Meet the Prisoners

Click on their names or the hyperlinks for blogs about them. Most of these prisoners feature in my book, Prison Time

Two Tonys - A Mafia mass murderer who was serving 141 years. Left the corpses of rival gangsters from Tucson to Alaska, but claimed they all "had it coming." Had his own brand of philosophy. Two Tonys died from liver cancer on September 8th, 2010.

Warrior - Serving 14 years for kidnapping and aggravated assault. Half Hispanic and Scottish-Irish with family still in Mexico. Brought up by a family steeped in drug commerce. He writes some of the best prison-fight stories on the Internet.

Xena - A 6 1/2 foot transsexual and Wiccan priestess. The charismatic leader of Cult Of Xena (COX). Tattoos include a wasp on Xena's penis and ant trails running up "her" legs. Cut off a testicle and almost bled to death.

T-Bone - Radiating power and strength, this deeply-spiritual massively-built African-American towers over most inmates. He uses formidable fighting skills acquired as a US Marine to stop prison rape. He is a prison gladiator with more stab wounds than Julius Caesar. A good man to have on your side.



Frankie - A Mexican Mafia hitman, chess champion and leader of prison "booty bandits" who has been proposing our gay marriage ever since he saw me applying antifungal ointment to the bedsores on my buttocks at the Madison Street jail. He was there on murder charges he subsequently beat.

Wild Man - My large and fearless raving partner from my hometown. He looked out for me after we were arrested, and is one of the main characters in my jail memoir. His first day at Buckeye prison, he knocked out the head of the whites in his dorm, so the Aryan Brotherhood put him in charge.

Claudia - My girlfriend at the time of my arrest. Pic and update here.

Polish Avenger - A software-engineering undergraduate sentenced to 25 years because his friend was shot dead during a burglary they were both committing. Author of the classic "Shit Slinger" series.

Dr. O - A brilliant prison psychologist whose sessions really helped my personal development.

Renee - As a teenager, Renee received a 60-year sentence from a judge in Pima County. Fourteen years into her sentence, she's writing from Perryville prison in Goodyear, Arizona, providing a rare and unique insight into a women's prison.

Slingblade - A sumo-sized schizophrenic Vietnam vet who looks as if he could suffer a flashback and snap your neck at any moment. No guard or prisoner with a modicum of sanity would ever get between this murderer and a tray of chow.

Occult Killer - Dubbed the Occult Killer by the media, he's serving 6 to 12 years in Pennsylvania. He killed his best friend in a drunk-driving accident. Police investigators discovered Gothic paraphrenalia in his bedroom, and naturally assumed the death was a sacrificial murder for the benefit of Satan.

Andrea - A 28-year-old Scottish woman who was writing from a maximum-security prison in England. She suffered years of domestic violence, and was arrested for the attempted murder of her most recent boyfriend after he punched her in the face. She pled guilty to wounding, and was released in 2010.

Ogre - A burly biker from California who accidentally stabbed his wife in the knee, and seems to be a classic case of prison pharmacology gone wrong. He claims to have seduced Jenny McCarthy and got high with Pamela Anderson. An enemy of Two Tonys. 

Weird Al - The most unlikely bank robber you are ever likely to meet. His true story of suicide by cop gives new meaning to the power of unchecked depression. He was released in 2008.

Shane - After being denied psychiatric medication by ValueOptions, Shane turned to illegal drugs he financed with burglaries. The medication in prison caused him to suffer a period of spontaneous ejaculations.

Jack - A lifer in for murders who encourged and helped shape my writing. One of the brightest men I've ever met.

Repo - This giant's bald head is emblazoned with flames, skulls, and other satanic insignia. He makes the villian in The Hills Have Eyes seem as scary as Pee-wee Herman. As part of an investigation into the recent murder of a prisoner, he was sent to the hole and is facing the death penalty.

Max - A car-jacking Chukchansi Indian who went home to Las Vegas in 2007. For commissary items, he traded his semen to an old-timer. Some of his prison sexploits were posted under the "Zucchini" series.

Midnight - A car-crash sufferer whose consequent addiction to pain killers, crack, and crystal meth lost him his home and family. Regularly bleeding from the rectum, he is dying from cancer.

Slope - A hillbilly biker with militiaman tendencies who's been serving a sentence for double murder since Wham topped the charts. Born and raised in a dodgy part of Sunnyslope, a Phoenix neighbourhood.

Kat - A Navajo transsexual who crashed while drunk driving, killing two people. A talented artist specializing in Native American and southwestern designs.

