 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Posted on Wed, Mar. 20, 2002 |
|
  |
|
|
|
|||||
|
Inmate makes a rare apology
Judge Bob Gill of the 213th District Court in Tarrant County got the surprise of his life last month when he heard from a man he had sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary.
In 1995, David Cotto was convicted of aggravated assault and pleaded guilty to another charge of robbery by threat, receiving two 10-year sentences - the maximum - to run concurrently.
The judge has gotten several letters from Cotto in the past in which the prisoner was "quite vituperative," lashing out at the criminal justice system, among other things.
But Cotto's latest letter to the judge, written at 11:23 p.m. Feb. 1, begins:
"I pray to our Lord and Saviour that upon the arrival of this letter you and your family and staff are at your best.
"As for me sir, I thank God every day for this incarceration. For if I [had] not come to prison I would have been six feet under."
Cotto, 38, had asked the judge to share the letter with me because he wanted to make a public apology and to go on record that he also wanted to make restitution for his crime.
Normally when judges receive letters from prisoners, the inmates are proclaiming their innocence, complaining about their treatment behind bars or claiming that they've already served enough time on their sentences, Gill said.
"I receive a lot of inmate mail and cannot remember another letter in which the writer is seeking to apologize for his actions," Gill said. "Most mail that I receive from inmates is seeking some type of relief from their incarceration."
In his latest correspondence Cotto states flatly, "This letter is in no way to ask you to help me get out or anything of that nature."
Pointing out that he is getting his life back on track, including getting back together with his family, the inmate said that after he receives his GED he plans to take college courses to get a license in drug counseling.
"Your honor, I am writing you this letter to ask you if you can help me do something special, that is if you can. Sir, upon the day that I leave [the Texas Department of Criminal Justice], I would like to pay Bank One's insurance holder the $1,595 dollars," Cotto wrote. "And, sir, I would like for Mr. Bob Ray Sanders from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to help me to apologize to Tarrant County publicly by printing it in the paper.
"I know I wrote you some foolish letters in the beginning of my sentence, but today thanks to Windham school, Mrs Alisson my teacher, who teaches me everything in the area of speech, math, social studies and all, I am grateful to you and her. Your honor, I would like to take this moment to say I'm sorry for those dumb letters I wrote in the past.
"I've read the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and I've seen your justice throughout the years, and I must say you should run for the Mayor's office, because you do take care of that county. I intend to remain living in Fort Worth as a productive citizen. And I will try my best to speak to the youths."
Cotto also expressed kind thoughts toward a lawyer, a bail bondsman and members of the judge's staff, adding, "I am sorry I was such a hateful, uncaring individual. Drugs can bring the worst out of someone, but the choice was done while sober, then the drugs came into play."
The three-page letter concluded, "Well, Judge Gill, I thank you for taking time in reading this letter. I know you're real busy. I don't remember your bailiff's name, but he is the one with the gray white hair. Please tell him I said thank you for the times he spoke words of encouragement and his excellent advice.
"I do wish Judge Gill you allow me to show you and my county that I am indeed grateful for its tuff laws. It worked for me, and saved my life."
There was this postscript: "Sir, I am grateful. I mean it. Thank you."
The judge said it was the most unusual letter he'd received from an inmate. And I'm sure it was first letter he's ever gotten from a prisoner suggesting he run for mayor.
I wonder what Fort Worth Mayor Kenneth Barr would have to say about that.
Bob Ray Sanders' column appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (817) 390-7775 bobray/star-telegram.com
|
|||||