Mr. Ron Huber  
My Name is Joel Fuller. I am serving a life sentence for the state of Maine but being warehoused in the federal system and have been for the last 21 years.

I read that article "Long Distance Lock-Up" in the Bangor Daily News and found it very interesting and quite informative as I am in the process of requesting my 5th transfer back to my home state of Maine.

Back in 1986 I was convicted of a murder and sentenced to 50 years by the State of Maine. In 1989 I was transferred into the federal system.  I had filed my requests to return to Maine to the former Commissioner of Corrections (Mr. Magnusson). My requests were all denied for the same reason; that I pose  a risk of escape, which for the past 21 years with the feds clearly shows that's not the case.  They have my current progress report so they know this to be true.  

In the article the former associate Commissioner "Denise Lord" stats that the only reasons Maine inmates are transferred are because that person has family in another state or because that person is a danger to others or because that person is at risk of being harmed.  She doesn't say anything about an inmate being an escape risk.  This is probably because they don't want the taxpayers to know that they have no confidence in their new Supermax.

Back in 2001, I was brought back to Maine and charged with a 1983 murder that happened in Belfast. They offered me a deal where the commissioner (Mr. Magnusson) signed an agreement to let me do my time in Maine if I would of plead guilty to that murder.  I went along with that deal but couldn't bring myself to plead guilty to a murder that I didn't have anything to do with even though I wanted to stay in Maine, I couldn't do it for my family's sake.  I had put them through enough over the years. In 2003 I was found not guillty of this murder.

Mr. Huber my complaint to the Commissioner of Corrections is this: If Mr Magnusson was willing to sign that agreement then evidently my security wasn't an issue back in 2001.

I agree with you that we all are being punished by being housed far from home.

I didn't know there were 31 Maine inmates being house in ddifferent states and had no knowledge of this bill LD 690. If this bill is passed, it may very well be my best chance yet to come home.

After reading the article I have been thinking that I've been going at this transfer all wrong.  Instead of filing my transfer with the commissioner of corrections (Mr. Ponte) maybe I should be looking at another angle.

Do you know how many of the 31 Maine prisoners are requesting to return to Maine?

If we all could somehow get our families together and set up a meeting with the Governor or Mr Ponte, maybe it would help get this bill passed. 

What do you think, Mr Huber?

This article sure has got my wheels turning. I hope you don't mind me writing you. If you want to respond to this letter please send it to my attorney, Mr Jeffrey Silverstein in Bangor. 
Thanks for your time.

Respectfully yours 

Joel Fuller.