Guest roo Posted May 20, 2003 Share Posted May 20, 2003 Court says no special treatment for Miller BETH COHEN, Staff Writer 05/07/2003 EAGLEVILLE - When the legally blind Craig Miller reports to Montgomery County prison on June 6, he will be treated no differently than any other inmate, said Warden Lawrence V. Roth Jr. "It's a very unusual set of circumstances," he said. The former Lansdale resident, who at one time ran for borough mayor, was ordered on Monday to spend four to 23 months in Montgomery County prison starting in June. Miller, 43, now a resident of Atlanta, was convicted of animal cruelty following a two-day bench trial before Montgomery County Judge Paul W. Tressler. Tressler also ordered that Miller undergo anger management treatment, substance-abuse treatment and mental health treatment, all of which were recommended in presentence evaluations submitted to the court. "I don't know what programs he would participate in because most programs here last more than four months," Roth said. Although the county prison has never before dealt with a blind inmate, Miller will not be assisted by a guard or prison staff at all times, Roth said. "Nobody has that luxury," he said. The exception is that since Miller is legally blind, he will be housed in the prison's medical unit rather than in a cell with the general population, said Michael Gordon, director of inmate services. Miller will be housed with other inmates who have physical impairments, such as broken legs, a weak heart, severe diabetes, gunshot wounds or those confined to wheelchairs, Gordon said. The medical unit is the same place Miller was housed for two weeks after he was arrested in February 2002 for killing his black Labrador retriever guide dog, Inky. "It was not a problem the last time," Roth said. Miller's defense attorney Nino V. Tinari expressed concerns after his client was sentenced Monday on how Miller will adjust to prison life, how he will have to learn to depend on strangers while in the prison and how it is likely he will not be able to use his cane "because it could be viewed as a weapon." Gordon said Miller was permitted to use his white cane the last time he was at the prison and will likely be allowed again, particularly since he will be under more intense supervision in the medical unit. Inmates who are housed in the medical unit are "under observation at all times," their meals are brought to them and prison staffers are available to help inmates use the shower, Roth said. The medical unit contains 39 beds for male inmates and a separate section of 10 beds for females, Roth said. In the medical unit, each cell has its own toilet and inmates can use the shower one at a time, Roth said. Although Miller will be under observation at all times, Roth said he cannot guarantee whether the convicted dog killer can be protected from other inmates in the medical unit. "The inmates get newspapers here," Roth said. "I think the whole jail knows about him." The warden said he is unsure how popular Miller will be after word gets around the institution that he kicked to death his guide dog. "Anything's possible at any time," Roth said. He said inmates could be angered by Miller's case in the same way they'd react to a man convicted of raping a child. "I can tell you that 99.9 percent of the population don't like those kinds of cases," Roth said. "So you have to protect the individual." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarFox Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 [quote name='roo'] Although Miller will be under observation at all times, Roth said he cannot guarantee whether the convicted dog killer can be protected from other inmates in the medical unit. "The inmates get newspapers here," Roth said. "I think the whole jail knows about him." The warden said he is unsure how popular Miller will be after word gets around the institution that he kicked to death his guide dog. "Anything's possible at any time," Roth said. He said inmates could be angered by Miller's case in the same way they'd react to a man convicted of raping a child. "I can tell you that 99.9 percent of the population don't like those kinds of cases," Roth said. "So you have to protect the individual."[/quote] Good! I hope the inmates do....err....something realy bad to him! :evil: :x People like that don't deserve any more than the worst treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowie-the-Pooh Posted May 23, 2003 Share Posted May 23, 2003 This is the way he repays his faithful friend? :evil: I don't remember INKY cuz I never heard of him before. :oops: Poor Inky! He helped his owner lead a normal life, guided him not only through hallways and roads, but through his problems in life too! :cry: Here's a poem I made up for Inky(I dunno why, but today I'm into making poems!) [u][b]Inky[/b][/u] [i]Your life seemed so perfect You had no troubles or worries And your owner loved you some! You lead him not only through crowded hallways and roads but through his problems, through his life. When suddenly one day He took all that away Gone was your happy life Gone where the days you had fun In came cruelty and pain Torture and abuse And suddenly all was black As black as your coat and name And to the rainbow bridge you went Never fully understanding why you hadto suffer the pain Why your owner betray you After you lead him so happily Through his life.[/i] Rest In Peace Inky, you angel! :cry: :angel: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanvean Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Poor Inky! That pr!ck will get his. :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellieangel Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Yeah I remember evil SOB ! Hope he rots in hell,I hope the inmates give him a rough time he deserves it :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Chaos Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 Never heard of Inky either :cry:. And this guy gets to be PROTECTED from other inmates? :x I say let em go at him! And he wants special treatment after he KILLED HIS GUIDE DOG!? I have a friend who's blind and has a german shepherd guide dog named Cassie. And if you thought your dogs were faithful, it dosen't even compare to what these dogs do for their owners! This guy deserves to be beaten to death the way he killed his, no not his he didn't deserve that dog, a faithful companion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abker17 Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 That's horrible! I had never heard of Inky either! :cry: :cry: :cry: The human race can be so evil! :evil: I can't believe someone would do that to a dog that gave them another chance to live life like normal people. :evil: :evil: Some how these cases aren't suprising me anymore. :( What does that say about how cruel we are becoming. :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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