Pachipro
Jun 10, 2005, 02:44
The 1/2 hour ride to the police station in Kanazawa was uneventful and very quiet. The police didn't speak and I just stared out the window wondering what the future held and what would come of all this. I kept asking myself over and over, gWhy, oh why didn't I smoke it all the night before?h But I knew the answer to that and it was because I wanted it to last as long as possible. They may have torn my house apart, but they wouldn't have found anything. Maybe they still wouldfve busted me anyway when they found the pipe and tested the residue. I donft know. All I know is that my life had suddenly taken a turn for the worst on this sunny spring day in my home of the 'Rising Sun".
Just before pulling into the police station I was politely told that they would have to put the handcuffs on me and a chain around my waist because of procedure. I completely understood. They even apologized! I was escorted upstairs to the processing room where I was fingerprinted and photographed. Now I really felt like a criminal. I remember thinking with hope that this was still just a very bad vivid dream and that I would awaken. Nope. This was the real deal. For the first time in my life, I was being arrested. And in a foreign country to boot!
I asked to make a phone call and was refused. Again, I was informed that I couldn't make a call until I was indicted. This could take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks or more. What about my business and students? What about my innocent wife? I was really worried now. This is not at all like the States, I thought. I remember thinking "You are in Japan. You are now living by Japanese rules." I had never much given any thought to being arrested as I thought it would never happen to me. Also, being arrested in a foreign country makes one appreciate just how good and important our rights are in the US and how much we do take them for granted. Back there I would be allowed to make a phone call and could have posted bail within 24 hrs.
After processing, I was escorted down into the basement into the jail with everyone in the station staring at me. I was led to a desk where a policeman sat. He was given the paperwork and told why I was there. My handcuffs and chain were removed and I was then instructed to remove my shoes, belt, and everything from my pockets. Then I was told to strip completely to make sure I had nothing hidden. How humiliating! Everything was cataloged right down to the quantities of socks, toothbrush, number of cigarettes, yen etc. I was then told to put my clothes on and informed of the rules:
-No Loud Talking
-One bath a week on Saturday mornings.
-One cigarette in the morning, one after lunch, and one after dinner.
-Bedtime is 9pm and wakeup is 7am
-A small library is available with some books which we can visit once a day. (Surprisingly there were quite a few books in English. I guess I wasn't the first foreigner in that jail.) There were also about 500 "manga" (comic books).
-No visitors
-You can come out of your cell for 30 minutes after lunch only to smoke and walk around.
-You will not be disrespectful to the guards and will do what you are told without question.
I was then led to a small room which had lockers similar to a Japanese bathhouse. My name was put on the locker and I put my extra clothing in there. I slipped into a pair of slippers and was then taken to my cell which was one of about five. The door was opened and I slipped off the slippers and entered the cell.
You know how when you watch a police drama on TV and when the criminal is put into the cell there is close-up of the door slowly closing and the loud sound of the final clunk? Well, at that moment I understood why it is so emphasized on TV and in movies. There really is something about actually hearing and seeing that cell door being closed and locked. When that happened I finally realized that I was in some really serious sh*t. This is no dream. Welcome to the real world. The time was 11:35 am.
There was another man sitting in the corner of the six tatami mat cell. He must've been about 30 years old. Other than three neatly folded futons and quilts in the cell, there were 3 "zabuton" (cushions for sitting) and a glassed toilet. Nothing else. He looked at me and nodded and I nodded back. I picked up a cushion, put it in a corner and sat on it. With my knees drawn up and my arms around them I just stared off into space. Then I started to panic. I thought about what I heard about jails in the US and wondered if the guy sitting across me was going to do the "Hokey Pokey" with me that night, if you know what I mean. Man was I really nervous at that point. However, thankfully, nothing happened. We eventually became friendly and we spoke often. He was in for his third bust for speed (Kakusezai).
I should also mention here that, throughout my stay at the Kanazawa jail, the guards were quite friendly and gave us extra cigarettes during the day and at night. They also played the radio loud at night so we could listen to the baseball games. Nothing what I had expected. Complete friendliness. They were also quite impressed that they had a "gaijin" who could speak the language and was not in the service. Seems that most foreign "visitors" here were servicemen from Yokosuka. I was NEVER molested or picked on by any of the other cell mates or guards.
