Only the sky….
For years I haven’t seen anything else.
Only the sky… rotting for twenty more years.
Taking a plea deal instead of facing the jury of “peers” had once seemed wise.
I never had “peers”, neither in freedom nor inside.
Jail or death row… the choice had seemed easy even if I didn’t do it.
Who is truly innocent by the way?
I was a bad boy for sure, but a murderer I weren’t.
But who would have believed me?
I’ve always been lonely.
Only the sky… and the noose twined from my trousers.
Turn off the light.
© J Hardy CarrollI could not really find a good story for fourth of July, but insted imagined a view were the only thing I could see was the sky, and thought about being sent to prison, and the horror of being condemned despite being innocent.
Friday Fictioneers is a blogging community under the leadership of chief warden and captain Rochelle. Once caught into writing these 100 word stories you become an addict. Join us but remember: “You can check out any time you like, But you can never leave!’
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July 3, 2019
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Unfortunately it happens quite a lot~
Very few people actually gets a trial in the US… more than 90 percent are plea deals which is all about admitting for a reduced sentence and save money on the trials (of course it increases the cost of the prison system).
Great sense of atmosphere, Bjorn
Thanks… i can only imagine what it means to be rotting away in prison.
Did you mean the NOOSE twined from your trousers? It’s the only thing I could come up with that made sense 🙂
Yes … thanks
So sad…well written take on the photo. Thanks for sharing.
My take on this week’s challenge: https://dbmcnicol.com/friday-fictioneers-declaration/
Who is really innocent?
So sad. and so real.
It is unfortunately way too real…
Love this, Bjorn, it reminded me of Oscar Wilde’s Ballad of Reading Gaol:
I never saw a man who looked
With such a wistful eye
Upon that little tent of blue
Which prisoners call the sky
It was the view of the sky through the window that made me think about prison… had not heard the poem by Oscar Wilde.
I thoroughly recommend it, Bjorn, it is one of the great poems in the English language, written by a badly misused genius.
Wow, a hard-hitting story this week, Bjorn. Excellent writing, with emotion, drama and social comment, all in 100 words!
I saw the prison first… and reflected how it would be sitting there being innocent.
It’s surprising that the thought of jail term doesn’t put more criminals off…
Well it’s well known that fear of punishment has not any real impact on crime rates… and sometimes people plead guilty to avoid something worse.
How horrible to know you are innocent of the crime you sit in prison for, locked away from others and the outside world. You described well his despair.
I cannot fathom anything worse than having to admit something you haven’t done simply because the alternatives are worse.
Terrible…
Your poem hits close to home as I worked in the criminal justice system for so many years. You’re right on the stats. How much money you have also has a big impact on how much justice you get. The innocent who pled on a sure thing to avoid a possible death sentence is a horrific place to be. If he’s been able to weave a rope from his trousers he’s put a lot of thought into his “escape.” I pray he finds another way to do his time.
I found that statistics horrible… you should be able to get a fair trial.. but the current system is great for the prison industry
Strength comes from the knowledge that nobody truely cares and when time passes, morals sink and settle out of sight on the ocean floor.
I think in the end you are invisible…
A good lawyer would have probably changed that. He needed a new trial. Some people just give up. I wonder about some of those prison suicides though. A lot goes on we don’t know about. It’s a whole different world on the inside. A good story well written, Bjorn. —- Suzanne
I think a good lawyer costs money… trials cost money… which is why a plea deal is a win-win (unless you’re innocent)
When it’s impossible to prove innocence, taking the plea is often the best alternative I guess.
I thought it was the prosecutor that should prove you’re guilty no the accused to prove that they are innocent.
Dear Björn,
No requirements to write a 4th of July story. What you did write is powerful. Sadly the innocent are often incarcerated while the guilty go free. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
It saves money to go for the plea… and there are also the guilty ones who get by with a slap on their wrist.
This was brilliant writing, Björn. I could not imagine the horror of being imprisoned wrongfully.
Thank you… I think that 20 years in prison being innocent can seems like an eternity.
It must.
i’m afraid he’s not the only one. justice can be blind.
Well with a plea there is really no justice… just a solution…
Oh a good angle to take. Very intense and well-written.
Thank you… I tried to find an angle that was different.
Sad story. An innocent gone to jail. Now at the point of killing himself.
He probably thought the time would pass to his freedom, but prison life came between.
Sadly this is a story which rings true, it must be horrible to be incarnated when innocent
I think this has happened and will continue to happen…. what counts for the prosecutors is statistics
This made me shudder. I always wonder what I would do if I were sent to prison for years for something I didn’t do…
Ahh.. especially if it was by your own choice (for an offer you couldn’t refuse)
The atmosphere of despair in this is so realistic, it makes my heart ache. Brilliant writing and take on the prompt.
I wonder how I would handle prison myself… not well I think
This is outstanding. I love the details, the despairing thoughts.
This is hard to read in a good way. I fear it is all to true. How awful to know you are innocent.