tv Lockup MSNBC March 14, 2015 9:00pm-10:01pm PDT
9:00 pm
due to mature subject matter, viewer discretion is advised. ♪ i done fought, i done stabbed people in prison, i done orchestrated riots. >> right now i do believe michael bates is our highest ranking gang member in the jail. >> a gang leader has this challenged by another inmate. >> one of my pups had a complaint against this gentleman here. yeah, said that he was not living right. >> the questions arise over
9:01 pm
whether the challenger is who he says he is. >> i still have to do a proper investigation. if he not who he say he is, he's going to get dealt with. >> and in the women's wing -- >> you come across very aggressive when you talk because you're loud. >> one inmate's personality divides her housing unit. >> she's funny as hell. >> and before long -- >> what you got to say, bitch? >> verbal altercations turn violent. >> i'm done. i'm sorry i came here. it's only 12 miles from midtown manhattan, but hackensack, new jersey, feels like another world. it's the largest city in bergen county, which is ranked as one
9:02 pm
of the most prosperous regions in the nation. just outside downtown hackensack is the bergen county jail. most of the nearly 900 inmates here are accused of crimes and are awaiting trial at the resolution of their cases. the majority of them are from somewhere else. many say bergen county is better than other jails. >> this is a country club. play chess all day. no problems. three tvs. it's a country club. >> the country club reference goes back as long as i've been here. so i look at it as a compliment. a country club is a professional, well-organized, strict with rules and regulation, cleaner, and i look at that as bergen county jail. some of the hardened criminals like the dirty, grungy type of jail. they're not going to find that here. >> right here in bergen county jail, they got good, good people. just straight up real.
9:03 pm
>> with seven prior stays, enrique cruz qualifies as the jail's unofficial tour guide. >> this spanish harlem mover, this [ bleep ], except for the white guy in the back. he's down with them. he's cool. that's spanish harlem. you got uptown over here. [ bleep ]. uptown. sit your ass down, man. [ bleep ] stay still. >> over a period of 26 years, cruz has spent time not only in bergen county but several other new jersey jails and prisons for dozens of convictions. they include assault, distribution of drugs, burglary, illegal possession of firearms, criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child. >> so y'all would have came here last week, you would have saw me over in that corner smoking my weed and [ bleep ]. but you came this week. i ain't got no more [ bleep ], you know. >> cruz is now back on a charge of drug possession with intent to distribute in a school zone. he has pled not guilty and is
9:04 pm
awaiting trial. >> one thing i am, i'm a fighting master. i'm like picasso with these things. i would dress your ass up real good, and if you give me a blade or a burner, i make a masterpiece. there's nothing that supersizes me. i bow down to no man sh, officers, inmates, whatever you want to call them, dogs. >> the lieutenant, who has a long history with cruz, can verify over the years he was indeed a fighter. >> enrique cruz and i go back about 20 years when this place was a little bit of a rough place -- a rougher place than it is now. didn't lose any fights that i know of. most of the fights he did wind up fighting were with people as big or bigger than him. >> during one of his earlier stays here, cruz got in a fight
9:05 pm
that both he and the lieutenant still recall. >> i mean, everybody feared this man. he was a giant. i think he stood like 6'5", 6'6". >> mr. cruz won the fight. he did a lot of damage to the other person. >> banged his head against the bed frames and stuck my hands in his mouth and tried to rip his [ bleep ] mouth off. he ended up bleeding bad. then the police came up and they wouldn't come in the unit except that one lieutenant. >> he threatened to take out half our staff. he said, i could bring 20 people in there and 10 of them were going to the hospital. and my boss just let me keep continuing to talk to him until we got him settled down. >> he didn't even have to ask me. i just said i have to go to the hole, right? he's like, you got to go to the hole, okay, but no handcuffs. >> i basically wound up taking him down to the hole by myself, and we've had an open rapport and communication since then. >> you're the one mother [ bleep ] i will bow down
9:06 pm
before. >> now that he's gotten older, he doesn't do that quite like he used to. so, now he uses his ability to talk and his stature to kind of make a presence in the facility. >> cruz says he is a proud member of the jail's largest gang, the united blood nation. >> i'm blood, 100%. i'm b-9. the minister over the state. i pray with you or pray over you. anyone denounce who i am, speak now. >> he claims to have been a blood for upwards of 20-some odd years. his name used to hold a lot of weight in the jail. as of right now, i don't know if it still does. >> since cruz's younger days, the bloods have formed dozens of subsets, even causing confusion among themselves about who's who. in cruz's case, some of the younger members either don't know him or don't respect him. >> i don't like him. >> this is my man right here. samphran. >> he's one that thinks he's better than blood. he's one that wants things his way or no way.
