The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 18, 1986, Page 5, Image 5
Spotliqht I
Friday, April 18, 1986 ^ 0
UllllillllilllillllllilillLllimmiL iMUUkUniamHiilllilNFfiUl jjfj IWll J'llliiUnmMHHHHHMnHBITHE
?01 Par
By J.D. TURKALY
Staff writer
Editor's note: This is the second
and final part of a story
describing this staff writer's participation
with a small group of
first-time offenders in a pre-trial
Intervention program at the Central
Correctional Institution in
Columbia. Some language considered
offensive has been left in
to provide a realistic picture of
The group moved through the
tunnel past death row.
It was small ? just a hall,
painted bright yellow. The guide
didn't slow down as they passed,
but the visitors strained for a
look.
Prisoners walk a call block in the Centi
Night cops
on campus
keep busy
By PATRICK JEAN
Assistant Spotlight editor
A call comes over the radio.
Lights need to be turned on at the
Booker T. Washington building
for a body-building contest. Officer
Michael Couick, 31, sighs
and brings the speaker to his
mouth. "Ten four."
The dashboard cigarette lighter
pops out. Couick, a chain
smoker, places it on the thin roll
of tobacco between his lips. He
rubs his head and leans back in
his scat as he turns onto Pickens
"We're going to have so much
movement on this campus
tonight, it's not even going to be
funny."
Couick, a graduate of USCSalkehatchie,
has been a university
police officer for almost two
years. He patrols the campus
:$ms;
'Vjnt {jri
-T, ' ftX "
w *??' L V*^ -?.rJ
'A>*\ ,
a
*c? r* ?w.
\ . u* * Vr
t 2: An
To the left was the infirmary,
just a hall where dead and
mutilated bodies arc taken.
4<A lot Of neonif think thcu <?:>n
Courtesy of JACK HILLWIG
at Correctional Institution in Columbia
Officer Michael Couick
Campus police
from 4 p.m. to midnight on
Saturday ? one of the most hec
tic and busiest times for the
police department.
4:47 p.m. Couick is covering
an area south of Greene Street.
He pulls into the parking lot at
the Rex Enright Center and
waves to the security guard.
Private security has been started
at the center because of people
from nearby areas using it as a
playground and a shortcut, he
says.
He points out cars in "the pit"
parking lot that have doors
unlocked or windows open.
"People come here who may not
be used to locking their cars or
rooms. The criminal element in
See "Police Ride," p. 6
mit
>, /' w
V;:- .>-. eft .; >,' ^
? ' *>^, ,,, WW
afr ,' '. . . 1
'" ' Ml'
.. H ^
r*.?
get out of here by acting crazy,
but it don't work," said their
guide, a convict doing triple life.
"They will only let you in for
eating your shit and cuttin'
yourself up.
"Then all they do is shoot you
full of Thorazine. It makes you a
zombie. You're still breathin',
but you're dead. They send you
out to us, and we get to have fun
with you," the guide smiled.
They shuddered.
Next wa? tllP liuinn irno Ovr ilm
- . v?vj V a v Ul VU I V_M 111V*
normal convicts. It resembled a
hospital wing from a horror
movie, with its short, dark wards
and rusty cots. Up front was a
community sink, shower and
toilet flooded with putrid water.
From the floor above, the
informal
gujup ncaru inmates wnistiing
catcalls at them. The leader grabbed
the blond boy and held him
close.
"Don't worry, honey, you're
mine."
There were small plexiglass
windows down the hall, but they
were barred, and no light came
in. The air was stagnant and
stale. And it was at least 100
degrees despite the November
cold outside.
Then the group headed down a
passageway to sec the cells ?
two-man closets that were considered
a luxury. They waited and
went in groups of four into the
rooms. To the right were
bunkbeds, to the left, a shelf.
The man in the room snokr
loudly as the guide, telling the
group he was lucky to have a
room. He made several homosexual
remarks and gestured with a
Vascline-covered hand to show
he was serious. The smaller
groups hastily reassembled into
one and headed back down the
tunnel.