My wife was taken to a different jail for women. This was located in Yokosuka and she was put in the same cell as a murderess! Incidentally, she only spent 5 days in jail and was not indicted.
At precisely noon, a man in white appeared with a bunch of Obento boxes. Two small boxed lunches were passed through a little opening in the cell. Since I was so nervous and panicky, I just picked at it and didn't eat hardly anything.
After lunch we were let out of the cell. The guard brought our cigarettes and we smoked and were put back in the cell. Until dinner was brought, I just sat on the floor and stared off into space. What a long day that was. I hardly slept that night and had plenty of time to think about how stupid I was and what I had gotten myself into. I knew this was no small matter like it may be in the states. I was scared and nervous and just lay in the futon staring at the little light in the lamp.
The following day, after breakfast, my name was called and I went for interrogation. There were 2 detectives there along with the interpreter and they proceeded to question me in a small room. I was offered cigarettes and coffee. It was almost like "good cop, bad cop" except that they were both polite and, this time, informal.
They wanted answers to my entire life from the day I was born and of the members of my family, their ages, names, dates of birth, etc. What schools I graduated from and the dates. You name it, they asked for it. It was all personal and really had nothing to do with the case. I was informed that if I was not cooperative that things would not go well for me. Of course I complied. What choice did I have? I was also, again, informed that I couldn't make a phone call or get out on bail until I was indicted by the prosecutor. The faster I cooperated, the faster the prosecutor could make a decision.
One guy asked the questions while the other wrote down, in long hand, everything that was said. If I didnft understand something the interpreter was there to translate. Again, they were very polite, but serious and the first day of interrogation just consisted of my life history and that of my family. All in all it took about two hours.
About two days later I was interrogated again. This time they wanted the names of the people who sold me the stuff and who else was dealing and using. What they were really looking for was the main source (which I didn't know) and some names of buyers. So I kept playing dumb saying I didn't know anyone else who was using or dealing other than the owner of the bar and the people who were previously arrested. After they mentioned the names of two of my closest friends, I knew right then and there that they knew more than I expected. They must've had an undercover cop posing as a customer of the bar as they knew so many details. But I was not ever going to turn in two of my closest friends. If they didnft get busted, then good for them. This was my problem and mine only. If they had something on my two friends they wouldfve also been busted. I could only think that the reason why I was busted was that the undercover cop had probably known we were smoking back in the kitchen or seen me when I went back there to purchase it as I normally did. With my luck, it was probably on a night when he was there. I donft know. All I knew was that they knew I had purchased it there and when.
Anyway, after about another two days of intense, but polite and firm questioning, and me not providing any names, I could tell they were becoming frustrated. Still they did not raise their voices too loud, slam their fists on the desk, or question me till all hours of the morning. I politely told them that no matter what, I was not going to implicate my friends. I was again informed that things would be easier on me and such if I just provided a name. Still I held my ground and told them I would suffer the consequences. Questioning ended with me telling them the truth, but NOT ratting out my friends.
I was not questioned again for about four long days! I guess they wanted me to think really hard about turning in my friends. When I was finally called for questioning again, they produced their trump cards. They asked me if I had a certain female student at my school. I acknowledged that I did. (I knew her father was a policeman). They then said that her father worked upstairs in a different section and that if I did not tell them what they wanted to know that they would tell him that I was there, and why, and that would be the end of my business as they would also release my name to the newspapers. And, even if I was allowed to stay in Japan, my business would be finished. (How in the hell did they know that she was a student at my school!! Damn they sure do their homework). Then they threw down another trump card saying that my wife was out of jail and was not being charged with a crime. However, if I didn't cooperate, they would also indict her as a co-conspirator!
However, if I was cooperative, they would not inform my students' father, would not indict my wife and would not release any information to the papers. Therefore, no one would know that I was busted. Also, they informed me that if I was cooperative, they would put in a good word with the prosecutor that would probably enable me to stay in Japan. "Just tell us who is using and/or who is dealing", they said. "It doesn't have to be friend. Any name will help". Now I knew how I got busted. Man were they good with their bait.
Now I was really in a pickle. I didn't know anyone else except for two close friends who also smoked as most everybody was busted already. Do I turn in my friends to save my ass or what? I asked them to let me think about it and they agreed. I hardly slept that night. I could implicate one or both of my closest friends and save my business and my wife from indictment, or lose my business and maybe my wife by not cooperating. What should I do? I don't think I've ever faced a tougher decision in my life up to that point.