9:07 pm
>> this my man [ bleep ] right here. >> is he a minister? >> is he a minister? >> of defense? >> that's not even a position. minister of defense. he thinks he's a [ bleep ] black panther or something. that dude is not to be taken seriously. >> now we're going into little italy right here. this is little italy right here. >> he was running around this jail claiming a position that doesn't even exist. so, you know, instead of being abusive and having him touched, we just let him be. just be by yourself because he's definitely not a part of my team. >> while many of the 800 male inmates stay tight-lipped, it's another story among the 50 or so women in the jail. >> do you want your blanket and your sheets? >> i don't want nothing. i don't want nothing. >> you got it. you got it. >> just dramatic altogether. being locked up, confined to a small unit, dealing with all the different personalities, females i guess by nature are confrontational sometimes.
9:08 pm
>> you don't have to get mad at you. >> i'm not mad at you. i'm just telling you that's the way it is. >> everybody is dealing with different situations, emotions are flying. so they're just -- they're petty and this is how they, i guess, release their anger. >> you are your own racist. some people is their own racist. >> she kills me over here. >> while officers have grown used to seemingly petty conflicts in the female housing units. >> lieutenant okakios, can i talk to you, please? >> some veterans on staff say lately it's been worse than ever. >> it's never been like that. it's never. in 7 1/2 years we've never had to constantly go to the door and go, what are you arguing about now? she looked at me. she touched me. >> you guys all need to understand something. every one of you is pushing this beyond where it needs to go. i'm not going to deal with it. i'm not. recently we've had a number of different personalities inside the female wing. it's just been a lot of type a personalities clashing in the mix and causing a lot of
9:09 pm
problems inside the unit. >> one of the most prominent of those personalities is shontera jennings. >> i'm very outspoken and i seem to speak my mind. i'm a little loud at times. they look at me as a trouble maker. another inmate, the white ones, feels i shouldn't be in the unit because they are intimidated. has nothing to do with me because i'm not intimidating them but just because they're intimidated because they're not real, you want to keep me in this un sit so the up mates run the jail. so why can't i be a sergeant? >> ms. jennings and i go back several years. her flamboyant personality tends to draw attention from staff and her and i had several interactions as a result of her loud nature, let's say. >> i know. i wasn't talking about the commissary in here. >> what did i tell you was going to cause you to get in trouble? >> my mouth. >> and what got you in trouble? >> my outspokenness. my mouth. >> okay.
9:10 pm
you list it as outspokenness. you come across very aggressive when you talk because you're loud. >> jennings is charged with identity theft, wrongful impersonation, and driving without a license. she has pled not guilty and is awaiting trial. but she has had several prior convictions for identity theft and credit card fraud which resulted in two prison terms. >> it's more like a hobby, credit card fraud. when you work you have to find something that you like doing. you can't just pick any job because then you're not going to stay there. plus i can't work for minimum wage. it's not enough money. >> it seems most inmates who know her have an opinion about jennings. some appreciate her big personality. >> shontera is funny. she is funny as [ bleep ]. >> she makes the day goes better. she makes us laugh. she jokes around. she plays. like she is really a nice person. >> others could live without her. >> people gravitated to her like
9:11 pm
she was like the next coming of chirst, and she's like the worst, you know, next to satan's spawn. >> she is just loud and obnoxious. >> i thought i was your best inmate. >> she's ugly. >> i'm done. i'm sorry i came here. coming up, shontera jennings finds herself in the middle of a fracas. >> you look like [ bleep ]. that's the why you treat me the way i do. >> one of my pups had a complaint against this gentleman here. said that he was not living right. >> enrique cruz confronts a member of the bloods, but has he gone too far? of saliva can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath? well, there is biotene, specially formulated with moisturizers and lubricants... biotene can provide soothing relief
9:12 pm
and it helps keep your mouth healthy too. biotene, for people who suffer from a dry mouth. they don't worry if something's possible. they just do it. at sears optical, we're committed to bringing them eyewear that works as hard as they do. right now, buy one pair and get another free. a 401(k) is the most sound way to go. let's talk asset allocation. sure. you seem knowledgeable, professional. would you trust me as your financial advisor? i would. i would indeed. well, let's be clear here. i'm actually a dj. [ dance music plays ] [laughs] no way! i have no financial experience at all. that really is you? if they're not a cfp pro, you just don't know. find a certified financial planner professional who's thoroughly vetted at letsmakeaplan.org. cfp -- work with the highest standard. but sometimes work can get in the way. now capella university offers flexpath,
9:13 pm
a revolutionary new program that allows you to earn a degree at your pace and graduate at the speed of you. flexpath from capella university. you're not mr. craig. yeah, i'm confused, where's mr. craig? well, i'm sorta mr. craig. we're both between 35 and 45 years old. we both like to save money on car insurance. and we're both really good at teaching people a lesson. um, let's go. cool. sit down! alright. sorta you, isn't you. only esurance has coveragemyway. it helps make sure you only pay for what's right for you, not someone sorta like you. i think i blacked out from fear...
9:14 pm
did we ask him where he'sthere's a guy out there whose making a name for himself in a sport where your name and maybe a number are what define you. somewhere in that pack is a driver that can intimidate the intimidator. a guy that can take the king 7 and make it 8. heck. maybe even 9. make no mistake about it. they're out there. i guarantee it. welcome to the nascar xfinity series. hackensack, new jersey, is better known for nice homes and quaint downtown shops than it is for gang activity. gang-related crimes do occur here.
