Update: Gerald Amirault was released on parole, 30 April 2004

Visiting Gerald Amirault (1999)

first posted 990527
last minor update 20040506

Frank K. and I drove on Thursday 1 April 99 to see Gerald Amirault at the Bay State Correctional Center, 28 Clark St., Norfolk MA. Though not far from the better known Walpole prison complex, it is a separate facility. Gerald seemed in good spirits and happy to see us, especially Frank, a regular visitor.

Contents:

1. We arrived at the prison about 1:00 PM, but, what with us figuring out what was needed, and going through the search process (see Appendix ap-1 below), it was probably nearer 1:30 (or even a bit later) before we were finally talking to him in the visitor center.

The visitor center was a large room, perhaps 25 feet by 40, with waiting-room pews to one side, and round cafeteria tables to which one could pull up chairs. It was clean and well-lighted, with simple and functional furniture. It was inside the prison compound, in a low somewhat-temporary-looking new building, separated by a 50-foot outdoor walk from the gate. In the room, one guard sat at a slightly elevated desk, but the atmosphere was fairly relaxed; after all, it was not possible to break out from there.

We sat with Gerald at one of the round tables. We were able to talk softly; none of the groups at other tables disturbed us, and we didn't disturb them.


2. Some items we discussed (this is not an exhaustive list):

3. Gerald alerted us that the guards close the gate for about an hour during shift change (starting about 3:40 PM?). It is permissible for visitors to remain during that time, since visiting hours run till 8 PM, but Frank and I had intended to beat the rush hour back to Boston. The guard in the visitors' room alerted us at 3:40, and we went out the gate with three other visitors.

Appendices

ap-1. Rules for visits:

ap-2: Gerald's mailing address, location, and how to get there

This has become obsolete since Gerald's release on 30 April 2004
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