Mike and I came to town on Thursday (June 27) so that he could pursue various motorcycling activities. We have had to stay in town two days longer than we expected because I have a chipped tooth and couldn’t get an appointment until Tuesday (July 2). We are determined to spend the Fourth on the farm, though, because Bess has developed “noise anxiety” and can’t handle the fireworks. “They’re shooting guns out there,” she cries, “and they didn’t invite me.”
We have not had an update from the prosecutor regarding Milo’s wrongful death in a month or so. To our knowledge, his murderer still hasn’t been officially named and charges haven’t been filed. They say they are investigating carefully, and these things take time. Seems like an open-and-shut case to me. Two guys were locked in a cell together. One was killed with no defensive wounds, so the other guy had to be the perpetrator. But of course, the truly culpable party – the prison itself (the State of Idaho) – will not be charged. As a second-generation native Idahoan, I feel betrayed.
Through certain contacts, we have reason to believe that the prison continues to place vulnerable inmates in harm’s way. I can’t help but feel that to some extent this is deliberate. It’s at least negligent.
Some people have said to me, “I know what you’re going through. I lost my precious baby.” Or they say, “It’s just wrong to bury your child; it goes against nature.” Not to minimize anyone’s grief, but the overarching issue here is that our son and brother was killed in state custody where he should have been safe, and the issues go on and on and on. My heart hurts for what Milo endured in his final days and hours as he was under threat by his delusional cellmate and prison personnel were unresponsive to his pleas for help. Do you think this will come out in the trial – if there is a trial?
And the longer “they” drag out the investigation, the more this horrible crime slips from collective memory. The public has a short memory, and they know it.
If it could happen to Milo, it could happen to anyone -- and it does. KW
