My life was changed dramatically at the
age of 16. I had my first summer job and had saved my money to buy
a D.J. set. My mom helped me with the ends and I was on my way. I
had just turned 17 on November 12, 1982. It was Friday night and some
friends and I were throwing a jam and as we were bringing my new D.J. set
down the stairs in the hallway 2 guys that I knew pulled out a gun and
robbed us. They took my turntables and shot my friend, Cook, in the
foot. I tried to talk to them but they weren't trying to hear me.
When they ran out the hallway I ran up the stairs and got my brothers. (Now
there were 10 of us with one sister.) I am the third youngest. As
I told my family what had happened my Mom said, "Call the Police." (someone
did.) When they came they took me for a ride around to see if I could
spot them. (We did not.)
So on the next weekend there was a jam in our center. As I got
there 2 friends of mine told me that T and Boo were inside. I ran
home to get my brothers. As we returned the cops were there. Cook
had been in the jam and saw them first. He went and got the cops.
He told the cops that they had robbed me and shot him in the foot.
We all were put in the police cars and taken to the police station.
They told me that I would have to appear in court, I believe it was
a grand jury hearing. Man, they treated me like I was the robber.
They showed me different pictures and tried to confuse me. I
knew who they were and I picked the right ones.
Some how they beat the charge and were freed.
Now this is where things went crazy. (word is bond.) The 2 guys
that robbed me came around my projects and beat up Cook and were looking
for me. They had a crew of guys with them. I was at work at
the S.M.L. Warehouse and my friends came and got me. When I got there
they wanted to fight one on one, "Yes." the both of them. My family
and friends was like Rodney, kick their asses, good. (smile) Things were
even. I fought Boo first because he was bigger than me. I did
him so good that when he asked his crew for his gun, they robbed him. (honestly)
T was so scared he sent someone to get his family. When we were
about to fight his Mom came and said that I was too beg so when my Mom told
her that he isn't too big to rob me. His mom said, "Well, kick his
ass." (word is bond) (smile) But we didn't fight. He said he
would bring me or buy me a new turntable and Boo said the same. I never
got it but my reputation now was you're the man.
That didn't last long. The next year, well I'll put it like
this, weeks later me and 2 other friends did a robbery and was sent to
jail with a 3 to 9. That's one way to begin a reputation and my non
belief in the justice system.
Yes, I did the crime and I did the time. Was I wrong? Yes.
Why? Because my reputation wasn't about being a robber. It
was about helping the weak and strengthening our community. From the
time I was 8 years old I've been chasing pocket book snatchers and helping
people move into the building. I've moved in 80% of my building and
I would only fight the bullies in the project. Our crew was called
"The Grant Seven." We lived in Building 7 and we started with 7 people.
We grew very fast and large.
The 3 years I got for the robbery was like a joke. It was as if
I were in summer camp. There weren't many programs so I spent a lot
of my time working out. I came in jail weighing 120 pounds and I left
weighing 185 pounds.
When I got home the Grant Seven was stronger. Many of the guys went
into the Army and some of them became head drug dealers. The ones that
were still for the cause (Which was protecting our community.)
They were happy to about my return. They put me on point of who,
what and where things were happening. The ones who had the get rich
fast plans were also glad I was home. (And I found out why real fast.)
I was home for three and a half years. Things were going good for
me. My girlfriend at that time was Robin. We were having a baby.
(My son LeVone) Money became a problem. I was working and reporting
to my P.O. I had two different P.O.s. The first was a female.
She would help me with many problems or troubles I got into. When
they switched on me things got out of control. I was home one and a
half years with no police contact, no drugs and working hard. This
lawyer was a real MF. He came to my job demanding where I was.
It was about 12:40 pm, lunch time, a friend took me to White Castles.
When I got back I was fired. The boss was upset because the my P.O.
accused him of false employment. He told me that my P.O. was there and that
he would be at my house until 5:00 p.m. If I don't show up he'll arrest
my boss. Man, I went home as quickly as possible. I know that
I didn't do anything wrong. I got home in 20 minutes top. He
was in front of my building.