9:15 pm
in the city's bergen county jail about 15% of the inmates are gang affiliated. while most are divided among racial lines, the dominant gang here has found strength in diversity. >> the predominant gang inside bergen county jail is united blood nation. they recruit anybody. they believe in numbers. it's a numbers game for them. there could be bloods from different ethnic backgrounds, black, white, hispanic. when i worked in the state prison system system i actually had a blood gang member who was a hindu. their willingness to accept anybody into their gang is what makes them the most dangerous because we don't know where they're coming from. >> sometimes blood members don't even know each other. one blood everyone seems to know is michael bates, who has just met with his attorney and is not pleased with what he has learned. >> i got to go to trial now. >> why? >> they're throwing double-digit figures at me. i don't want it.
9:16 pm
i'm not taking it. if i got to do some time, they got to give it to me. i'm not pleading guilty to nothing. >> bates has pled not guilty to multiple charges of weapons possession and aggravated assault. he had hoped to reach a plea deal for a sentence of five years, but the prosecution had a harsher sentence in mind. >> 15 and three years running consecutive. i'd have to do 15 then when i finish the 15 start the three years. >> so 18 years? >> give or take. >> bates will now take the case to trial. in the meantime, he'll remain in the bergen county jail where he holds a distinct status. >> right now. i do believe michael bates is our highest ranking blood member in the jail. >> michael bates definitely is the real deal. he can throw his weight around here. >> i hold a high rank now, which is called og, original gangster. i done fought. i done stabbed people in prison.
9:17 pm
i done orchestrated riots. i been in every prison in the state of new jersey except the southern state so everybody knows me. my word is gold to them because they seen me action. they don't just hear my audio. they seen my video. they know if i say something it's law. all i got to do is send an order and it's going to be carried out. whether i want somebody poked up or i want somebody stabbed, it's going to get done. >> recently, the self-proclaimed minister of defense of the bloods was transferred into the same housing unit as bates. enrique cruz says he came on his own volition. >> i walk around this [ bleep ] and do as i please, eat when i want to, [ bleep ] go bust my cell, leave when i want to. >> mr. cruz likes to think he can dictate where he goes and how he moves in this building, but we move him around a lot so he kind of gets the idea that he can pick and choose where he goes, which is not the case. >> cruz says that he came to the
9:18 pm
unit on assignment to investigate bates and has no problem saying so right in front of bates. >> one of my pups had a complaint against this gentleman here. yeah. said that he was not living right. so i came here to speak to the pups' og. after speaking with him and confirming that that other individual is a liar, now i must go. tonight i will be gone. that's all it is. it's a status. >> where are you going? >> hopefully going to a minimum tier. stay out of trouble. keep my nose clean. and i'll get out of here sooner than later. but, yeah, this is a surprise to you, right? he didn't even know this. but, see, everything, everybody, i'm sent to higher ranks. let me tell you, you know who it was who sent me, right? >> yeah, yeah. most definitely. >> now that you know, i spoke to his og. he was in the clear, but everything, see, i'm a hands-on type of individual. although i can point my finger
9:19 pm
and have someone murdered, i don't. >> i never heard of him before. never heard of him. now i'll make the necessary phone calls and get the necessary contact i got to make and i'm going to see about this guy. see what's up. because to me in my heart and my mind i know i feel he's nobody, but i can't just go with what i feel. i still have to do my homework. i still got to do a proper investigation. if he's not who he says he is, he's going to get dealt with. >> while bates has chosen patience over action, a fight has been reported in another part of the jail. >> the officers rush to the scene. >> lock in! lock in! >> no, that wasn't me. >> i don't want to hear it. >> i slipped -- >> i don't want to hear it. >> kiss my [ bleep ] fanny. >> staff quickly learn shontera jennings is at the center of the disturbance.
9:20 pm
>> you look like [ bleep ]. that's why you treat people -- >> shut up. both hands on the wall. face the wall. >> i personally never had to deal with shontera until her most recent time in. her name would always come up as being a problem in the unit, causing problems or whatever. >> officers separate the inmates in order to interview them. but they know from experience sorting out what happened won't be easy. >> the situation with the dryer, the situation with the washing machine where monica let somebody go first and she was next. >> i'm not yelling at you. right? i asked you a question. no, no. >> she said well [ bleep ] i'm feeling it. i'm saying -- >> who's camille? >> bundy. camille bundy. >> all right. all right. >> at one point i had a problem with a young girl who was stealing from me and stuff like that. >> now hold on. >> turned against me behind this girl -- >> camille is already saying stuff. so i moved to another table. >> after much back and forth,
9:21 pm
officers have concluded that the incident began when jennings started gossiping about another inmate's charges. >> this is the deal. you're staying here to stay out of their hair for four hours. you going back, four hours, no issues. doors open up tomorrow morning at 7:00. first issue from anybody, the whole tier is going to get locked in for a week and then i'm just going to start pressing charges on everybody. >> i get four hours lockup and i didn't even do anything but have a conversation, like just because i am considered the ringleader, so put jennings in lock. coming up -- >> i want to get out. with every ounce in my body, i'm done. >> michael bates has second thoughts on gang life. and -- the war of words in the women's wing turns violent. mill. [ alex ] transamerica helped provide a lifetime of retirement income.
