Life in Prison: Eight Hours at a Time

253 Pages·2014·1.47 MB·English

by  Robert Reilly

Tilbury House, Publishers 12 Starr St.
Thomaston, Maine 04861
800-582-1899 • www.tilburyhouse.com
Life in Prison Eight Hours at a Time Copyright © Robert J. Reilly Library of Congress Control Number
2014024901
Hardcover ISBN 978-088448-412-7
eBook ISBN 978-9-88448-413-4
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
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Design by Faith Hague
Jacket photo, author photo, and photos on pages 24 and 211 by David Lyman; photo on page 25 by Pat
Fallon All other photos by Robert Reilly All reasonable efforts have been made to identify the copyright
holders.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Reilly, Robert, 1967—
Life in prison : eight hours at a time / Robert Reilly.
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-88448-412-7
1. Reilly, Robert, 1967-2. Inmate guards--United States--Biography. 3. Prisons--United States. 4.
Prisoners--United States. I. Title.
HV9468.R445A3 2014
365’.92--dc23
[B]
2014024901
Printed in the United States of America 14 15 16 17 18 19 MAP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For
Sarah, Joshua, Lindsey & Zeke
Acknowledgments
My deepest thanks to the following people for their continued encouragement
and support during the writing of this book: My wife Sarah, Doug Croley,
Robert von-der-Luft, Nancy J Kennedy, Erik Phelan, Paul Ewing, Tom Laurita,
David & Julie Lyman, my friend and mentor Peter Nichols, agent Tris Coburn
and editor Celia Johnson.
And to the good men and women of the Pennsylvania county prison system
and the Maine State Prison who looked out for me. Thank you. RR
About the Author
Robert Reilly lives and works in midcoast Maine with his wife and three
children. In his scant free time he is working on a collection of short stories, and
has recently released his seventh studio album with long-time friend and music
collaborator Jeff Bishop. The self-titled CD Bishop-Reilly is available from
iTunes and online retailers, or at www.Eastern-Records.com.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Into the Abyss
Pennsylvania
Prison Academy
Face Fear or Fail
Prison Politics
“On the First Day of Christmas …”
Sergeant G
Cars in the Distance
The Warden vs. The Union
From Robber to Murderer
F-Block
The Naughty Table
Family Ties
“If It Wasn’t For Us Criminals, You Wouldn’t Have a Job.”
Second Shift
Intake Release
No Longer the Rookie
The Mental Health Unit
D-Block
Escape Plan
The Immigrant Guard
Lights Out
The Good Inmate
Big Zeke
Fall Guys
New Commit
Wake Up Call
Out of the Frying Pan
SMU
There’s No Such thing As Life In Prison, Only Existence
Jail Bird
Losing Faith
Civility Costs Nothing
You Just Never Know What’s Gonna Tip a Fella Right Over the Edge
You Seem So Unhappy
Escape Or Go Mad
The Cooler
Help Wanted
Christmas 2010
Appendix
Prologue Strangeways Prison, Manchester, England,
1977
STRANGEWAYS PRISON WAS LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM OUR HOUSE. It was the kind
of place most kids couldn’t stop staring at. And after a century of foul weather
and industrial pollution, its grimy fortress walls and sin-soaked battlements
oozed agony and a cold, criminal foreboding. At night, I clearly remember
staring up at the dim yellow lights glowing behind the tiny barred windows and
thinking, I wonder what happens in there. I wonder what kind of men get locked
up in a place like that. I also never, ever remember anyone telling their friends
or parents, “When I grow up, I want to be a prison guard.”