Autobiography
Who KilledMiss Che Che?
An Autobiography
Episode 46:Statements
Time passed. My sister was released andmoved to Miami in July 1988. I was in maximum locked into my cellfor 23 hours daily. Exercise was one hour daily if the weatherprovided and if you wanted it because you could stay in if youchose to. After each meal, medication was issued to those whoneeded it and in the morning I was let out of my cell to cleanit. The officers returned in 10 to 15 minutes to let someone elseout to clean and lock me in again. In the evenings I was let outfor ten minutes to shower then locked back into the cell. The'cage' where the exercise area is stands about 30 x 30 feet squarewith a ten foot tall fence around it. That was my daily routinefor 40 months before I was transferred out of maximum September25, 1990. I kept my cell tidy and clean though it was my punishhole.
Paula and Carol visited me sometimes butI had decided to testify against their husbands because the twoof them had done exactly what they had threatened to do to me.They had already thought of the possibility of me turning themin and had combined against me. I read their statements that dayin June and decided never to speak to them again.
Their statements said that we had left forCleveland's to buy food 2:00 a.m. in the morning?. It went onto say that when we passed Miss Che Che's I told them to waiton the road, that I would return shortly. They said I then wentbehind Miss Che Che's house and soon after they heard one bang.I returned and said "I shot her" and had a long gunin my hand that they had never seen before.
That is what they said. I read those statementsand got very quietly angry. They had mentioned food and Cleveland'sbecause that was the man they had planned to rob. They had usedmy name, saying they had stopped by Miss Che Che's because thatis what they had done. They had also mentioned in their statementsthat they had gone to my home one day and saw me cleaning my rifle,that part of their statements was true. They stuck the crime onme because they did not care about me and they knew everyone alreadybelieved I was guilty.
At the prison the three of us exercisedtogether, at the same hour, so the morning after I had read theirstatements I said nothing to them. They were looking at me andseemed worried. I normally said "Good morning' but did notthat morning. Mike said "Abna, what happened?"
I looked at them and said, "I receivedmy court bundle yesterday. Did you receive yours?"
"No," they said.
"Good," I said and continued walkingaround the 'cage' like a helpless chicken.
Jeff walked up beside me. "What did the bundle say,"he asked.
"It says that the three of us is chargedwith murder, not two, but three of us. Did you know that?"
"Yes," he said.
"Are you worried that I saw your statements?I did and they're against me Jeff. Why?"
"Listen Abna. I was in the States whenI gave that statement because the police would not leave me aloneso I gave the statement then called Mike and told him what I hadsaid and when they came to see him, he must tell them the sameso they could leave us alone, because it seemed that they wantedyou not us but we will not testify in court to those statementsagainst us so you don't have to worry about us testifying."Well that made me feel better.
They had given statements saying it wasme who had committed the murder because my name was in the air,imagine?
And that is why they did not testify againstme. The only thing they could have said truthfully against mewas that I had loaned them my gun and that they had seen me cleaningmy rifle. The evidence against us was mostly against me and mostof it was untrue.
I had no doubt that the trial judge hadused their statements against me mentally because he had readthe whole bundle.
He could not comment to their statementsbecause they did not testify but he contemplated their statementswithout doubt, which was unfair and unjust.
I asked Mike why the police had been atthem. He said that the police and Scotland Yard had told him thatthe guys 'in the land' had told the police that the three of uswere together late that night. I suspect that those guys werethe ones hanging by the corner when I was coming home from Niki's.
We decided to have separate trials by judgealone. Jeff and Mike would not testify against me because I wouldnot testify against them. If they did, it gave me a better chanceto be acquitted.
I thought of their wives. If I had decidedto blow the horn and ring the bell, they would have blown twotrumps and beat the drums. My trial was first; if I was convictedthey would write to the Governor for me and bring my needs andreassured me that I would not be in prison very long because ofmy age. Jeff and Mike and their wives were the only people helpingme.
And I could always appeal.
It was still 1988 and I had not gone onP.I. yet I needed something to do, something constructive so Idecided to develop my artistic abilities. I asked Paula to bringme a set of markers, art books and drawing pads. I was in oldmaximum and Mike and Jeff were in new maximum beyond the partition.Mommy had told me when I was growing up that I would be an artistor an interior decorator. I used my hands to do things otherscould not do. She said I was born to be an artist but first Ihad to train and study to develop my talent so that is what Idid with my time.
My release date had crossed months ago andI was now remanded. I even thought my art would be a good ideafor my future. Maybe I could make a career out of it, earn moneyand make a living when I got out of prison.
So I started by drawing postcards for Paula,Carol and members of my family that did not care about me andnever came to see me or bring me anything. I sent postcards topeople I knew, to my lawyers, to prison officers for their wives,to daughters, sons or whomever. I sent cards to old friends thatnever came to see me. The news spread: "Philip can make cards".
Then I started producing cards for inmatesand news spread quickly. "Hey Phil. I need another one forher mom." No problem. I was so busy making cards that thematerials wore out. Paula brought more and I received lettersfrom people I did not know saying, "Your work is beautiful.Keep it up Phil."
Though I wanted to I could not reply tothose encouraging letters because they had no names, no returnaddresses; people didn't want me to know who they were. I feltbad, real bad.
I used to produce four to five cards a daysometimes using designs from my head. I made a red rose for Valentine'sDay, a Christmas tree with bells and lights for Christmas.
Next: The Testimonyof Sean Carby
*All Names have beenchanged to protect the rights of individuals.
Disclaimer: The preceeding excerpt from the Autobiography of PhilipGlennan Ebanks is copyrighted by Philip Glennan Ebanks and doesnot necessarily reflect the views of Cayman Net News, CNN employeesor its affiliates. Cayman Net News does not accept responsibilityfor opinions expressed in this series.©