When I asked him what was the rush all about he stated that I was lying
to him and that the job I had was not my job. He told me to report
to his office the next day and he was going to violate me. I told him,
"Arrest me now." He said, "Just report in." I did.
When I got there the head P.O. was in his office. The two of them
were not on the same page. I asked my P.O. why did he get me fired
from my job and the senior P.O. asked why too. He tried to make up
some story but the head didn't fall for it so he took my piss and made me
stay hand cuffed in the waiting room. When the test results came back
clean he let me go. I laughed in His face but I was out of a job.
As time went on I started cutting hair for the kids in my projects. Right
in front of the building. (I'm good at it) (word) As I said money
became a problem. The Grant Seven was a paid job, so one of the old
members came around looking for me. He heard I was on work release
and he didn't want to mess that up for me. (That is what he told me) (smile).
He was large in the drug game. He took me on a ride to Staten Island.
We were talking about back in the days when we would fight and people
would say, "That's the Grant Seven." When I told him that things were
looking bad for me he said, "That's why I came to see you." I was like
word. He took me shopping for clothes and put about $800.00 in my
pocket. I was like, oh thank you.
He said if I wanted to work for him that I can make $1,000.00 every weekend.
I told him that I can't sell drugs and he said that I would not be selling
drugs but watching the workers to make sure they don't tap the work. I
ask him to give me time to think about it and he said it was all right.
It did not take me long to make the wrong decision. I beeped
him and he called right back. In a week I was standing in these projects
in Staten Island watching the worker work. Hand to hand.
The first week was good and then like maybe eight months or so things
got wild. It was a holiday, I think Labor Day . My family was
cooking outside and having fun. I was talking to my girl and I looked
up and saw Ten Speeds girl friend walking up the walkway. I told
my girl that I would be right back. Ten Speed was my friend name. When
I got to her she said, "You've got to come with me. They are going to
kill Ten Speed if you don't show up." I told her to be cool and tell
me what happened. Another head dealer said that Ten Speed brought me
out to Staten Island to rob his father and shoot him. I needed help.
I got a team together and we went to get Ten Speed. Things turned
out to be a mistake an a new friendship started.
I thought that as long as I don't touch the drugs I'll be all right. Boy
was I wrong. TNT. A police unit arrested me and the dealers on
a buy-n-bust. I had no money or drugs on me but I was on parole and
out of my neighborhood.
When we got to court a lawyer that I had 15 cracks and $10.00 on me. I
pleaded to a 4 to 8. This was my second bit. (word) Just for
watching drug being sold and not telling on the dealer. I was back
in jail.
4 to 8 years for standing around a drug dealer. I was a fool but this
was truly a learning experience. I started in maximum security and worked
my way to minimum security. I’ve participated in many programs from
small engine repair, custodial maintenance to Carpentry and welding.
I was also in programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous
(NA), Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) and Aggression Replacement
Training (ART). Not trying to be funny but in the correctional facility
some of these programs are jokes.
The parole board may or may not accept these programs and that is why I
said not to be funny because if you get keep-lock of SHU, you have to take
these programs again. Small example, if you were walking the halls and a
C.O. said, “Hey ass hole, come here!” and you did not get disrespectful,
and you explain that your name is not ass hole, he writes you up a misbehaving
report for refusing a direct order. This charge is unbeatable.
You pay a mandatory $5.00 and you are keep-lock until your hearing.
After you lose the hearing all programs like AA, NA, RSAT and ART have to
be repeated. To be honest drug use has never played a part in my in
my life. Yes, I’ve tried weed, coke and drinking but I did not use
them. (Word is Bond) I took these programs because I had a drug case
and wanted to make my first parole board. Yes, I did make it too. I’ve broken
records. I was the only inmate to receive a furlough and work release
from Sing-Sing. They say I was the first in 30 years at the facility.
