Bamboozled by Joe Biel Read Free Book Online Page B

of January 9, 1980 the defendant is sentenced to the state prison for the term of 25 years to life, with the provision that the defendant is entitled to credit as follows: For a total of 822 days time served in state institutions, including the California Youth Authority, plus 224 days under the provisions of Section 2900.5 of the Penal Code, and an additional 112 days, under the provisions of Section 4019 of the Penal Code. He is remanded to theSheriff of Los Angeles County for delivery to the Department of Corrections.
    Do you understand that punishment—that penalty?
    Torrey: Yes, sir.
    Joey says he had to immediately sit down. His knees were buckling. He was escorted out of the court room and met with Mr. Boedecker, who assured him that Judge Stevens sentencing him a second time for the same crime was “double jeopardy.” Joey was escorted out, put in shackles, and driven to the Southern Reception Center for the California Department of Corrections in Chino, CA.
    That evening, in his cell, Joey heard the paper sliding into his cell that read, “Modification of Sentence: 25 Years to Life.” At the bottom it noted his parole eligibility, “June 13, 2002.” He says his soul began to rain and thunder as the radio blasted and the screams began. Joey says he did not eat breakfast the following morning. The boxing and cocaine has taken their toll on Joey’s brain on top of the fog of events from the day before. An old timer sweeping the floor in front of Joey’s cell asked if Joey remembered him from the Main St. gym. Joey did not. That night, the green light was put on the 18 th St. gang.

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    Joey was told to request protective custody from the guards before people returned from lunch, or they were going to be ordered to move on him. Joey had no intention of requesting anything when “this fool from Clanton” stopped at his cell and said, “Lock up! Or when the bars rack, you’re dead!” Instead, the lock-up bell rang because someone got stabbed, and they were locked down for the night. Joey loosened up.
    Joey skipped breakfast again in the morning, and found himself staring at a long haired biker named Gypsy in front of his cell. Gypsy claimed he was from the Hell’s Angels and a friend of Luigi. Joey questioned him until he mentioned 1978, Lancaster, and him beating the ass of one of his bros. Gypsy smiled and extended his hand, explaining that the club is doing business with Luigi and the family, and that he would have Joey’s back in the day room. Gypsy told Joey the light was called off as a parting gesture, as someone sent him a message saying “Danny has a knife.” Joey felt he had to go to the day room or lose face.
    As Joey walked into the day room, he says someone informed him the light was off but that he wasn’t going to do anything if it was on. “Bullshit, you fools would have killed me!” Joey says he yelled. He turned on the TV to watch Arguello fight Ganigan as an older man changed the channel. Joey attacked him and a knife clunked to the floor. A biker announced “Let them be.” Joey beat him until his hands hurt and kicked the body until his white tennis shoes were covered in blood. Gypsy whispered, “enough,” as Joey began pissing on him. An hour later Joey was back in his cell when the guards arrived to put him in solitary confiment.

    Even inside prison, Joey was able to continue using cocaine and was transferred to the mental health unit at Vacaville in 1982. After all of the damage to his brain from cocaine and boxing, he was flagged as mentally unstable.
    It was a particularly low point, even for Joey. He worked as a clerk in the Captain’s office with receiving and release. Joey settled in—looking forward to his appeal. Technology in medicine was improving and his knee would not need to be replaced.
    Charlie Manson was living in the cell block next to Joey’s. Charlie would go visiting on