Next stop was the old stables,
five stories of ice cold granite.
General Sherman kept his horses
there during the Civil War, and
each floor had a fence around it,
holding in a guard and several
inmates.
TU - 1- - * -
i iicsc were me serious
prisoners ? they would die here.
This was the only pari of the tour
where a guard accompanied the
group. Signs on the wall read
"Do Not Shit On The Floor" and
"One Person In The Shower At
A Time." There were no catcalls
or whistles, just cold silence and
the stares of hundreds of blank
eyes.
Hollywooi
to prospe
By SHERRI MAKSIN
Staff writer
Students thinking of pursuing
modeling or television need det
and a pocketful of money, a eel
moter said.
Nina Blanchard, president of a L
talent agency, spoke Tuesday on b
to show business.
BlancharJ has produced a
educational videotape, "How to
Motion Pictures, Television, C<
and Modeling," which depicts tl
proaches to get started in show bi
But Blanchard has been tour
campuses across the nation recen
mote the "Be a Caress Woman Cc
fering a coed the opportunity to <
national soap advertisement. The
be on The Merv Griffin S
Blanchard.
Breaking into the acting profes
in college, where university trainin
students areas of acting other th
tional theatre, which is most com
DUI-IFYOU'H
If you drive under the influence o
Or worse So drive straight.
1 ^
SfPiP
""** W'i- >/,. .,
(?4S?r ... . '
?;>.t. . /?> ,. ^ **
pjffrJt * ' ^
C\v k\ *>V<A
ni^'"'" *,> V.k.M '/<">[
,. . ?*.? ?at ...?,,
"*' ><f V
I nightm
This prisoner has his own cell, a rare c
Group members went into the
n au
cens iwo ai a nme. 1 ne cells were
about 4 feet wide, 5 feet long and
5 feet high with no lights, windows,
cots or pillows. There was
only wet granite and water pipes
painted black.
Next, they went to the mail
window. The group was told of
arrangements for prisoner mail
and banking. If money is sent to
a prisoner, his name is put on a
list for everyone to see. He hires a
body guard while he gets the
money. The body guard gets 75
percent for keeping the prisoner
alive. Loan sharks and dealers get
the rest.
They were also told of visiting
i talent at
%
ctive movi
chard said.
Theatre skills such
a career in singing taught in colle
ermination are needed also, she sa
ebrity pro- Hut she stressed thai
the most important,
.os Angeles To break into the p
reaking in- tors should travel to
York to land a spot
there, Blanchard said.
90-minute
Break into Small-town tlw?.nrp?;
arnmercials to get started, but "t
le best ap- you'll ever be found,"
isiness. production you can wl
ing college While in school, pi
tly to pro- gain "every ounce of
>ntest," of- she said-.
jppear in a Actors in New York
winner will than actors in Los Ang
how with acting job in New Yoi
agent, she said. An a
sion begins Angeles because casiinj
g can teach actor without one, she
an conven- Blanchard also said ;
mon, Blan- in actors without trai
JE LUCKY, YOU'LL
f alcohol or drugs, you risk arrest
Or ride with a driver who is
"V-i V* The
ddvocc'
Ufy * runaw
illustrc
may tx
>.' unique
m,les c
! Ndme
t If
...A.
U I City _
?t?/'c | ^eas<
>^"" ' j : . M<
j Card
? ***.> ? ~
I Signa
I For C
I
are con
ommodity at the facility
procedures and body searches.
Everywhere that drugs, money or
weapons could be hidden is
checked coming in and out.
The group moved next to a
conference room. The group
prayed that it was over, but it was
lecture time. Each guide got up
and told his story. These weren't
petty thieves or pushers ? they
were murderers who had nothing
in the world but prison.
After the prisoners' talks,
group members got up and told
their stories. The stories weren't
told in the boastful manner, as
ociorc tne tour. 1 r.ey were
ashamed.