Iron Man - A martial-arts expert and personal trainer whose crimes include smashing someone's door down: "I didn't hurt anyone. I just wanted my fuckin' money." His burpie-intensive workouts are brutal. "I'll have you in the best shape of your life by the time you get out," he told me - and he did. Released in 2010.

Gina - Using a razor blade, this transsexual detached "her" testes, cauterized the wound with a cigarette lighter, and ended up in hospital. Minus the testosterone, plus makeup tattooed on, soft-spoken Gina resembles a woman.

Long Island - Promising young cellmate I taught to trade the financial markets. Released on the 11th of December '05 and recently rearrested. Alleged to have committed forgery and hit an officer with a car. He is writing from Sheriff Joe Arpaio's Lower Buckeye jail.

Bones - A South Side Posse Blood serving sixteen years for leading a gang, assisting a crime syndicate, kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Royo Girl - An intelligent and attractive criminology graduate who used to visit me in prison. Whether her interest was based on love or she was writing a thesis on my criminality is an open question.

Hammy - Best friend I grew up with in my hometown. Fond of alcohol, especially Stella Artois.

Las Cucarachas - Kept me company throughout many a lonely night.
 
Click here for questions that I answered about my Locked Up/Banged Up Abroad episode for National Geographic

The books my Locked Up/Banged Up Abroad episode was based on are all available here - Party TimeHard Time and Prison Time - and on Amazon here.  





In this video, I describe in much more hard-hitting detail the jail conditions:
  
If you have any questions, please Tweet me here, or post them to my Facebook here 

Shaun Attwood

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to Pops?

Jon said...

Xena said Pops went to hospital and never came back.

Suzy said...

Today you came to my school, Kingsbury High. Your story was very interesting. I admire your ability to see the good in Murderers and all sorts of criminals. I Realise that just because someone does something and goes to jail, does not mean they have no heart or whatever...Me and my friend think you are a really genuinely nice guy and I hope U successes in the future. Keep staying strong and I think U should write more, your really good :)

Jon said...

That's really nice of you, Suzy.

Thanks!

Shaun

ben said...

heyy u came to my school holy trinity in crawley and i thought your story was great i told my mum about it and she was interested in it and wishes you well in the future and im now already thinking about my future and what i want to do and not i was thinking about moving to america when im older and renting a house as i am really interested in basketball and well america is the best at it. but now i am sure i will have to watch out there and keep safe i liked your story and i hope your life goes really well from now on good luck

Reece said...

Hi you came to Winchmore School today and I found you rather interesting. hope you come back again.

harry said...

u can to chsb today yr 9 enjoyed ur story hope u can come again at some points

Anonymous said...

You also came to my school today and i loved listening to your story and thought it was very shocking how the guards treated the prisoners and i thought it was amazing how you saw all these shocking things, i think your a very interesting person.

kieran said...

hi you came to my school to day and your story realy opened me and my mates eyes some of the things you have done we do some times but when you tell use some of the things you have doen and seen and lost make me think why dod i do it so for that i thank you and good luck with every thing

Anonymous said...

Dare you to do it again ;)

Curtis K said...

your epic :P
ur speech was best part of the day thanks for coming (PRS)

Jon said...

Thanks, students! Your feedback makes it all so worthwhile.

Shaun

Anonymous said...

Hey, Shaun.
You came into my school today (Folkestone School for Girls) and I was absolutely fascinated by your story and cannot believe all of this happens and no one seems to care from the outside world that all these human rights are broken for these prisoners. They deserve a life as well (unless (in my opinion) they are child molestors and murderers etc). I would love to know more about Xena's story and the tales behind T-Bones' tattoos.

Matt H said...

Today you came to my school,Welling secondary. It was really inspiring how you kept going and eventually saw your ways and got out. I wish you all the best in life and hope you continue to inspire others as you did me and all the others at my school :)

Anonymous said...

hi

Anonymous said...

how is t bone ?? :D

Anonymous said...

what was the worst thing you have ever seen in that prison ?

Jon said...

Haven't heard from T-Bone in ages.

Lot's of bad stuff at the jail: seeing people get beaten till they looked dead...

Mike Palmer said...

in the presentation you said you could be making a film in the future could you give us more information about it please :)

Anonymous said...

Shaun attwood = legend! :D
What was t-bone in jail for?

Vinay said...

Wow, came to my school today (22/03/2013) and literally blew our minds away. We endulged in his words and the, seemingly endless, stories he could tell us (in a good way).
Constantly after we talked about you! Thanks!