I thought about it long and hard that night and the following day. Then it dawned on me! Maybe I could save my friends, my business, and my wife after all! I realized that I had my own trump card. The only problem was would they be interested and would they take the bait?
To Be Continued.....
Just before pulling into the police station I was politely told that they would have to put the handcuffs on me and a chain around my waist because of procedure. I completely understood. They even apologized! I was escorted upstairs to the processing room where I was fingerprinted and photographed. Now I really felt like a criminal. I remember thinking with hope that this was still just a very bad vivid dream and that I would awaken. Nope. This was the real deal. For the first time in my life, I was being arrested. And in a foreign country to boot!
I asked to make a phone call and was refused. Again, I was informed that I couldn't make a call until I was indicted. This could take anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks or more. What about my business and students? What about my innocent wife? I was really worried now. This is not at all like the States, I thought. I remember thinking "You are in Japan. You are now living by Japanese rules." I had never much given any thought to being arrested as I thought it would never happen to me. Also, being arrested in a foreign country makes one appreciate just how good and important our rights are in the US and how much we do take them for granted. Back there I would be allowed to make a phone call and could have posted bail within 24 hrs.
After processing, I was escorted down into the basement into the jail with everyone in the station staring at me. I was led to a desk where a policeman sat. He was given the paperwork and told why I was there. My handcuffs and chain were removed and I was then instructed to remove my shoes, belt, and everything from my pockets. Then I was told to strip completely to make sure I had nothing hidden. How humiliating! Everything was cataloged right down to the quantities of socks, toothbrush, number of cigarettes, yen etc. I was then told to put my clothes on and informed of the rules:
-No Loud Talking
-One bath a week on Saturday mornings.
-One cigarette in the morning, one after lunch, and one after dinner.
-Bedtime is 9pm and wakeup is 7am
-A small library is available with some books which we can visit once a day. (Surprisingly there were quite a few books in English. I guess I wasn't the first foreigner in that jail.) There were also about 500 "manga" (comic books).
-No visitors
-You can come out of your cell for 30 minutes after lunch only to smoke and walk around.
-You will not be disrespectful to the guards and will do what you are told without question.
I was then led to a small room which had lockers similar to a Japanese bathhouse. My name was put on the locker and I put my extra clothing in there. I slipped into a pair of slippers and was then taken to my cell which was one of about five. The door was opened and I slipped off the slippers and entered the cell.
You know how when you watch a police drama on TV and when the criminal is put into the cell there is close-up of the door slowly closing and the loud sound of the final clunk? Well, at that moment I understood why it is so emphasized on TV and in movies. There really is something about actually hearing and seeing that cell door being closed and locked. When that happened I finally realized that I was in some really serious sh*t. This is no dream. Welcome to the real world. The time was 11:35 am.
There was another man sitting in the corner of the six tatami mat cell. He must've been about 30 years old. Other than three neatly folded futons and quilts in the cell, there were 3 "zabuton" (cushions for sitting) and a glassed toilet. Nothing else. He looked at me and nodded and I nodded back. I picked up a cushion, put it in a corner and sat on it. With my knees drawn up and my arms around them I just stared off into space. Then I started to panic. I thought about what I heard about jails in the US and wondered if the guy sitting across me was going to do the "Hokey Pokey" with me that night, if you know what I mean. Man was I really nervous at that point. However, thankfully, nothing happened. We eventually became friendly and we spoke often. He was in for his third bust for speed (Kakusezai).
I should also mention here that, throughout my stay at the Kanazawa jail, the guards were quite friendly and gave us extra cigarettes during the day and at night. They also played the radio loud at night so we could listen to the baseball games. Nothing what I had expected. Complete friendliness. They were also quite impressed that they had a "gaijin" who could speak the language and was not in the service. Seems that most foreign "visitors" here were servicemen from Yokosuka. I was NEVER molested or picked on by any of the other cell mates or guards.
My wife was taken to a different jail for women. This was located in Yokosuka and she was put in the same cell as a murderess! Incidentally, she only spent 5 days in jail and was not indicted.
At precisely noon, a man in white appeared with a bunch of Obento boxes. Two small boxed lunches were passed through a little opening in the cell. Since I was so nervous and panicky, I just picked at it and didn't eat hardly anything.
