In 2018 I witnessed an epic battle of the cell warriors between Jeremy Joseph Christian and Richard Daniel Norton. Two inmates could that never touch each other yet fought constantly the entire time Norton was being held as a witness in the 4B housing unit at the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC). According to Christian, Norton was there to testify against an alleged shooter that goes by the handle “Too Much” or “2 Much.” Norton insisted that he was a victim and not a snitch. Whether or not the two are one in the same depends on who you ask. Some people consider snitches only to be people that tell on people that are involved in the same criminal stuff that they are or are at least not saints themselves. Others label anyone that gives the police information a snitch. One thing that is for sure is that inmates overwhelmingly consider people that tell on other inmates for any reason to be a snitch and telling includes making statements that they know the guards can hear containing information that could be used to punish another inmate.
At one point, Norton called his lawyer and could be overheard in plain view of the deputies saying, “they’re calling me a rat...no violent record...why am I in with violent people?” Yet this non-violent offender said things to Christian like “I’m gonna knock your head off bitch…You’re never going home!” To which Christian would say, “at least I’ll die not from being murdered for being a rat.” Christian was not threatening to kill Norton. He was merely referring to the fact that snitches are not treated well in Florida prisons, so if he spent enough time there something bad would probably happen.
Later on, after some kind of feces/urine mixture mysteriously ended up in Norton's cell he told deputies, “you all just keep letting the devil keep getting away with what he’s doing.” Before turning to Christian and saying, “Kill yourself…I’ll prove to the world I’m not a snitch…I told them I would not testify.” To which Christian responded, “I’ve seen you rat on the tier three times.” Norton then stole the batteries out of the remote control after putting the tv on a rap music channel. As a result, nobody could use the remote and everyone was forced to listen to rap music. Only PC cases do stuff like that because in prison that kind of thing would get you smashed off the yard by your own people.
Norton later said that he did testify, but he testified that, “a car pulled up and they all had masks on…did say some motherfucker pulled a gun on me but never said he shot me.” He claimed to be affiliated with the Gangster Disciples (GD) gang, but having done time with DGs in the federal system I know that they would never tolerate that kind of behavior from one of their members.
Norton had yet to be sentenced on gun charges in Florida. He said that he was facing 11 years. He was sentenced earlier this year and released in May. Known gang members with lengthy criminal histories typically are treated worse by courts than other inmates, but it looks like Norton got treated quite well. In many cases that kind of treatment can be obtained by dropping out of the gang and becoming a government witness.