My Teeth Hurt And Other News

Yesterday my attorneys “made an offer” to the state to allow me to plead guilty if the death penalty is dropped. It would be smart for the state (actually, the county) to accept this offer since a trial in this case would pointlessly cause a lot of unnecessary anguish for the family of the boy who was kidnapped and murdered, as well as for the community in general. Ultimately, whether or not I am killed by the state (Federal or local) will be decided in Federal court. California can do little to nothing to effect what the Federal system decides. So forcing the families and community to go through an ugly trial would be pointless and maybe even cruel. As fas as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter whether it goes to trial or not, except that I'd really rather not be a witness to such futile anguish. That, and my feegin' teeth hurt! So I hope the “deal” is accepted so I can get back to the Federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, so I can get my teeth taken care of! Because I have been in one county jail (i.e. “short term confinement facilities”) after another I have been unable to get basic routine dental care. So, now, after almost six years of no floss and shoddy toothbrushes to try to keep my teeth clean my teeth have had enough and are starting to rot in my mouth uncared for. I imagine that just a hundred years ago I would have no place to complain. Back then most people didn't understand the relationship between oral hygiene and dental health. But this is a supposedly informed world these days, and I would hope that I'm not the only one who realizes that no general dental care means painful tooth problems and loss. So far I've managed to keep all of my teeth in my head where they belong (sans third molars, which I paid to have removed while I was living in Fargo, for hygienic convenience). I've never needed any dental work more complicated than a single-surface filling, or filling repair. I have no caps, bridges, root canals, or anything. I never even had to wear braces. But now, after over five years of forced neglect, I need at least one root canal, and probably several more fillings. So, I'm complaining, yes. Because like the trial here in California, there is no reason that I should have to suffer. (Unless you take a sick view of “justice” by thinking that I deserve to suffer severe tooth aches because of what I did to those children and their families. But in that case why shouldn't I just be drawn and quartered? If you think I should, then I wouldn't blame you. I'd just welcome you to the club!) If the offer is not accepted then I will stick to my plan of trying to get the trial over with as quickly and painlessly as possible. Even if that means firing my attorneys and representing myself again (which is definitely what it would mean). I'd have to fire my attorneys in order to not delay the trial any further simply because there is no way they can be ready for trial in less than at least another year (probably more time than that given the complexity of the case and the multi-jurisdictional issues involved). And if they are not ready then the judge can waive my so-called “right to a speedy trial” over my objections, in order to give my own attorneys time to prepare. And, since the only way I can get my teeth taken care of is to get back into Federal custody (i.e. “long term confinement facilities” which provides basic dental care) I would have no choice but to fire my attorneys, if the plea offer is not accepted, so I can get the trial overwith and then sent back to Terre Haute. I don't like being so drastic, but I don't like being in severe physical pain even less. Let's hope the case is settled quickly to avoid a rotten mess of a trial!