Cruel and Unusual
Author:
I was the prisoner described in this story.
I was 19 at the time and it took place in 1957 in New Brubnswick
Canada
The
Gleamer
Edmunston N.B.
Cruel and Unusual?
Special by James Sheridan
During this time of debate as to whether Corporal Punishment
should be discontinued as a legal punishment in New Brunswick, I
was able recently to observe a corporal punishment being
administered. A bailiff friend of mine in one of our smaller
centers called me the night before to say that the juvenile court
in Plaster Rock had just sentenced a youth to 8 strokes to be
laid across his buttocks the next day. I drove over to Plaster
Rock the following morning as the punishment was to be
administered around the noon hour.
The punishment took place in the garage of the local
municipal/court/police building.
The instruments were: A composite strap of webbed material ( such
as in an army belt) and rubber. It is about 2" wide,
3/8" thick and about 2 ft. long it has 8 holes in it
each about the size of a dime. It is attached to a round leather
handle.
A long narrow very low wooden bench.
The prisoner this day was a biker of about 19 years. A
relatively husky fellow of about 6 ft. and 190 lbs. He is brought
in , a policeman on either side, each with one of his wrists
doubled up behind him so that he is doubled over head in a
hang-dog position on his chest dirty long brown hair hangs
over his face adorned with several days growth of
beard he hasn't seen a bath or shower recently he is
naked but for his jockey briefs. He doesn't look so tough!!
I am told he was charged with a series of offenses regarding
booze and wild riding of his motor cycle also, apparently,
a charge that could have gotten him time at Dorchester. This
involved a minor girl ( a
July 25 1957
13 yr old )which maybe could have been pressed as a rape
charge. The prisoner pleaded guilty to all the charges, thus
saving the county time and money, on the proviso that it be in
juvenile court.
He was sentenced to 8 strokes "to be well and truly laid',
across his buttocks.
He is forced belly down onto the bench. His head hangs over one
end. His wrists are secured by leather straps ,one to each leg of
the bench. His briefs are pulled to his knees. A leather strap
around each ankle is secured to the other end of the bench in
such a way so that it can be hauled tight. A thick pad was placed
on the bench such that his gentitals rest on it. His buttocks are
thus elevated slightly.
The two police officers lift the head end of the bench and
place blocks under each leg so that the bench is elevated
at an angle of about 45 degrees.
The procedure is thus: One of the police officers will wield the
strap holding it with both hands will take a quick
step forward swinging it with the full force of his weight in a
sideways slightly downards motion.
I am standing 6-8 ft. from the head end of the bench
staring at the terrified face of the prisoner who is covered in
sweat.
CRACK ! The first stroke lands on bare skin. His whole body
tightens and quivers. He seems to want to arch backwards but the
restraints prevent him and just his head jerks back, he screams.
( He doesn't appear so tough-looking now.) He gasps for breath.
CRACK ! The second stroke lands on the quivering flesh of the
bare buttocks. Again his head flails back, the muscles in his
back and legs ripple with cramp and again he lets out a scream.
CRACK ! Again the strap bites into bare flesh. His whole body
spasms violently trashing at its restraints. He screams and
curses, and sobs pleading NO! NO! NO! NO!.
CRACK! His buttocks have redded up. The muscles in his back,
arms, legs ripple with spasms. It thrashes at its
restraints its head flails against the bench, it emits
animal like sounds. Its eyes are wild eyed.
( It has become, to this observer, more animal-like than human.)
CRACK! Again the webbing bites into bare flesh. Muscles rippling
with spasms it tugs at its restraints with even greater
force, head flails about, eyes roll back in its head, it is
hyperventilating with such force that is screams come out
as moans.
( To me this tough is gutlesss he could apparently act the
tough . Why can't he take his punishment in manly silence
?)
CRACK ! It has tugged so violently at its restraints that the
left ankle strap has come undone. It is able to jerk its
body violently to the right. The strap, laid on from its
right side, lands, on edge, diagonally across the
small of its back ( at about the 5th vertebra) cutting into the
flesh curling around the left abdomen, leaving a cut under
its left rib cage. Its penis, hard end erected, is dribbling
semen. It flails more violently, curses and screams. Two
policemen jerk the left leg back into place and re-secure the
strap.
CRACK ! The strap lands square across the buttocks. Every muscle
in its body is in spasm. Semen seeps from under its groin. It
flails violently against its restraints.
CRACK ! the last stroke lands. Its muscles are convulsing. It is
hyperventilating. Red welts have risen across its buttocks. The
straps at the wrists are undone and the wrists are re-cuffed
behind its back The ankle straps are untied.. It
rolls off the bench on to the floor with a thud. It is flailing
about. Eyes are rolled back in its head,. It foams at the mouth.
It appears grey, cold and clammy. There is a scarlet scrape on
its left abdomen. The flailing slows, it arches its back to take
the weight off its buttocks. The penis is erected and hard. It is
masturbating semen onto its groin and pubic hair. It has rolled
through some oil stains on the floor becoming even grimier.
Finally it rolls over and lays splayed out face down in the grime
and dirt' gasping for breath and moaning.
The two cops grab it, one by each wrist and arm pit and lift it
half off the floor doubled over, its head hanging, long hair just
brushing the floor, legs splayed out behind they half carry
half drag it back into the cell area.
This young tough chose to booze it up under age tear
around in a reckless manner on his motor-cycle and engage in
sexual activity with a 13 year-old.
He willingly chose juvenile court over adult court with the
possibility, if convicted of doing 'hard time' at Dorchester as
somebody's love slave.
Cruel and Unusual or Just Punishment You be the judge but
to me he got less than his just