“...so, I am not convinced that it was possible to
Kinbote and I address my question - how realistic is the story
that Kinbote had an interview with Gradus - to the list.”
Sergei
Sergei,
It is unlikely that Kinbote could have obtained a jail house or prison interview with Gradus.
The rules have not changed much from the time of Pale Fire to today.
Prior to trial, a prisoner held for first degree murder* would be in max security, which would mean that only the closest representatives of the immediate family: this means a wife (spouse); one parent, if there is no spouse; an eldest child if the child is eighteen (the age changes according to the state), would have been able to see him. And that would be for a period of less than a half hour, according to the state in which he was held. It could be as short as ten minutes, which the State figures is enough time to show the family member that the prisoner has not been abused while incarcerated. ALL INTERVIEWS are monitored by guards.
All interviews take place in a fairly large room with prisoner and visitor speaking to each other through a partition of bullet proof glass.
The only exceptions to the above TIME LIMITS (and only the time limits) are visits from the prisoner’s legal representative. Incontrovertible proof that the legal representative is indeed who he/she says she/he is must be shown to prison authorities.
It is unlikely that Kinbote could have faked his way through as an attorney, and it would have been impossible for him to gain an interview by merely saying he was a scholar interested in the case. At least until long after the prisoner’s case had been decided.
We’re generally talking years here.
Time limits on interviews are nonnegotiable. As mentioned above, there are no private interviews until quite awhile after the prisoner has been found guilty (if he is found guilty). At this stage, interviews may be granted on the basis of the prisoner’s good behavior.
Again, all interviews are conducted through glass partition and are monitored and time limits are strictly observed.
To use an example I have already seen on the N-List, I adduce the Capote interviews with his two cute thugs. Capote, in the first film (I haven’t seen Infamous yet), is shown buying his way past the usual rules by paying off the warden. Well, wardens are only human. But, for the most part, Truman’s impromptu interviews in the cell block, with uninspected gift packages, are HIGHLY irregular. Maybe this is permitted for prisoners who are on death row with the countdown already begun. Also, Truman had a remarkable personality that gained him admittance to many select places. If his marvelous personality had not gotten him past the bouncers at Studio 54 quite so often, he might be alive today to add his own thoughts here.
*First degree means that the accused has been proved to have planned the murder in advance. He has chosen his weapon in advance with the specific purpose of using it to kill his chosen victim, and he has chosen the time and the place of the assault. Gradus’ assault on Judge Goldsworthy, or on John Shade, would qualify as first degree. If only we knew whether this was a case of ex-con Jack Gray returning to kill the judge who sent him up the river, or whether this is a case of Jakob Gradus, assassin attempting to murder Charles the Beloved and accidentally killing the next door neighbor, a shambling ashamed-of-his-own-bright-and-talented-daughter John Shade, who might have been receiving divine retribution for being so blind, thoughtless, and ungrateful.
Actually, if it were proven that Jakob Gradus had actually intended to kill Charles Kinbote aka V. Botkin and accidentally killed an innocent neighbor, the case would not be first degree, but it would not mitigate any of the security measures described above. Same goes for crazy ex-con Jack Gray who, intending to kill the judge who sentenced him (and this has happened, and not just once or twice. VN could easily have read of such a case.) accidentally killed a neighbor. The charge drops to second degree or unless the accused can get something better than a court appointed attorney.
Hope this has been helpful. Except for my footnote, all the above is true as I know via friends of mine who are lawyers, and two friends who are judges, and two friends who for some reason I don’t see much anymore who are convicted killers. I apologize for all mistakes and will correct and explain more clearly on request. I am tired right now from staying up late watching the election results.
Andrew Brown (Democrat and Proud)
On 11/7/06 8:43 PM, "NABOKV-L" <NABOKV-L@HOLYCROSS.EDU> wrote:
> so, I am not convinced that it was possible to
> Kinbote and I adress my question - how realistic is the story
> that Kinbote had an interview with Gradus - to the list.