Circle Jerk

Yesterday (Friday) I had a “status hearing” before Judge Downing here in Riverside County (Indio, California). The trial for the case here is tentatively set for some time in March. But the defense attorneys cannot possibly be ready to go by then. So I must either consent to another time waiver (which allows the trial to be delayed again), or dismiss counsel and go to trial pro se (representing myself again). The problem is that I desperately need some basic dental work (fillings) to keep my teeth from needing to be pulled. Because I have been in short term confinement facilities (Jails) for the last five and a half years (since my arrest), and jails only provide “emergency” dental care (basically they only do extractions) and nothing else, I can't even get a general exam to find out what is wrong with my teeth. And my teeth hurt. At least three probably need small fillings, if not a root canal filling. I have always taken care of my teeth. I brush daily (though the only toothbrush I can have in jail frays badly after only two ot three uses) and would floss too, but the jail doesn't allow dental floss (it's supposed to be a “security risk”, but if I want strong nylon string to make a weapon with all I have to do is pull it out of my mattress, which of course, other inmates do all the time, destroying the expensive mattresses in the process). So I still have all my teeth and have never needed anything more than a few fillings, as I do now. The only way I can get the dental work I need is to get this pointless California case overwith so I can go back to Federal prison and have my teeth cleaned, examined and repaired. If I waive time and let the trial be pushed back again (the defense attorneys are asking for “at least 12 months”) then I will not only end up loosing some of my teeth, but I will also have to sit here for up to two months in pain while I wait for an “emergency” appointment to have the teeth pulled. So, I told the defense attorneys that I will not waive time for the trial unless they can guarantee I will have my teeth taken care of. Actually, I asked them about getting my teeth taken care of several months ago (as soon as they took over the case after I stopped representing myself last year). I even told them explicitly that my dental work was my number one concern. But after several months they basically told me that there was nothing they could do. So I told them I had no choice but to get the trial overwith in March so I could go back to Federal prison and have my teeth taken care of. Ultimately, what happens here in California is purely for show and will have no bearing on whether I live or die. If the Feds find me not competent on appeal, then any California death sentence will be rendered mute. And if the Feds find me competent, then they will kill me long before California even gets their hands out of their pants (and don't think too much about what they are doing with their hands in there). So there is no reason why I should sit here in jail and let my teeth rot in my mouth while they enjoy a good long circle jerk with me in the middle of the circle. (I actually wouldn't mind them jerkin' off over me so much if my teeth didn't hurt. It's not that I enjoy the attention of anything, it's just that I understand the “need”... believe me, I understand!) So now the defense lawyers are attempting to solicit funds (defense funds) to pay for a private dentist plus transportation and security to have my teeth worked on. But it appears to me as if they are placating (the requisition they showed me as evidence of their efforts was severely illprepared and underestimated) and trying to get me to waive time without a guarantee. They don't seem to realize how painful a sore tooth can be! They seem to think that I should just buck-up and sweat it out. And I might have considered doing that, IF the trial were anything more than a big pants pocket circle jerk. So, I did not waive time yesterday at the hearing. The court rescheduled another progress hearing for February 22nd. If I don't waive time then the trial will have to go in March, and I will have to represent myself again (since the lawyers cannot be ready by then). That's okay, I just hope my teeth will hold out until March!