The younger visitors were a I'jent
offer:
ie, televisi
agent take
as mime, dance and A union
gc, and acting classes cities; it cs
id. commercU
[ workshop training is movie or r
As for n
rofession, aspiring ac- in which tc
Los Angeles or New and males
in major productions 2 4 , s h
Average I
t etnalcs i!
also might be a place 5 ' 1 1 ,' *
hey're the only places average is
she said."Get into any 6'1" To
lere you will he seen." Most agei
otential actors should vary frc
knowledge possible," standards,
The hi
arc probably better off she could
eles because finding an the potci
rk is easier without an former is
gent is needed Los much as
I directors won't see an and save i
said. money,
agents aren't interested way to set
ining, and finding an test your |
ONLY LOSE YOLJff
South Carolina Commissior
Govomor s Oltice ot Highway Salely
"VOICE FOR CHILI
Child Welfare Loague of Arm;' ir.a the natx
icy agency is actively corPtJuti^q Such
ays ana adoptions When b'J of the rno'
itors contribute '.Mpif r.lj;?-r't,:. to r.j<-.e 'unr
; r.ne moc.t vamahie cartoon in 'l.s'.ory t
The 172 cartoon characters represent
)f travel across North Amor f.a
magnificent cartoon .s avanaDie as <i huge
iraph. signed Oy each art s'. ,i' rj vrnted tc
'oster. Both are printed n f(ii! coio' Buy
His go to tne Chiid Welfare League of Ain
int 198G ny respt'(.i.v?' < .it > '. .o" i
r mail orders to
CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE of
Statjur Graphics <nc ?33G' Meadow P
i sena me the folio.ving "Voice For Chil
Is' Fine Art l thoqraofi', (fl) S3 Of
Full Color Posters (<jj S3 '35 >>
; add S? 50 per order *nr shipoin<) ,m<]
tible donation for $ n Ur.tt
oney orders should :?* ,vr>tton out to the
lERlCA (CWLA|
r
} charge to
JSterCard I
Number
red't Card phor.e orfifcr*. . .r to'': '
eludes
>^8HPBE
JPl
HRfSHHKwPtW^S^ ? ;?i
Courtesy of JACK HILLWIG
fected most. The middle-aged
men recited written speeches,
seemingly unmoved by the tour.
They said they shouldn't have
been subjected to such abuse.
The tour leader gave the
visitors some final advice:
"If 1 ever see any of you again,
vou're dead. t?nt ihnt'> 1 hrm?? mn
learned something today, that
you could be in here for real with
just one more stupid mistake.
Ya'll get the fuck outta here, and
don't ever let me see you again."
The visitors seemed thankful to
finally escape the prison.
And as they left, the blond boy
stood alone at the
gate . . . crying.
s advice
on stars
s about two years.
card is a must before going to these
in be obtained by landing parts in
ds, being an extra in a regional
nodding, Blanchard said.
lodcling, stringent restrictions exist
;males are usually 16 to 20 years old
arc 18 to
e said.
height for y?|
'?S: Ni"a
up a lot of Talent agent
The only
; if you have true acting talent is to
potential, she said.
I
. Diners Out) .
.or t.;nl (3 3) S3C, 057? |
M ?. ?? ? ?. ?, ?. .M. .J
t LICENSE.
i on Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Division ol Public Safoty Programs
)REN"
jn s oldest, and larqest child
problems as child abuse
-,t famous cartoonists and
is 'or the CWLA the result
. is unquestionaoiy the most
. i ; months and 1 /U UUU
24" n 36" Limited Edition
) dPCJ an a lar^e 18" *
' a piece of ? 'Story ana the
:'T.a
I'ifJ >' '.MS
AMERICA
'ark Detroit Ml <10239
dren" lit^'OfJf aph|s) and/or ~~l
30 00 earn pud
ach
lancjlmq I enclose my tax i
() States funds All checks
CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE I
I