After lunch we were let out of the cell. The guard brought our cigarettes and we smoked and were put back in the cell. Until dinner was brought, I just sat on the floor and stared off into space. What a long day that was. I hardly slept that night and had plenty of time to think about how stupid I was and what I had gotten myself into. I knew this was no small matter like it may be in the states. I was scared and nervous and just lay in the futon staring at the little light in the lamp.
The following day, after breakfast, my name was called and I went for interrogation. There were 2 detectives there along with the interpreter and they proceeded to question me in a small room. I was offered cigarettes and coffee. It was almost like "good cop, bad cop" except that they were both polite and, this time, informal.
They wanted answers to my entire life from the day I was born and of the members of my family, their ages, names, dates of birth, etc. What schools I graduated from and the dates. You name it, they asked for it. It was all personal and really had nothing to do with the case. I was informed that if I was not cooperative that things would not go well for me. Of course I complied. What choice did I have? I was also, again, informed that I couldn't make a phone call or get out on bail until I was indicted by the prosecutor. The faster I cooperated, the faster the prosecutor could make a decision.
One guy asked the questions while the other wrote down, in long hand, everything that was said. If I didnft understand something the interpreter was there to translate. Again, they were very polite, but serious and the first day of interrogation just consisted of my life history and that of my family. All in all it took about two hours.
About two days later I was interrogated again. This time they wanted the names of the people who sold me the stuff and who else was dealing and using. What they were really looking for was the main source (which I didn't know) and some names of buyers. So I kept playing dumb saying I didn't know anyone else who was using or dealing other than the owner of the bar and the people who were previously arrested. After they mentioned the names of two of my closest friends, I knew right then and there that they knew more than I expected. They must've had an undercover cop posing as a customer of the bar as they knew so many details. But I was not ever going to turn in two of my closest friends. If they didnft get busted, then good for them. This was my problem and mine only. If they had something on my two friends they wouldfve also been busted. I could only think that the reason why I was busted was that the undercover cop had probably known we were smoking back in the kitchen or seen me when I went back there to purchase it as I normally did. With my luck, it was probably on a night when he was there. I donft know. All I knew was that they knew I had purchased it there and when.
Anyway, after about another two days of intense, but polite and firm questioning, and me not providing any names, I could tell they were becoming frustrated. Still they did not raise their voices too loud, slam their fists on the desk, or question me till all hours of the morning. I politely told them that no matter what, I was not going to implicate my friends. I was again informed that things would be easier on me and such if I just provided a name. Still I held my ground and told them I would suffer the consequences. Questioning ended with me telling them the truth, but NOT ratting out my friends.
I was not questioned again for about four long days! I guess they wanted me to think really hard about turning in my friends. When I was finally called for questioning again, they produced their trump cards. They asked me if I had a certain female student at my school. I acknowledged that I did. (I knew her father was a policeman). They then said that her father worked upstairs in a different section and that if I did not tell them what they wanted to know that they would tell him that I was there, and why, and that would be the end of my business as they would also release my name to the newspapers. And, even if I was allowed to stay in Japan, my business would be finished. (How in the hell did they know that she was a student at my school!! Damn they sure do their homework). Then they threw down another trump card saying that my wife was out of jail and was not being charged with a crime. However, if I didn't cooperate, they would also indict her as a co-conspirator!
However, if I was cooperative, they would not inform my students' father, would not indict my wife and would not release any information to the papers. Therefore, no one would know that I was busted. Also, they informed me that if I was cooperative, they would put in a good word with the prosecutor that would probably enable me to stay in Japan. "Just tell us who is using and/or who is dealing", they said. "It doesn't have to be friend. Any name will help". Now I knew how I got busted. Man were they good with their bait.
Now I was really in a pickle. I didn't know anyone else except for two close friends who also smoked as most everybody was busted already. Do I turn in my friends to save my ass or what? I asked them to let me think about it and they agreed. I hardly slept that night. I could implicate one or both of my closest friends and save my business and my wife from indictment, or lose my business and maybe my wife by not cooperating. What should I do? I don't think I've ever faced a tougher decision in my life up to that point.
I thought about it long and hard that night and the following day. Then it dawned on me! Maybe I could save my friends, my business, and my wife after all! I realized that I had my own trump card. The only problem was would they be interested and would they take the bait?
To Be Continued.....