Vinay said...

Wow, came to my school today (22/03/2013) and literally blew our minds away. We endulged in his words and the, seemingly endless, stories he could tell us (in a good way).
Constantly after we talked about you! Thanks!

Unknown said...

Amazing Story Jon and I always tell my Friends to Live Full and die empty and means when you get another chance to make your Life count! I tell my people that many Die at 21 but don't get Buried until 65.. I am happy you decided to make a difference Jon. From Canada Many Blessings from another changed man.
Heiltsuk Art Designs by Fred Anderson jr http://sdrv.ms/MaJGEW

b. said...

I just saw you on National Geographic and I think you are a wonderful person. You impressed me with your courage, because you need to be very strong to survive in that place. It would be the best thing if you would come in my highschool too. Best wishes from Romania, you rock dude!

Jon said...

thanks for your comments

t-bone was in for cocaine

Anonymous said...

so you and your mates would play cards and shave a eyebrow of , hows that gowing , i used to talk to you in the cage as we got to walk around , for a hour or so then back in the s t hole

Jon said...

how's it going bro from jail?

Anonymous said...

Shaun im a indian today i saw ur story on banged up in abroad in discovery channel.. That was really shocking... Drug is a biggest addition in this world.. that will make us to do everything to get it.. 2 yrs b4 i was addicted to ganja... For ganja smuggling 6 months i was in prison...

Anonymous said...

I just wonder....if you really wanted us to know what happens in that prison you shud hv put it on here...I just cudnt find it.....or u want us to buy your book to know all of it..??...u survived..thts cool...but ...make it easy for us to know abt it more

Pam UK said...

Such an inspiring young man. I watched Banged up Abroad tonight and have been reading stories from your blog ever since! I cant even begin to imagine what you went through and the memories that must haunt you daily but I admire you for getting your say out there and helping to make changes for others suffering the same way you did. I will from now on be as involved in any campaign as my schedule will allow me. Pam :)

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Natasa said...

Thank you for a lovely talk at BDA last week, it was very intriguing :)
Listening to your story has been an absolute honour and priviledge; your very inspirational and your story is by far the most unique. I wish you all the best for the future and hope to read more of your amazing books (:

Jon said...

thanks guys! :)

Anonymous said...

Superb potrayal

Unknown said...

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Anonymous said...

Kudos to you for bringing your story to the masses..I've been totally addicted to your writings and talks for a number of days now. Being a 54 year old man, been around the block a few times, ex soldier etc thought I'd seen and done most things ... you sir, are an inspiration may you long continue to give your time to others where so few would...

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Ark Red said...

Hey Shaun,
Just found an article in Business Insider about you, which led me to your blog. Glad to see that you are doing good. Figured I'd drop a line let you know I'm out and doing OK. Doing my best not to go back, although it can be tough at times. All the education I took advantage of while I was inside did no good once I was out. Nobody will hire me for that kind of work. They do a background check and say "We can't hire anyone with violent felonies." It is easy to see why most people go back. I did eventually find work, just not the field I trained for. At least it pays the bills and keeps me out of trouble.
Red

Unknown said...

Hey Shaun ,
You are the best , how you're trying to protect innocent people falsly accused off crime (murder) . I really admire you ! Keep going on to do the right thing !

Selina said...

Hi Shaun!
You came to my school today (Prospect School) and your talk was amazing! It inspired me and I hope everyone learns from your story. I was kind of shy to ask you any questions in the talk but it was shocking - in a good way.
Also, the people in your story seemed astonishing - especially T-Bone. I just checked out his Facebook account!
I really admire you, keep on doing the right thing!

Anonymous said...

What is Tbone real name and/or booking?

like it or not said...

Dear Shaun I watched you today for the first time . I am amazed you survived all that trauma please Twitter me back or give me a reply has I think your story is fascinating and quite learning for other people and I would love to read your other books thank you very much for being so brave and so manly to tell the truth

Anonymous said...

I know everyone deserves a second chance no matter what they have done, but do you feel that prison is far too easy nowadays on inmates, where they get to watch television, have tablets where they can call people and access internet. Most people that go to jail and prison, do not have access to such luxury's on the outside, therefor having them on the inside is a means to have a more structured life behind bars. I know that in the UK, they even have Xbox's and play stations, as well as mobile phones for good behaviour, and again most don't have this luxury on the outside, and sometimes feel that prison life is not a deter-ant. Would love to hear your views on this.