9:22 pm
9:23 pm
lead your heroes in the hit mobile game! download heroes charge now! we're reinventing inhow we do business, so businesses can reinvent the world. from pharmaceuticals to 3d prototyping, biotech to clean energy. whether your business is moving, expanding or just getting started... only new york offers you zero taxes for 10 years with startup ny, business incubators that partner companies with universities, and venture capital funding for high growth industries. see how new york can grow your business and create jobs. visit ny.gov/business
9:24 pm
for over 19 million people. [ mom ] with life insurance, we're not just insuring our lives... we're helping protect his. [ female announcer ] everyone has a moment when tomorrow becomes real. transamerica. transform tomorrow. doing time behind the walls of the bergen county jail in hackensack, new jersey, is the last place michael bates wanted to be today.
9:25 pm
not only did he recently complete a nine-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter, he's now awaiting trial on two new counts of aggravated assault. and if that's not bad enough, today is his birthday, and all he has is a gift from another inmate. >> he told me happy birthday and gave me toilet tissue with my name on it and gave me some of these. >> having served time before, bates knows this is no random collection of items. they're to make a device known in jail as a fifi. >> you could get a towel or whatever and you roll this up. you roll the towel up real tight and you take the glove and you stuff them inside the towel. then you take vaseline and you throw the vaseline in between the towel, the gloves, and it's called a fifi. and -- >> bates says he has more important concerns on his mind.
9:26 pm
he has a 12-year-old son that he has missed out on raising due to the years he spent behind bars. >> i'm supposed to show him exactly what he is supposed to do, what he ain't supposed to do, right from wrong, to be there as a man and father to do that. when i was 12 i was smoking weed and cigarettes and having sex. that was back then. now it's more, the world is more advanced now. so i can imagine the positions he's put in right now. >> can you imagine if your son ends up like you? >> i don't even want to think about that. i hope not. absolutely not. >> bates knows that if he wants to be a positive role model to his son, he must reconsider his 13-year-old membership in the united blood nation. >> i want to get out with every ounce in my body i'm done. i have nothing left. everything is gone. so what more could they want from me? >> but leaving the bloods is not easy. >> it's real hard. you got to know people who know people up there high in
9:27 pm
rank where you can go to them and you can plead your story. and you may get blessed out and you may not. i'm not going to say tomorrow i'm not going to be a blood or next year i might not be a blood. who knows? but i know what i want for myself. i just don't know when it's going to happen. >> and right now bates can't take any risks. another member of the bloods with a reputation for violence, enrique cruz, recently transferred to bates' unit and says he was looking into rumors about bates' loyalty. >> come on in. >> and now he's just invited himself into bates' cell. >> all right. >> i've been in this jail here so anybody who's blood is part of my soul, is going to come across my desk if they're doing something wrong. the paperwork is going to come to me. >> he's a minister of new jersey and all this. got to come across his desk. what desk? what's got to come across -- who are you? >> damn, i like this cell, this view. this is what i like. >> bates says he's playing it
9:28 pm
cool until he has accurate information on who cruz really is. >> i think he's retarded, i think he kind of slow. i think something is wrong with him. something is wrong with this guy. >> all day, blood like that, five, all day. recognize real when you see real. you know? ain't nothing hidden about this. this is straight blood love. you know what i mean? this is what i do. >> he's going to get dealt with either here or when he goes down to prison. somewhere he's going to get dealt with. coming up -- >> i'll break his face plate. i'll stomp a hole in him. >> enrique cruz has a change of heart about michael bates. >> what you got to say, bitch. >> and the women take it up a notch. sometimes breathing air can be difficult. if you have copd, ask your doctor about once-daily anoro ellipta. it helps people with copd breathe better for a full 24hours. anoro ellipta is the first fda-approved product
9:29 pm
containing two long-acting bronchodilators in one inhaler. anoro is not for asthma. anoro contains a type of medicine that increases risk of death in people with asthma. it is not known if this risk is increased in copd. anoro won't replace rescue inhalers for sudden copd symptoms and should not be used more than once a day. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition, or high blood pressure. tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, prostate or bladder problems, or problems passing urine as anoro may make these problems worse. call your doctor right away if you have worsened breathing, chest pain, swelling of your mouth or tongue, problems urinating or eye problems, including vision changes or eye pain while taking anoro. nothing can reverse copd. the world is filled with air, and anoro is helping people with copd breath air better. get your first prescription free at anoro.com. they don't worry if something's possible. they just do it.
