Today Stan was sentenced to 97 months at Fort Dix, an Army base in NJ that also has a minimum/medium security prison on site. So, it's a good news-bad news deal. The bad is that the judge in his case could have sentenced him to five years, or 60 months. The good news is that he's headed for a base where he will be able to get outside on a regular basis, exercise daily, and have access to a real library. He may even be able to further his education while there. His brother and sister-in-law are both attorneys in AL and spoke eloquently on Stan's behalf. Stan was taken into custody months ago, looking like we all knew him to be: neat, in a nice suit, showing meticulous personal hygiene and wearing an awkward embarrassed smile as he tried to hold back his tears. Today, he arrived in stripes complete with chains around his ankles, wrists, and torso. His fingernails hadn't been cut in 8 weeks until finally one of the US Marshals relented and allowed us to give him the clippers. Today he looked older, very tired, and deeply depressed and sad. Even his brother Dan commented that he looked ten years older.
At the end of the sentencing, we walked out of the Federal Courthouse all pretty devistated. But we walked out into a courtyard filled with trees and flowers while Stan was lead back to a holding cell made of concrete and steel. None of us can imagine what it would be like to be in his shoes. Now more than ever, we need to show Stan that we care for him and love him. As far as we know, Stan will return to the Claiborne Co. Jail and will be allowed visitors each Monday. New Jersey is a long ways away, so if in the next few weeks you could take the time to visit him, it will give him good memories for a long time.
Here is a link to Fort Dix where he'll be in a few weeks from now: http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/ftd/index.jsp
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