Believe me that it was hard to do. I went on two furloughs, one for
three days and another for four days. Then I was moved
to work release. I stayed on work release for about a year and a half
before I was released on August 16th. For the year and a half I worked
for Meals on Wheels. I never had a police contact and never came in
late. Now, as I stay at my mother’s house for furlough my neighborhood
was crack-out. There were many gunshots. Parents were scared to sit
on benches and the kids would drop to the ground when they heard a car backfire,
scared that someone was shooting.
I felt that it was my duty to make things better. I met the Big Man,
Head Dealer. He was young but very respectable. To be honest I
was told that he saved my little brother’s life. Rest in Peace Anthony
Tylick Littles.
My brother, Ty, was being jumped by some other dealers. He was in
a coma for three months and lost his voice box. I was in jail but Ty
lived and started using drugs. When I came home on work release he went into
the program. I wasn’t far from where the jail was and visited him every
day. We are very close.
Well as I talked to The Man (Head Dealer) we had a very good understanding
and comment goal. Help the kids. He moved the drugs out of the
building and we started security teams. Some of his people liked it
and some did not.
We had started many sports events. (Basketball, football, jump rope,
volley ball and taking the kids to the community center again. That
is when the trouble happened. One day a very good friend came around
to visit and as he was going home he stepped off of the elevator and was shot
in the head. (I believe that you can understand what was happening.)
This is where my problems started.
There were lots of fights and shoot outs but I let my reputation go too
far. I knew I that my girlfriend was sleeping around so I put myself
in a very big problem. I met a girl that knew a lot about me.
One day we had a basketball game and I made the winning shot. As we were
celebrating the girl I met was watching-n-smiling. When we got back
to the building I told her that I wanted to see her. We stayed on the
staircase for a long time. Then I went to my girl friends house. (Another
Project). I stayed the weekend.
When I came back around my house these two guys I knew say, “The police
are looking for you.”
I was confused but I know that I didn’t do anything wrong. One of
the guys I knew did not like me. I had to kick his ass a few months
ago and the other was the head dealer’s right hand man. They laughed
and I took at as a joke.
The next day I went to my parole officer and everything was alright.
The next weekend came around and it was our community day so I went to the
park where they were having events. Our project was going to play basketball
and one of the community leaders threw me a T-shirt. (Number 4)
He said that we’ll be playing soon so don’t go far. I played the game
and we won.
I was asked to judge a jump rope contest. I told them yes but I wanted
to go to the store. So me and a friend walked to the store and when
we returned the cops were there. As we walked past a girl that I knew
said, “I think its number 4.” I looked at her and the cops said, “Come
with us.” I began to refuse but when I saw the community coming to my
aid I didn’t want people to get hurt. They radioed for back up real
quick. I told them to be kool and I went with the cops.
I thought that we were going to the precinct but they took me to a store
in the neighborhood. They told me to get out of the car and as I did
the cop’s radio said. “Affirm.” They pulled their guns and told me I
was under arrest. I said, “For what.” They said, “You know.” (I
did not.) When I got to the station the D.T.s and the assistant D.A.
said, “Do you want to make a video?” I asked, “For what?” They
took my T-shirt and checked my body. Then they said, “Open your mouth.”
I did and they said, “That’s him.”
I asked again, “What did I do?” They were called out of the holding
room and a cop told me that my friends-n-family was outside for support.
I asked him if he knew what was going on and he said, “You don’t know?” and
he had tears in his eyes. Now I got really upset and said, “Tell me.”
He said, “You are being charged with rape.” I couldn’t believe it.
He said, “Don’t tell them I told you.” I said, “Alright.” I started
to go crazy.
They let my brother and girl friend come in and they told me too.
I was being arrested for rape but the crazy thing was who.
When the D.A. and D.T.s came back in they wanted information about two killings
in my project. They showed me a picture of my friend and another one
of a kid I knew. But I didn’t know anything. The D.A. said, “If
you can’t help me, I can’t help you. August 22nd and I have never seen
the street again. My bid is 7 to 14. This is where I truly learn about
the Injustice System.
More to come.
© Copyright 2002 Rodney Littles
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