9:30 pm
at sears optical, we're committed to bringing them eyewear that works as hard as they do. right now, buy one pair and get another free. ♪ ah, ♪h it. ♪ push it. ♪ p...push it real good! ♪ ♪ ow! ♪ oooh baby baby...baby baby. if you're salt-n-pepa, you tell people to push it. ♪ push it real good. it's what you do. ♪ ah. push it. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance,
9:31 pm
9:32 pm
summer. the city is 80 miles north of baghdad. san diego is in the midst of a record heat wave with temperatures creeping into the 90s. that breaks the biggest record, 88 degrees set in 1951. now it's back to "lockup." due to mature subject matter, viewer discretion is advised. behind the walls of hackensack's bergen county jail, tensions continue to rise in one of the female housing units. >> you're mad at me. >> i'm not. >> we only have about 45 to 50 women in the female wing right now. usually even with more women in there, it's a lot quieter than it has been. this particular group just do not mix well. >> officers continue to monitor the group to figure out which inmates fuel the conflicts. >> one of them who is the loudest person in there, she was removed yesterday after an investigation where multiple
9:33 pm
people have said she was the common denominator. >> that inmate is shontera jennings. shortly after she was released from a four-hour stay in the neighboring segregation unit, she is back in for disruptive conduct. >> i don't know if they target me because i'm the loudest. i talk back to the staff. they look for a way to keep me locked in here. >> back in her former housing unit, the conflict rages on two new fronts. martina bush files complaints to staff that led to jennings' expulsion. dudley denied the allegations. >> you stole the gel. you stole the [ bleep ] gel. she stole it! [ bleep ] >> step outside for a minute so i can talk to you. >> shontera's nice. she is funny as hell. even though she be wrong sometimes, that was wrong what y'all did. >> take a breath now. relax.
9:34 pm
>> listen -- >> back up. back up. >> i did say -- >> back up. >> now bush directs her rage at harley rooney, accusing her of snitching on jennings as well. >> that was wrong because nobody ever said they was going to do nothing to either one of you all. you want to go home. >> you don't know what the [ bleep ]. you don't know what the [ bleep ] was said. >> let them go. >> you're [ bleep ] scared of shontera. >> they did tell on her. and they did steal from her. shontera's a good person. i'll sit down. >> bush is moved to the segregation unit just a few doors down from jennings until she calms down. >> did i start that too? >> yeah, you did. >> but now rooney is in an argument with another inmate. chelsea carpontier. >> say what you got to say now. say what you got to say, bitch. >> you want me to talk to --
9:35 pm
>> [ bleep ]. >> i didn't even [ bleep ] do anything. i didn't even [ bleep ] do anything. >> obviously you did. >> i didn't. >> everybody step in your cell right now! step in! >> the officers order all inmates back into their cells. but carpontier and rooney are removed from the unit and taken to segregation. >> i just broke a nail. >> that's it? >> yeah. >> what are you guys fighting about? >> a new girl was saying a few of us wrote a statement on another female to get her removed, and it's false. they questioned us about her. we answered the questions. she was the source of all the problems, so they removed her. chelsea came out of her room from upstairs and started talking so i told her to come down and say it to me.
9:36 pm
and she came to the top of the stairs, so i decided to meet her up there and she just kept getting in my face and she shoved me. so -- >> the whole unit got in everybody's business. just stupid, petty drama. >> both women will receive several days in segregation for fighting. and tensions continue to rise in another unit, as well. enrique cruz says he came to s-4 on his own free will in order to investigate the alleged misdoings of fellow blood member michael bates. >> i was sent here. after speaking with him and confirming that that other individual is a liar, now i must go. tonight i will be gone. >> and a couple days later, though cruz often boasts that he controls his housing assignments, his transfer is actually prompted by a plea agreement on his drug charge. >> he came back from court.
9:37 pm
his maximum security status was changed based on his sentence, so he went to medium. he is going to be transferred there tonight. >> thank you. i appreciate that. >> cruz's plea deal will result in a maximum of four years in prison on his charge of drug possession with intent to distribute in a school zone. his final sentence will be issued in an upcoming hearing, but for now, cruz is busy making his presence known in his new unit. >> yeah, yeah. what's up, old-timer? how you doing? >> how you doing? >> all right. what's up with you? >> three days later, things seem anything but good between him and michael bates, who has just heard from other blood members that cruz has issued a threat against him. >> he's saying, yeah. he's going to find his way up here to me. if you felt this way prior, why are you even coming up here? he was up here with me for days but he never showed no type of aggression toward me. now when he move off the tier
9:38 pm
it's a message saying he's going to do this, do that. >> a kite was sent to me, that he is a snitch out of new york. he's got a couple guys who are on a trial and he's turned state and is snitching on them guys. >> if this was true you think i'd be sitting here today with 12, 13 bloods around me? two crips? not at all. i don't care how big you are, how tough you are or not. you get dealt with. everybody is expendable. and i don't sleep on nobody. i could be walking and get stabbed today. i don't sleep on nobody. i take nothing for granted. my right hand on a stack of bibles to my kid that's false. >> hopefully i'll pass him in the hallway. if i have to sacrifice myself, i will. but he won't make it to that trial. and if he do, his mouth will be wired shut where he can't say nothing. they probably have to put wires on the inside and outside of his mouth. i'll break his face plate and i'll stomp a hole in him.
