Lockup: Holman Correctional Facility

Heath: According to nearly everyone I spoke with, both staff and inmates, rule violation #38 for indecent exposure (simply called a “38”) is a major problem at Holman. And it’s not just a problem for female officers and visitors but even for male prisoners who are sometimes flashed by fellow inmates. During my two weeks at Holman I never witnessed “38” with my own eyes.  I should also mention that I was never alone inside the gates and was always accompanied by either a male officer or a two-man camera crew.

Any inmate caught committing “38” is required to complete a course on sex addiction. We attended a session where we met several inmates who had recently spent up to 45 days in segregation for committing “38.” All were on probation. One man we spoke with was accused of exposing himself to members of a tour group. During class, he openly admitted to having a problem. In an interview later that day, he changed his story, saying he only admitted guilt in order to get off probation.

The conversation took a surreal turn when I asked the inmate to put himself in a woman’s position. My question to him was: How would you feel if a man exposed himself to you?  Rather than answer the question, he spoke about his right to fantasize about women from afar as long as it didn’t involve indecent exposure. He then proceeded to describe one of those fantasies, using me as an example. That was one question I wish I’d never asked.

Doc Block: You spoke to a couple of inmates who had been on death row.  Their sentences were recently commuted to life without parole.  Why?

Heath: Kenney Loggins is one of many inmates in the state of Alabama to be sentenced to death for a murder he committed as a juvenile. Due to a 2003 Supreme Court ruling, these sentences have been ruled to be unconstitutional. In January, 2006 Kenney’s death sentence was commuted to life without parole.

I met Kenney in segregation shortly after his release from Death Row. Before a Death Row inmate can be released into general population, he must first spend roughly 90 days in segregation to determine if he is a threat to himself or others.  At first Kenney refused to speak on camera. Several days later, Kenney finally agreed to an interview, but only on the condition that we not discuss his case.  He is now appealing his sentence of life without parole. The facts behind his murder conviction are heinous.  In 1995, a court found him and three other teens guilty in the death of a 36-year-old woman.  She was tortured and her body badly mutilated. Several of her fingers were cut off and kept as souvenirs.

Because of Kenney’s refusal to talk about the murder, we instead discussed his time on Death Row.  He talked about the difficulty of leaving his fellow Death Row inmates behind and even began to cry as he described the loss of a friend who’d been executed. Kenney explained that in some ways he actually preferred being on Death Row to facing the reality of serving life without parole. He went on to speak about his fear, and ambivalence of growing old in prison.

Doc Block: If you watch enough “LOCKUP” you know that inmates, especially the ones with life sentences, don’t seem to have trouble getting dates.  Kenney Loggins is no different.  What’s his story? And do you have any sense of what these women see in these guys?

Heath: Kenney made mention of a friend who was coming to visit him the following day, and that she may be willing to speak with us. The next morning, we stood by in the visiting room as a young woman named Nadia arrived.  She had come all the way from Montreal just to spend a few hours with Kenney. This was apparently not her first visit to Holman. She told me they met through the mail as pen pals and from that a friendship developed.

Like Kenney, she refused to speak about the murder conviction. She also wanted to make it very clear that she was not Kenney’s girlfriend. She said the two were just very close friends. Nadia went on to describe television shows she’d seen about women who’d fallen in love with men in prison. This was not how she wanted to be portrayed in our documentary. To my surprise, Nadia finally agreed to let us videotape her.

In the visiting room, or indoor “visiting yard,” rules are strict. Inmates and visitors are allowed a kiss and a hug at the beginning and end of each visit.  We shot their initial embrace and conversation, but Nadia and Kenney were clearly uncomfortable with our camera. We decided to give them some privacy and moved on to another part of the prison.  Hours later, as the visiting period came to an end, we returned to find them holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes.

Doc Block: Obviously homosexuality is a reality behind bars even with the straight inmates who are looking for a sexual connection or outlet. You got to see firsthand an unusual pair -- Precious and Marquise,  a “husband and wife” couple. Marquise said he prefers women but he’s in prison and this is how he deals with it. How did this scenario affect you? What surprised you the most?

Heath: One area we focused on was dorm life. As we entered Dorm Two, I noticed an inmate sewing a hem into a pair of shorts. His bunk and surrounding area were exceptionally tidy; shoes were neatly lined up and fresh laundry hung from the bed frame. He introduced himself to me as Precious.

Thomas Mcdonald / MSNBC TV While Precious gives him a foot massage, the 28 year old Marquise explains that even though he prefers being with women, in this all male environment, Precious is the next best thing to a female.

As I began to interview Precious about domestic life at Holman, I realized that this bunk was, in fact, not his but that of another inmate. Enter Marquise. Marquise sat back and listened as Precious explained their relationship. Precious is the “wife” and Marquise is the “husband” and for the past five years they’ve shared just about everything.  Precious is in charge of all things domestic. He does the laundry, makes coffee and puts together makeshift meals in the dorm microwave.  When I asked about Marquise’s role and whether he provided protection, Precious said he had no problem defending himself.  Precious is nine years older than Marquise, and by his account, it was love at first sight when he first spotted the younger inmate.

When I asked Marquise if he was gay, he told me no, that, in fact, he likes women.  But he also explained to me that in prison, Precious is a woman. He added that he would eventually like to get married to a real woman and become a father.  They both went on to speak candidly about sex, love and relationships. It began to feel like we were taping a segment for a daytime talk show. Several times during our conversation I had to remind myself that I was on the inside of a maximum-security prison. Salacious details aside, it was easy to tell that these two men care a great deal for each other. I'm not sure what will happen with their relationship; Marquise’s release date is 2010, and he may even be eligible for parole before then.  Precious is serving a life sentence. 

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