in here, I wonder?

I wonder whether the guards have decided that I’ve got a bad attitude! Maybe they think I’m cheeky or disrespectful. I don’t think I’m that bad! They said I’ll only be here for 1 night. They said they can’t risk putting me in the dorm with smokers. (Lest I sue the NT Govt. for 1 night’s passive smoking, I suppose) Ho! Ho! Ho! Hilarious.

The other prisoners called out, as the guards brought me up here, that I was allowed to have a library book to read in here. When I asked for a book I was told it wasn’t library day. What day IS library day? Whenever they say it is?

Sat, 26th Nov.

I finally got a book to read (an oceanography encyclopaedia). They put me in a different punishment cell for tonight. Tomorrow, I go back to my usual cell in the other wing of B.Block

Solidarity
Stuart


PS: A new branch of NAP, called Network Against Prisons, has sprung up in here. We’re a human rights prisoners’ organisation. Watch this space. On you mob for keeping up the fight out there. We’re in here for you, you’re out there for us.