9:39 pm
>> i'm going to try to hurt him. it's hard for me to kill him so i'll try to hurt him to the best of my ability. coming up, enrique cruz lets his fists do his talking. >> just one hit. he was all over the place. he couldn't stand up. >> but the results may not be what he claims they were. and -- >> but there's been enough horse [ bleep ] going on in this unit for the past week or so. i am tired of it. >> lieutenant acakios lays down the law. >> just stay calm. google search: bodega beach house. now? can i at least put my shoes on?
9:40 pm
if your bladder is calling the shots ... you may have a medical condition called overactive bladder ... ...or oab you've got to be kidding me. i've had enough! it's time to talk to the doctor. ask your doctor how myrbetriq may help treat... ...oab symptoms of urgency, frequency, and leakage. which may mean fewer trips to the bathroom. myrbetriq (mirabegron) may increase your blood pressure. myrbetriq may increase your chances... ...of not being able to empty your bladder. tell your doctor right away if you have... ...trouble emptying your bladder or have a weak urine stream. myrbetriq may affect... ...or be affected by other medications... ...so tell your doctor about all the medicines you take. before taking myrbetriq, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney problems. common side effects include increased blood pressure, common cold symptoms, urinary tract infection, and headache. take charge by talking to your doctor about your oab symptoms and myrbetriq. find out if you can get your first prescription at no cost by visiting myrbetriq.com boy: once upon a time, there was a nice house that lived with a family. one day, it started to rain and rain.
9:41 pm
water got inside and ruined everybody's everythings. the house thought she let the family down. but the family just didn't think a flood could ever happen. the reality is, floods do happen. protect what matters. call the number on your screen or visit the website to learn more. he♪oes charge! (explosion) ♪ (explosion) ♪ (explosion) ♪ lead your heroes in the hit mobile game! download heroes charge now! multiple medications, does your mouth often feel dry?
9:42 pm
a dry mouth can be a side effect of many medications. but it can also lead to tooth decay and bad breath. that's why there's biotene, available as an oral rinse, toothpaste, spray or gel. biotene can provide soothing relief and it helps keep your mouth healthy too. remember, while your medication is doing you good, a dry mouth isn't biotene, for people who suffer from a dry mouth. jail have grown used to the bickering among female inmates. it's less common for shouting to turn violent. according to some, the cause of
9:43 pm
this recent fight had to do with differing opinions of another inmate, shontera jennings, who is currently in segregation for disruptive conduct on the unit. >> which cell is she? >> the jail's disciplinary committee has met to determine the length of jennings' stay in segregation, and lieutenant acakios will now deliver the news. >> i think she kind of knows she is going to get sanctioned. i think the length of the sanction is what will maybe throw her off a little bit. the panel found you guilty of all charges with a 30-day sanction. okay? so you're going to be in lock for 30 days. i bought your appeal form. you can file that and send it to captain davies. >> i can have my legal phone call? >> yes, absolutely. >> and my legal paperwork. because they took that. they said i couldn't have it as long as i'm here. >> legal paperwork? >> yes. >> i'll review it. actually, i will have the sergeant review it with the staff and make sure you get everything you're supposed to have. >> okay. thank you. >> all right. i anticipated her to react a
9:44 pm
little differently. however, she took it rather well. any and all privileges are suspended for the length of the stay. she'll be locked in 23 hours a day. she'll come out for one. for, you know, basic needs, necessities, shower, stuff like that. all right, ladies. my next step is to enter the housing unit which all the nonsense took place in and i'm going to address them as a group. now i'm only going to talk about this once. i'm not going to keep talking about this. some of you don't even know who i am and that's fine, but there's been enough horse [ bleep ] going on in this unit for the past week or so. i am tired of it. this is not to be tolerated on any level. stealing, fighting, arguing, name calling, this is not high school or junior high school, ladies. okay? this kind of [ bleep ] keeps going on, you guys will all be placed in lockup. i don't care who did what who didn't do what. i'm not going to listen to any stories. i'm not going to deal with anything that says who did what and people pointing fingers at each other. am i clear? >> absolutely.
9:45 pm
>> all right, ladies. thank you for your attention. >> thank you. >> i hate you. >> just when all appears quiet and under control -- an outburst is heard from the neighboring segregation unit. >> she's screaming. >> oh, my god. 3 years old. >> i wouldn't care if i did something, but they're lying. they're lying. >> bring it down. bring it down. you got to bring it down. you have to bring it down. the only way i'm going to stay here and talk to you is you bring it down. i'm not going to let you yell at me. well, ultimately the reaction i was expecting when we gave her the results of her hearing is what we got. you know, i expected her to start ranting and raving. what's the issue? >> i want to be able to call my lawyer. i can't -- >> you will have the opportunity to contact your lawyer. okay?
9:46 pm
>> no, it's not fair. >> but you need -- what you need -- >> i'm treated like an animal. i'm being an animal. >> shontera, shontera, look. look at me. look. okay? when you look at me, i know you're listening. if you're not looking at me, i'm not sure you're listening to me. okay? you and i know each other a long time, right? right? yes or no? >> yes. >> okay. all right. have i always treated you fairly? >> yes. >> all right. >> i don't think it's fair, though. i really don't think it's fair. they was just arguing. they didn't go to lock. i don't understand it. >> well, their situation is a little different. >> how is that though? >> listen. i don't have to explain that to you. >> but it's not fair.
9:47 pm
>> there are a lot of things in this world that aren't fair. okay? fill out your grievance paperwork. get it to the staff by the end of the day. i'll make sure it winds up on captain davie's desk. all right? >> okay. >> i think she'll settle down. she'll get everything she is supposed to have. she has rights to legal phone calls. those will be given to her. she can submit a grievance or an appeal of her sanction to captain davies, which is what i instructed her to do. explain to him why she felt the sanctions were unfair. she'll be given her due process in that way. close 8. i'm telling you, shontera, no sitting here screaming and yelling at the door because that's all you're doing. you're screaming and yelling at the door. you're wasting a lot of energy for nothing and you're only going to get yourself in more trouble. >> in the men's medium security
9:48 pm
unit, it's chow time, and one of the new inmates, enrique cruz, says he has informed the inmate food service that he is now in charge of distribution. >> basically they got three guys who runs the wagon, but they won't move nothing unless i let them move something like they want to pass out the extra trays, i tell them who to pass the extra trays to. now everybody understands it's my way or no way. >> inmate cruz claims he has this clout that he runs the jail. he doesn't run the jail. i'm the man. i own this place. no. there is only one person that runs this place and that's the warden. >> one of the inmate food servers also took issue with cruz trying to lay down the law. a fight ensued and cruz is now on his way to segregation. >> mr. cruz is a bit of a cave man. all he knows is food and fight. so he come up to me and pushed up on me for extra trays and whatnot.
9:49 pm
>> i told the individual, stop handing out the trays the way he was handing them out, giving them to all his friends instead of giving them to the workers and the people who deserve the trays. >> he was being very aggressive toward me in front of the whole tier. and in here, you can't really appear weak in front of everybody. so, i didn't want him to push up on me in front of everybody and think i was just going to hand him over a tray. >> oh, let's talk about this in your cell. so i said you don't want to go in my cell. well, let's go in your cell. so i walked behind him. he walked in my cell. i shut the door. i went to shut the door, when i turn back around, i see with my peripherals, he's taking a swing. he missed and lost bad. real bad. >> but the 27-year-old, 5'8", 160-pound bevelac tells a different story than the 44-year-old, 6'1", 220-pound cruz. >> as soon as i walked in the cell i turned around and he decided to punch me in the face. cruz has this idea he is still 25 and he can hurt people and stuff but his punches were bouncing right off my head.
9:50 pm
>> boom, boom, just one hit. he was all over the place. he couldn't stand up. >> he hit me first, and, yes, after three or four times of him punching me in the face, i realized i wasn't going to be able to calm him down. i hit him with an uppercut. saw his dentures fall out to the ground, brought him to the ground and that's when we both got maced. >> were you injured? >> no, not at all. >> not injured. >> no, not at all. >> but now cruz says he had a secret motive for the fight, one that has nothing to do with food trays and everything to do with returning to the maximum security unit to confront michael bates. >> he ran his mouth. now he has to stand before me and be judged. so i want to see him. and i can't get moved unless i move myself. >> meaning? >> meaning i have to knock somebody the [ bleep ] out in order for me to get moved. i'm praying that goes my way. but if it don't, just a matter of time before somebody else
9:51 pm
get knocked out but you better not tell my super. >> coming up, enrique cruz takes a battering but it's a verbal one dished out by the prosecutor in his case. >> he had no problem whatsoever hitting on the undercover officer on the audiotape. you had some blocks and you had major thoroughfares and corridors that were just totally pitch black. those things had to change. we wanted to restore our lighting system in the city. you can have the greatest dreams in the world, but unless you can finance those dreams, it doesn't happen. at the time that the bankruptcy filing was done, the public lighting authority had a hard time of finding a bank. citi did not run away from the table like some other bankers did. citi had the strength to help us go to the credit markets and raise the money. it's a brighter day in detroit. people can see better when they're out doing their tasks,
9:52 pm
young people are moving back in town, the kids are feeling safer while they walk to school. and folks are making investments and the community is moving forward. 40% of the lights were out, but they're not out for long.they're coming back. get fast-acting, long-lasting relief from heartburn with it neutralizes stomach acid and is the only product that forms a protective barrier that helps keep stomach acid in the stomach where it belongs. for fast-acting, long-lasting relief. try gaviscon®. for fast-acting, long-lasting relief. they don't worry if something's possible. they just do it. at sears optical, we're committed to bringing them eyewear that works as hard as they do. right now, buy one pair and get another free. that's keeping you from the healthcare you deserve.. at humana, we believe the gap will close when healthcare gets simpler. when frustration and paperwork decrease.
9:53 pm
when grandparents get to live at home instead of in a home. so let's do it. let's simplify healthcare. let's close the gap between people and care. and our old internet just wasn't cutting it. so i switched us from u-verse to xfinity. they have the fastest, most reliable internet. which is perfect for me, because i think everything should just work. works? works. works! works? works. works.
9:54 pm
it's a new day and according to staff a calmer one in the women's wing of the bergen county jail. in a plea deal with prosecutors shontera jennings pled guilty to unlawful use of a credit card in excess of $75,000 and will receive between two and six years in prison. >> now that she's gone we do have a certain measure of peace down at the n3 unit. she can definitely stir the pot. now the pot's kind of peaceful now that she's not here. so it's not such a bad thing. >> enrique cruz has also had a
9:55 pm
change of scenery. he was deemed the instigator but not necessarily the victor in a recent fight with inmate food server jonathan bevelac. cruz says it was all a ploy to get back to his former housing unit in order to confront fellow bloods gang member michael bates. but after serving 15 days in segregation, cruz was assigned to a different unit. bates, a recognized leader of the gang, says he is still baffled by cruz and his allegations. >> i never knew this dude. i don't have no problems with this guy. i never knew him. i don't know who he is. he's putting on a big hat from back what he used to do. he got it in his mind that he's the person he was 15 years ago and it's not like that. you can't be. you got health, i got health issues too. i got high blood pressure and all that but right now he's gone so there ain't really too much i can say. he's not here to defend himself so i'll leave it at that. but he knows when he sees me
9:56 pm
when we cross paths what got to be known. >> the only person cruz might square off with today is his judge. he's now in a holding cell waiting for transportation to court. where he will be sentenced for drug possession with intent to distribute in a school zone. >> i'm staying close by the door in case there is a way out of this [ bleep ]. first one, i'm out. >> as the men wait, a group of female inmates also headed to court enters the holding area, and cruz has something to say. >> thicker than a bowl of oatmeal. i like you and and i ain't scared. i'm going to tell you. >> oh, lord. >> but about an hour later in the courtroom, cruz takes a more somber amtrak tone as he addresses the judge. >> been 16 years i haven't done anything but stay home with my girlfriend, took care of the family, took care of the kids. >> cruz's plea deal makes him eligible for up to four years in prison but he hopes to convince the judge that all he really needs is a drug rehab program.
9:57 pm
>> in 16 years i haven't been in no trouble. you can see yourself like to help me instead of sending me to -- i done research on what rehabilitation, that meant and it says to make better. i want to be a better drug user. i want to be a better person. >> now it's the prosecutor's turn to give her account of cruz's past 16 years. >> in 1997 burglary and defiant -- 2000, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous possession in a school zone. pled guilty. unlawful possession of firearms. possession of a defaced firearm. he pled guilty. 2004. threats to kill. threats of violence. possession with a weapon with purpose to use it toward another. attempt to cause bodily injury 2012. possession with intent to distribute. the instant offense.
9:58 pm
the state had to defend on tape selling marijuana to a female undercover police officer on several different occasions. he had no problem whatsoever hitting on the undercover officer on the audiotape trying to pick her up and saying, girl, you're thicker than a bowl of oatmeal. >> after four minutes of hearing the dozens of charges and convictions, cruz has accrued during the past 16 years, the judge renders her decision. >> i am going to honor the plea agreement. i will sentence you to four years in jersey state prison with a two-year period of parole eligibility. >> can i say something, your honor? >> no. the sentencing is -- >> i know it ain't going to help me but i'd like to just put this on record. now, i did sell drugs. i did. i'm being honest. i sold drugs to a friend that i knew, a so-called friend for 35 years. >> mr. cruz, you -- >> which i told them -- >> i understand. okay. the judge done kicked me out now. i understand. don't worry about it. >> it's over.
9:59 pm
>> it's over? >> well, you've had your chance. >> i wasn't lying. i do have a drug problem. but it's over now. you know? >> soon cruz is out of court and back in the holding cell. >> thicker than a bowl of oatmeal? >> hey, hey. she had a fat ass, you know what i mean? it is what it is. you know what i mean? but everything else, i don't give a [ bleep ] about what they say. people know me. i be loved on the street. loved by a few. hated by many. but respected by all. know that. always know that. you know what i mean? they don't got to like me. they ain't got to love me. but they will respect me.
10:00 pm
i'm trying to make it easy. >> you're not going to get hurt. >> a distraught inmate is placed in the jail's restraint chair. >> i can't breathe. >> now staff must unravel the mystery of what has him so upset. >> please. >> how much time have you done in this jail? >> 31 years. >> a familiar face strug
87 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
MSNBC West Television Archive Television Archive News Search ServiceUploaded by TV Archive on